Context: I injured my dick jelqing 9 years ago in 2014 when I was 16. I remember losing my semi-erection when I did the exercise too hard and then I made it worse by masturbating right after. After I came my dick shrunk to flaccid almost immediately, which hadn't happened to me before.
I'm 25 now, and after thinking about the event again I came across this subreddit and figured I would make an update post. Everyone's experience differs a bit but here's mine.
The Bad:
- My dick still isn't exactly the same as it was before the injury. The most important difference is that my refractory period is a lot longer, ranging from 12 hours to 1 week. However, this didn't affect me in a previous relationship (I was lucky in that my partner also had low libido and was happy to do things not involving me cumming)
The Good:
- It still works. After the refractory period I can have erections just fine.
- It's in the same ballpark size wise.
- The injury affected me mentally a lot at first but now I rarely think of it. There's so much more to life than just your dick.
Overall, I would say you may never fully recover but it's not a big deal. I would just say to try to go as long as possible without masturbating for the first year after the injury, though don't beat yourself up if you do (we're literally hardwired to want to). You just need to make sure that overall your dick has time to recover.
I left out details but happy to answer questions.

2023 Results (So Far): +18.78 Units
2022 Results: +73.185 Units
All Time: +92 Units

Full transparency, I run a MMA betting service called Provide Picks. We have been operating for roughly a year and a half completely tracked and verifiable with a return of over 96 units in that short time. You can find our full tracking sheet history here and you can also see a bunch of customer testimonials and betting slips throughout that time here.
Me myself, I have watched MMA religiously for more than 10 years and trained for over 4.5 years, I love this sport so I figured why not help bring some insight and analysis to others! Now this isn’t a sales pitch, I know how Reddit works and I really enjoy the opinions shared on this sub-reddit so I genuinely want to help contribute and if you enjoy the output, please feel free to join the team! We are proven to be profitable long-term so if you have some spare change to invest at any level, you love the sport and are interested in improving your knowledge - come over and check us out at providepicks.com. As we have a fair base of paying members, it wouldn’t be fair to them to share every single one of our bets however I want to provide as much value for this betting community as people, hopefully to help you guys see a different angle in terms of MMA betting and long-term profitability and more importantly - sending these bookies broke.
Anyways enough waffle - let’s get into this week’s shenanigans. This is a surprisingly fun fight night card, I love these events that are lower on name value but just full of decent talent and exciting matchups. This is definitely one of them and generally when you have slightly lesser talent stacked fight nights, you have a night full of violence and finishes - let’s see if that continues in this one. Onto the breakdowns!
Maxim Grishin (32-9-2) vs. Philipe Lins (16-5):
Grishin is a tall, orthodox fighter who is just a real good mixed martial artist. He is a big frame for the LHW division, is strong and still has fairly slow, plodding style of movement and footwork. Is good in the clinch, very good at holding position by winning underhooks and using his big head to frame against the neck of his opponent and keep them in position for taxing knees to the body and just wearing on them with his big frame. I like his ability to keep the fight in his range, using slight forward pressure and a decent feint game to his advantage. Can be a little heavy set on the lead leg so should look out for the speedy outside leg kick of Lins in this one - Grishin is also pretty handy at catching the body kick and punishing. Personally, never been massively high on Lins in his career, admittedly he has looked better since dropping to his proper weight class post juice cycle but it is against weak competition. He is OK everywhere but not great anywhere, I do like his hand-speed with his boxing combos especially when pressuring forward. I think he mixes in takedowns well in his game at times but he can also be held against the cage. I probably slightly edge Lins in terms of cardio but I also do think this is a massive watch the scales fight due to Grishin’s size and propensity for bad weight cuts. This is a tough fight to call given both guys are fairly unimpressive. I favour the speed of Lins with the hand-speed and kicks definitely but he doesn’t set them up intelligently. I think Grishin can hold Lins against the cage, wear on him with his size and win minutes. I capped this fight 50/50 and I think we see a close fight, will take Maxim Grishin by UD but with very low confidence.
BET: No bet.
Luan Lacerda (12-2) vs. Da'Mon Blackshear (12-5-1):
I like what I saw on debut from Lacerda - he has a very Muay Thai style of fighting, very flat-footed with a high guard, move forward pressuring with the lead leg ready to pop up and check kicks quickly. He has sharp, fast hands and particularly his hooks to the body are very technically sound. Against Stamann he was able to mix some grappling in when it suited but it is clear he is more of an Aldo style fighter that prefers to stuff takedowns and keep it on the feet. Coming up against Blackshear here who I have been very impressed with even though he is off 2 losses. Da’mon is a super well rounded guy, I like his creative offence on the feet and I also like his offensive grappling ability on the ground too. Defensively, he leave a little more to be desired and can be a little comfortable with fighting off his back which I don’t particularly like. We haven’t seen too much grappling from Lacerda so will be interested to see how he fares in this one but I think the technicality of Lacerda on the feet, the ability to mix his targets to the head, body and legs and just land the more damaging strikes will edge him this one. Taking Luan Lacerda by UD.
BET: No bet.
Jinh Yu Frey (11-8) vs. Elise Reed (6-3):
I would be doing a disservice to everyone who reads this if I honestly told you with any level of confidence that you should put your hard earned money anywhere near this fight. Don’t, simple as that.
Daniel Santos (10-2) vs. Johnny Munoz Jr. (12-2):
This is a super fun matchup between two very efficient grapplers which should make for a exciting scrap here. Let’s start with Daniel Santos, if you knew nothing of this guy and watched him fight and had half a clue on MMA, you would know immediately that he is a Chute Boxe fighter. He has relentless forward pressure, irresponsible boxing defence and is a very kill or be killed style fighter. I like his stalking style, but he has little head movement besides the pull counter really, likes to pressure you until that back foot is up against the cage and then explode in with spinning attacks or elbows from weird angles. He keeps his hands high but then head on centre line and thus far has shown some crazy durability but this can only get you so far. Looks to have solid grappling, not accepting bottom position and constantly looking to invert and throw up submissions. Against Arce he looked good however Arce was able to be elusive with his footwork, stick and move and use angles well to counter in and out of range. I think against anyone who can effectively stay on the outside and use smart, straight shots effectively, he will struggle. I just don’t think that guy is Munoz JR on the feet - he is clunky, doesn’t throw in combinations and looks to parry alot of shots defensively which I really don’t like against a guy who throws wild, unorthodox strikes in Santos. He is a solid wrestler with some good offensive TD numbers but he has to be careful not to shoot unintelligently and throw himself into a submission which will make him hesitant and have to strike. I think Munoz’s wins have been against low level guys who aren’t in the promotion anymore and I think this is a bad stylistic fight for him. I think Santos will land the more damaging shots and I fancy he gets him out of here in under 2 rounds. Taking Daniel Santos via TKO RD 1.
BET: Like the look of the Santos moneyline, fancy Santos Inside the Distance too but will wait to see what price this opens at. If we get anything in the realm of +125 to -120, I would look at a 1.5 unit play. Under 2.5 rounds is an option also depending on price, I think it will probably be around the -200 to -250 play so anything south of that will be a play too.
Andrei Arlovski (34-21) vs. Don'Tale Mayes (9-5):
Huge experience edge to the old-dawg here in Arlovski. Mayes has been everything but impressive thus far in his UFC career and I don’t know how you could be intrigued to play either side in this one. Mayes can hit hard and is reasonably athletic for the HW division but skill for skill outside the boxing, he doesn’t offer a lot. I couldn’t be confident on ever betting him to be quite honest. You know what you’re going to get with Arlovski and that is volume, if his chin can handle what is coming back at him. He is a special for split decisions so if you’re a degen and want action, look to that but for me, no interest here. Will take the side of Andrei Arlovksi via UD using his volume and experience but you couldn’t be more lower confidence.
John Castañeda (19-6) vs. Muin Gafurov (18-4) :
Gafurov taking this on short-notice with Castaneda set to take on Mendonca before that was cancelled and replaced with possibly the furthest opposite style of fighter. The Gafurov gameplan is simple, contest on the feet, use blitz attacks such as looping overhands when moving forward followed by a double leg against the cage and rely on his Sambo capabilities to hold top position and out-work his opponent. Castañeda is a guy that doesnt get a huge amount of spotlight but I like his game alot. He has nice footwork, good striking out of southpaw and orthodox, has good wrestling entries and is able to grapple competitively, just a solid all around mixed martial artist. In this one, I really favour the movement and footwork of Castañeda and I think the speed is going to give Gafurov issues. Castañeda is sitting at a 60% TD Defence rate which is concerning against a guy who will consistently shoot like Gafurov, but I think Castañeda will be hard to find, using the angles in and out of the pocket and throwing quick shots up the middle to dissuade and make Gafurov think. I like John Sexi Mexi Castañeda to win this one by UD.
BET: No lines opened yet but have capped Castañeda as a 60% winning chance.
Elizeu Zaleski (23-7) vs. Abubakar Nurmagomedov (17-3-1):
Zaleski is an interesting fighter to me. Good sprawl, solid TD Def against the cage, good balance and strength to win underhooks. Quite a flat-footed striker, not a massive amount of footwork but I like his rear leg power kick, he hits the body well and switches levels nicely. Relatively low volume and works single shots mainly without a massive amount of feinting. The frequency that he fights worries me but it has been the story of his career. Abubakr is the typical Dagestani fighter, limited stand up basically a quick overhand right and other single shots, tied in with a grinding, gruelling wrestling pace. He seems on the lower end of the Nurmagomedov scale in terms of skill, often leaving himself open to submission when in top control whether it’s knee-bars or even the common triangle. He is able to hold a good pace over 15 mins which is good given how top heavy and smothering he can be at times. He fights out of both stances, looks more comfortable out of OD but if he fights SP, I think he will lose this fight. Zaleski is too sharp on the feet especially with the body kicks and straight shots which will only be accentuated in the opposite stances. I also think the knees for Zaleski are going to be huge here, he throws them with bad intentions in the centre and against the cage which tied in with his teeps and front kicks are a dangerous sight for Abubakr. Abubakr is a good chance at smothering the fire power of Zaleski and just wearing on him but I think he is dangerous enough off his back to survive and challenge at times and I expect the damage will start to add up on the Zaleski side and I think we see a finish. Taking Elizeu Zaleski via TKO RD 2.
BET: Zaleksi ITD will be a play if over +200. Moneyline odds are probably bang on.
Guram Kutateladze (12-3) vs. Jamie Mullarkey (16-5):
Guram has a K1 kickboxing background and it shows, very high level on the feet with good head movement and sharp, unpredictable strikes set up with a smart feint game. He has really good distance management, uses great fundamentals and is super quick with his hand-speed and he finishes combos with kicks which I love, its that kickboxing mentality. He fights out of All Stars which shows in his TD Defence especially against the fence, he is clearly strong but has very good wrestling and counter wrestling technique. He has had a super high level of competition and performed very well in wins and losses, we just don’t see him active enough due to injuries and bad luck. Mullarkey is an absolute junkyard dog, pushing the pace and moving forward with intense pressure making you fight every second of that 15 minutes. He like to engage in the pocket, for better or worse, and in recent times we have seen his wrestling really shine through some of these tough scraps. He has a nice jab which I expect to be pumping prior to every combo and entry for Mullarkey. I just think at this point in his career this is quite a tough fight for Mullarkey. Guram is a super high-level striker with a good base for stuffing takedowns and keeping the fight in kickboxing range. I expect Mullarkey to want to close distance and engage, I just don’t think defensively he is strong enough to absorb and adapt to the speed and combinations of Guram and I think we see that chin tested for Mullarkey. I think this is a bit of a step down in competition for Guram although if Mullarkey can get some early takedowns it will be interesting to see the gastank of Guram tested. The activity is always a question mark but at this point I think Guram should win this handily, will be taking Guram Kutateladze via TKO RD 2.
BET: Wouldn’t touch Guram at -350 but he should win.
Karine Silva (15-4) vs. Ketlen Souza (13-3):
Silva should win here but at that price, even blind Freddie could see that this is a pass on the moneylines. Silva actually has a high finishing ability in terms of WMMA, so if we can get a good price on a fight doesnt go the distance line, that could be an option here.
BET: Wait for round lines to drop.
Tim Elliott (18-12-1) vs. Victor Altamirano (12-2):
Altamirano is a SP fighter, fairly unusual style of striking with sort of a Tony Ferguson style mixed in with some well timed takedown attempts. He has very little power in his strikes but OK volume. Defensively, he leaves a lot to be desired with a modified sort of philly shell style where his lead hand is low and near the hip, he does get hit and often but he has shown very good durability. His takedowns worry me at times because he is very content to dip his head to an advancing opponent and run a double or single leg, he is very open to knees and front kicks up the middle. Tim Elliott lives up to his nickname of “Awkward” extremely well. He has bizarre head movement, footwork and feints that all tie in to his sort of herky jerky style of fighting. He is able to tie his wrestling game in very well, I’d say technically he is far more technically sound than Victor. He does put himself into submission opportunities with some of his entries but im not too worried about that in this fight. This has the potential to be one of the worst fights we have seen TBH and only because of how weird and unorthodox these guys are, the awkwardness really has the potential to make this fight a strange one. I am pretty confident that Tim has the grappling/wrestling edge and also the more diverse and comfortable striker, the recent occurrence with Tim and Gina Mazany in the media does give me pause that he might be coming into this too emotional but I think it may fire him up to really perform. I think Tim is under his value here and can win in a multitude of ways, going to take Tim Elliott via UD.
BET: Tim Elliott Moneyline -175 (2 Units to win 1.14 Units)
Jim Miller (35-17) vs. Jared Gordon (19-6):
I will keep this one short and simple, Gordon is a really bad stylistic matchup for Miller and would win probably 7/10 times currently BUT he is returning way too soon after getting KO’d by that headbutt from Bobby Green. Gordon has good wrestling and generally good durability with a knack for pushing these grinding paces and outworking and outlasting his opponent. Pair that up with good submission defence and thats a horror fight for A10 Miller. But you can never count Jim out, he hits hard for a vet, he is unorthodox and he has the potential to catch you. For me, Gordon should roll here but I love to play Jim Miller round one given that is his money round - have cashed plenty on this through his career! Short breakdown and not a thorough one, I think Jared Gordon should win this fight but I think it is too soon. I will take Jared Gordon via UD**,** but take it with a pinch of salt.
BET: Jim Miller wins round 1 (price not available yet, .75 units)
Alex Caceres (20-13) vs. Daniel Pineda (28-14):
Haven’t had time to break this one down yet but will update if any bets come off it!
Kai Kara-France (24-10) vs. Amir Albazi (16-1):
KKF is a kickboxing fighter who we have seen develop nicely through his career in the UFC. He has worked tirelessly on his takedown defence and it shows in his huge improvement in ability to not only stuff shots but his ability to use the cage and his excellent balance to keep his feet underneath him. I think KKF’s hands are still fairly rudimentary and not necessarily in a bad way, he uses the jab decently well and relies on the 1,2 sometimes too much. For his weight, he has good power and one area I really like are his leg kicks, he has solid rear leg power kicks that he lands very efficiently off the back of his straight shots. Albazi is more of a grappler in nature with a majority of his victories by submission but I have liked what I have seen from him on the feet also. He has a sharp, snappy jab which he works off the back of and allows to dictate the fight. He has a pretty limited kicking game and in terms of kick defence, I expect KKF to really try and exploit the lack of checking and the heavy set stature of Albazi. In the grappling realm, I don’t think it’s close. Albazi has some elite scrambles on the mat and if you’re content to sit in his guard, he has some really damaging ground and pound in which he will equally target your head and body and punish you and wear on you. Albazi is far superior in terms of grappling but the question is will he be able to get it down to the mat? I think his timing going under the big right hand will be an option and I think he will be able to use his strength advantage when in close to muscle certain movements. This is a big step up in competition and his first venture into main event rounds which is a worry. This is going to be a fun fight and I am really looking forward to it but I think as long as everything looks good after weigh-ins, I will be on the Albazi side. He is improving with every fight and I think we see him get this fight to the ground and wear on KKF, eventually finding a submission, probably a RNC. Taking Amir Albazi via SUB RD 3.
BET: Will wait to see what round lines are set at. Will be looking at the Albazi Inside the Distance line also.
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And that wraps up the breakdowns for this week! We send our followers the full betting cards on Saturday morning here in Australia, post weigh-ins. Nothing worse than betting on a fighter pre weigh-in, just to see him look like complete shit on the scales. We will post some of our betting card here incase anyone is interested!
Good luck, always gamble responsibly and remember to hang around long-term because there will be ups and downs but trust the process and we will build some bankroll. Would love to know if you agree or disagree anywhere and let us know who you are riding with below. Enjoy the fights! - Dylan.

No one can ever predict a Bill Belichick draft.
When people start assuming he’ll act based on his stereotypes (first-round trade down, OL early, no early WRs, all Alabama players or small school guys or guys from Rutgers), he’ll do the opposite. When the consensus is that he’ll shift away from those stereotypes, he’ll lean right into them.
So in observing mock drafts, both full and team-centric, there was a lot of accord that he would follow those stereotypes. (Adam Korsak, both a punter and from Rutgers, was EVERYWHERE.)
But then the end of April came.
Before then, New England had suffered a 2022 season full of embarrassment, from Matt Patricia and Joe Judge’s ineptitude at running the offense to a team that seemed to find new ways to lose in humiliating fashion (a certain ill-fated lateral sequence peak among them). The Patriots went from their dynastic reign as a team which would trounce their opponents in laughers to the team that everyone pointed and laughed at. Mac Jones’ Patricia- and Judge-sparked regression along with impressive cameo appearances by ‘22 rookie Bailey Zappe split the fanbase into Mac and Zappe camps, with sports media fueling the flame by spreading or outright fabricating rumors of Belichick shopping Mac, rumors which lasted through the first day of the draft. It was an ugly season and an uglier start to the offseason.
The franchise clearly needed to make changes in 2023, and changes started near the top. Patricia and Judge lost their roles, the former joining the Eagles coaching staff and the latter moving to lead special teams, a necessary move as this Belichick-led squad had plummeted to the lowest-ranked third unit. (More on that later.) Patricia had filled the dual roles of de facto offensive coordinator and facto offensive line coach, and filled both roles with the acumen of me designing plays in Backyard Football 2002, except I could actually design plays that resulted in touchdowns. Judge had manned the quarterbacks room, and given that Daniel Jones finally broke out for the Giants once Judge had been booted from mentoring him, you can guess how that went for Mac and the Pats. In his new role in charge of special teams, he has already cost the team two OTAs and Bill Belichick $50,000 for an offseason meetings violation, and has elevated his 2022 title of Co-Most Hated Man in Foxboro to Single Most Hated Man in Foxboro.
Anyway, New England needed to fill their old roles, and brought in:
Bill O’Brien, Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks Coach A long-time friend of Belichick’s, O’Brien returns for his second stint as Pats OC, having dictated the offense in Rob Gronkowski’s record-setting 2011 season. Additionally, O’Brien comes by way of running the offense and the QB room at the University of Alabama, which spawned Mac Jones. Mac regressed in 2022 after an impressive 2021, but recall that 2022 was under the abysmal leadership of Patricia (calling his plays) and Judge (his direct coach), a situation in which no one could develop. By bringing in his old OC and QB coach, Mac has been put in the best possible position to develop in ‘23, a position which will much more clearly give fans a vision of his future as an NFL quarterback. (And the playcalling will be legitimate! It’s been but a year and we have already forgotten what creativity, route concepts, and misdirection have looked like!)
Adrian Klemm, Offensive Line Coach Belichick’s first draft pick after taking the helm in New England in 2000, Klemm has joined the team after coaching at Oregon last year. He comes with a strong reputation at that coaching position, having headed a Ducks O-line that allowed just five sacks in 2022. Last season, the Patriots saw a regression from their veterans on the line, most notably in Trent Brown’s newfound flag-happiness, and first-round rookie guard Cole Strange put forth a mixed performance. Bringing in an actual offensive line coach gives the team the best chance to fix any issues that showed in ‘22 and to develop their young linemen.
Of course, coaching was not the only issue last season, as New England was criticized for their lack of talent on the roster. Of New England’s high-cash free agent class of 2021, only edge rusher Matthew Judon shined in both his seasons in Foxboro: neither tight end Jonnu Smith nor wideout Nelson Agholor ever got off the ground, tight end Hunter Henry regressed after a solid ‘21, and wideout Kendrick Bourne found himself suddenly in Patricia’s doghouse and off the field. Moves needed to be made as the calendar turned to free agency.
Notable Departures
S Devin McCourty (retired) The most prominent departure from the ‘22 squad, McCourty is one of many who can be termed a quintessential Patriot. A first-round cornerback out of Rutgers in 2010, D-Mac made the switch to safety in 2012 and locked down the position for the next decade. When he was on the verge of leaving the team in free agency in 2015, even reaching out to Belichick to say goodbye, Belichick signed him to a top-valued safety contract and kept him in red, white, and blue. His leadership and personality made him a joy to watch on the field and off, his personality showing itself especially well recently through interactions with his twin brother Jason, who played alongside him for the Patriots from 2018 to ‘20. Statistically, D-Mac ends his career with 35 interceptions, one shy of the franchise record, and 4 touchdowns (two picks, a kickoff return, and a blocked field goal return). We miss him already.
P Jake Bailey (released; signed with Miami) What a drop. After an All-Pro season in 2020, Bailey signed a four-year extension in 2022 only to become the worst statistical punter in the league. After he was injured, the Patriots brought in Michael Palardy, who managed to be even worse (personally, I blame the team’s curse that comes with the jersey number 17). Neither punter remains with the team, Bailey joining an AFC East rival in the Dolphins and Palardy currently unsigned.
TE Jonnu Smith (traded to Atlanta) There is a strong case to be made that Smith is the worst free agency signing Belichick has made as Pats GM. In the two years since inking a 4-year, $50 million deal, Smith totaled just 55 catches for 539 yards and one touchdown, and a ‘22 restructure of his contract meant that Smith appeared to be a monetary albatross the Patriots would not be able to shake loose. What led to Atlanta agreeing to take on his whole contract, sending New England a seventh-round pick to get the player, I have no idea, but I think every Pats fan would agree that Smith didn’t work out in the least and a change was best for all sides.
WR Jakobi Meyers (signed with Las Vegas) Meyers’ departure was somewhat shocking, as the 2019 UDFA had worked his way up to the top of the Patriots’ wide receiver depth chart. More of a big slot guy than an outside #1, Meyers had a minor role in his rookie season and started 2020 at the bottom of the depth chart, but injuries to the players above him got him onto the field, and a 12-catch, 169-yard performance against the Jets that November meant he wasn’t leaving it anytime soon. While not possessing top-tier speed or explosiveness, Meyers was the team’s best route runner and separator, and his departure left another void that needed to be filled.
QB Brian Hoyer (released, signed with Las Vegas) Hoyer was third on the depth chart, Zappe having shown enough to take the #2 spot. While a fine veteran mentor, the Patriots chose to go a different direction with that third QB role.
WR Nelson Agholor (signed with Baltimore) Agholor was given a two-year contract in 2021 with the anticipation of his being the #1 receiver, something which did not happen due to his unreliable hands and separation abilities. For those two years and $22 million, Agholor produced 68 catches, 835 yards, and five touchdowns. Not worth it.
RB Damien Harris (signed with Buffalo) By far the most productive member of the Patriots’ atrocious 2019 draft class, Harris was good in New England but had been passed on the depth chart by sophomore Rhamondre Stevenson midway through 2022. Couple that with Belichick’s predilection to let running backs walk instead of giving them second contracts, sprinkle in a dash of two ‘22 draft picks (Pierre Strong Jr. and Kevin Harris) who will get more opportunities in 2023, top it off with the return of Ty Montgomery II from injured reserve, and it’s no surprise that Harris is no longer a Patriot.
T Isaiah Wynn (signed with Miami) Another former first-round pick, Wynn was all right as a left tackle though was criticized for frequent injury problems; with his fifth-year option picked up for ‘22, he was inexplicably switched to right tackle, where he was very bad. He never really earned the role of franchise tackle, so it was expected that the Patriots would let him walk.
But on the upside, the team now has:
Additions
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (via Kansas City) After Meyers signed with the Raiders, the Patriots worked quickly to bring in his replacement in the slot. Smith-Schuster revived his career in Kansas City and is now in position to be a primary target for Mac for the next three seasons, possessing more explosiveness and speed than his predecessor. The biggest concern with JuJu is his durability, but I believe the Patriots have made preparations in the draft (spoiler) in case that becomes a significant problem. The fanbase is excited for Smith-Schuster on the field in Foxboro, and deservedly so.
RB James Robinson (via New York (the green side)) A one-time breakout UDFA in Jacksonville, Robinson’s role diminished with the rise of Travis Etienne Jr.; after being traded to the Jets, Robinson never got settled into a role. In New England, Robinson is likely first in line for the #2 RB spot behind Stevenson, an important role given that Stevenson’s overwork saw his productivity decline as last season came to an end. Robinson also possesses the pass-catching versatility that Belichick loves, a role Harris was never used in but Stevenson is, further suggesting he can have a significant spot on the field for the Pats.
TE Mike Gesicki (via Miami) As Smith never worked out as the co-#1 TE, here comes Gesicki. A pure pass catcher at the position, Gesicki has the size and hands to be a reliable target in the red zone, and should pair nicely with Henry for a potential TE-heavy formation as the team approaches the goal line.
T Riley Reiff (via Chicago) T Calvin Anderson (via Denver) While neither comes with the contract expectation of being a long-term solution at either tackle spot, the hope is that Reiff (expected to start at RT) will be an upgrade over Wynn, while Anderson serves as a reliable swing tackle who can start if needed.
LB Chris Board Jr. (via Detroit) Remember that awful special teams unit? Board is one of the NFL’s top special teamers, a player Belichick singled out when New England faced the Lions last year. It’s unsurprising he brought in such a veteran to help solidify the unit after… just all of last year.
QB Trace McSorley (via Arizona) By bringing in McSorley in Hoyer’s stead, the team is showing a bit of a shift in philosophy with how it is using its backup QB spots. Both Mac and Zappe are pocket passers; McSorley does most of his work outside the pocket and can run with regularity, a trend more common among top-level quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen. At minimum, he’s worth a camp spot, and that’s fine.
P Corliss Waitman (via Denver) Following the implosion of Bailey and Palardy at punter, the Patriots were on the verge of entering the draft with none on the roster. Waitman is a veteran addition there, but pretty much everyone expected New England to add a punter either as a draft pick or UDFA. (Another spoiler – my bad.)
After this free agency, many saw the Patriots as still having holes at the top of their depth chart at wideout, tackle, and cornerback. Tight end was also considered a need as New England, despite adding Gesicki to pair with Henry, does not have a tight end signed beyond 2023, entering the draft with only Matt Sokol and Scotty Washington behind their name duo.
Then they went on the clock, entering the draft with:
1-14 2-46 3-76 4-107 4-117 4-135 6-184 6-187 6-192 6-210 7-245
Here’s how it all went down.
Draft Picks
TRADE: 1-14 to PIT for 1-17 and 4-120 Although this trade was criticized for receiving too little back from Pittsburgh, it was not a major loss in capital according to the Rich Hill value chart (325 points to PIT, 320 to NE), and it came with enough high-level talent on the board that the Patriots were sure to get one of their targets. The way the board fell, fans most wanted Christian Gonzalez, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Zay Flowers, or Broderick Jones; when the Steelers took Jones, it became clear that the Patriots were not interested in him (reports came out that the Patriots had not been interested in Jones at all due to coachability concerns), but they were sure to land an exciting player after moving down only three spots rather than the seven-plus many mockers had predicted. Additionally, the Steelers landing Jones appeared to knock the Jets’ war room for a loop (though later video has shown that the Jets were expecting the trade), and the only thing New England fans love more than a victory is an opportunity to screw over the Jets.
1-17: Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon The Patriots’ selection of Gonzalez received universal acclaim, and it’s easy to see why. Despite having strong CB depth, the Patriots lacked a true #1 corner; Gonzalez has the ability, length, and athleticism to be that from Day One. The first-round pick via Colorado and Oregon was widely projected as a top-10 selection, so for New England to land him at 17 is a tremendous coup. From his interviews and his play style, Gonzalez seems like a quiet guy off the field who wants to shut the opponent down when on the turf. He’ll be fun to watch.
2-46: Keion White, ED, Georgia Tech White is another player falling under the new Patriots draft umbrella under Belichick and Matt Groh: as athletic as can be. While he is raw, White has the athleticism to play three downs along the defensive line and the versatility to move inside when the situation calls for it. The Patriots thought so highly of him that he was a player they were considering drafting in the first round, even considering a move back into the last picks of the round to snag him, but landed him at 46 anyway. How much he will play as a rookie is uncertain as New England has a very good edge duo in Matthew Judon and Josh Uche, but even if White has to take a year to get acclimated to the NFL, that’s not unheard of in Foxboro and has produced success for highly-touted picks: neither Nate Solder (first round) nor Trey Flowers (fourth round) took on long-term starting roles as rookies (though Solder filled in at right tackle plenty), but were established starters in their second years. Similarly, Uche (second round) started off as an occasionally-used part of a pass rushing rotation before hitting double-digit sacks last year, his third season in the league. And if White earns significant playing time in 2023, all the better.
3-76: Marte Mapu, LB, Sacramento State* Here’s that small-school selection that detractors tend to point at regarding Belichick, but Mapu has elite potential. I got tipped off to Mapu late in the pre-draft cycle, and watching film of him I was reminded a lot of Kyle Dugger, another small-school Day 2 player who has turned into an excellent Patriot. Mapu is going to play linebacker, likely his best position, and fill the role of coverage ‘backer that New England has lacked for several seasons. He’s also athletic and scheme-versatile, having spent time at safety and linebacker while at Sacramento State, so he will be able to move around the defensive formation if the situation calls for it. Add to that his tackling, his closing speed, and his containment, and you’ve got yourself a potential stud.
4-107: Jake Andrews, C, Troy The Patriots need their future long-term center with David Andrews now 31 and having an injury history, and Jake Andrews (unrelated) is set up perfectly to be that guy. Andrews the Younger is built in the same mold as Andrews the Elder: both exited college as smaller in stature than other centers but able to get a push on defensive linemen from below, meaning Jake can easily learn specific bits of technique from David. While not expected to play the role immediately, [anagram: Ned Was a Jerk] is now in position to spend time behind [anagram: Swan Diver Dad], preparing himself to take over at center in the near future.
TRADE: 4-120 and 6-184 to NYJ for 4-112 4-112: Chad Ryland, K, Maryland This is not the first time Belichick has selected a kicker in the fourth round, selecting Stephen Gostkowski with pick 118 in 2006; with the Patriots in desperate need for a strong player at the position, moving up to make sure they could land him makes sense (especially with Jake Moody being selected by the 49ers at 3-99). And Ryland is what Nick Folk is not: a big-legged kicker with kickoff ability. Folk has been appreciated in New England for his accuracy, but his distance and accuracy notably declined in 2022, and when forced to kick off, his lack of touchback distance led to trouble, the Patriots surrendering a league-high three kick return touchdowns (including two in the season finale). It’s clear an upgrade at kicker was a requirement this offseason; with Moody gone, giving up a sixth to move up eight spots is absolutely fine. In doing so, New England has hopefully landed their kicker for the next decade.
4-117: Sidy Sow, G, Eastern Michigan At this point, it may be considered confusing for the Patriots to have drafted a left guard in Sow when last year’s first-round pick Cole Strange is entrenched there and Mike Onwenu mans right guard at an elite level, but Groh’s post-draft comments indicated the team would give Sow opportunities at left tackle as well. And not only does Sow have experience at left tackle, he has the size at 6’5” and 326 pounds. New England’s projected starting tackles are veterans Trent Brown and Riley Reiff, both of whom are over 30 and are in contract years; if Sow returns to the position, the former mauling EMU Eagle (heh, two birds) offensive lineman could ease the need at tackle for next offseason.
TRADE: 4-135 to LV for 5-144 and 6-214 5-144: Atonio Mafi, G, UCLA Another interior lineman? Yes. Mafi is a guard whom the Patriots worked with at the Shrine Bowl, and has the versatility to move between left and right guard. As the aforementioned Onwenu is in a contract year, Mafi has a clear path to a potential starting job in 2024, and the most important thing right now for the development of Mac Jones is keeping him upright. By selecting three offensive linemen – using a quarter of their 12 selections on the offensive trench – Belichick and Groh have signaled their intent to do just that. From all accounts, Mafi, who met with New England in a pre-draft visit, is thrilled to join the team; now it’s about proving it on the field.
6-187: Kayshon Boutte, WR, LSU Boutte is the epitome of a boom-or-bust prospect, his elite 2020 and ‘21 being overshadowed by a disappointing 2022 that dropped him from clear first-rounder to a middle-of-Day-3 selection. As a freshman and sophomore, Boutte looked to follow in the footsteps of highly-drafted LSU wideouts such as Odell Beckham Jr., Justin Jefferson, and JaMarr Chase, showing a complete package of agility, speed, and route running. Unfortunately, an injury plus conflicts with his new coach Brian Kelly led to underperformance, and a poor combine performance cemented his draft stock as having drastically fallen. But if he can get back to his earlier form, where his talent and athleticism led to a combined 83 receptions, 1244 yards, and 14 touchdowns in his first two college seasons, Boutte could become the steal of the draft.
6-192: Bryce Baringer, P, Michigan State While New England had signed Corliss Waitman so as to have a punter on the roster heading into the draft, none assumed he was the long-term answer; when the Patriots made Baringer the first punter taken in the 2023 draft, it became clear who was. A walk-on turned cut turned best punter in college football, Baringer has a booming leg that showed itself in an average punt length of 49.0 yards in ‘22; he also holds the Michigan State record for career punting average at 46.0 yards. As a bonus, he worked with Ryland at the Senior Bowl, so the two have already begun to develop chemistry in the holding game. As another bonus, he wore No. 99 in college, and that is awesome.
6-210: Demario Douglas, WR, Liberty When one imagines a typical Patriots slot receiver – small, shifty, and explosive with the ball in his hands – one might well be imagining Douglas. The five-foot-eight Liberty product can absolutely fly, moving all around the formation and catching balls at all levels of the field. New Englanders got a preview of what Douglas’ game might look like when rookie cornerback Marcus Jones began to take snaps on offense last year; Jones was often put in motion before the snap, worked out of the backfield, and assigned touches where his elusiveness was the spark to gain yards. Douglas has said he models his game after Jones, a claim that demonstrates itself when one views his collegiate tape. I had a third-round grade on Douglas, so the Patriots landing him at 210 is a thrill. (Even though the Giants took one of my draft crushes in Tre Hawkins III the pick before, for which I’m still irked.)
6-214: Ameer Speed, CB, Michigan State The unknown about Speed is whether he will develop on defense; that is not his skill at the moment. There are three things known: his size (6’3”, 210 lbs.), his speed (4.34s 40), and his special teams prowess. With longtime special teams captain Matthew Slater likely entering his last year, the Patriots need to develop a new crop of special teams standouts, long a hallmark of Belichick’s Patriots from the time of Larry Izzo. Last year’s UDFA Brenden Schooler looks like one of those players already; Speed will certainly be given every chance possible to be another.
7-245: Isaiah Bolden, CB, Jackson State More tall athletic cornerbacks! The only HBCU selection in the 2023 draft, Bolden is an incredible athlete who likely earned his way to a draft selection by lighting up his Pro Day. Though just a role player on defense, Bolden has developmental traits that any defensive coach would love, and has also been a top collegiate kick returner, leading all of college football in 2021 with a 36.9-yard average on kickoff returns. I don’t see the two late-round cornerback selections as “throw players on the field and see who sticks” à la the ill-fated dual tight end picks of Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene in 2020’s third round, but selecting players who might have longer chances to succeed, but if they do succeed can truly shine.
Though Bolden was the last of the Patriots’ 2023 draft picks, that did not conclude their rookie class as the period of UDFA signings immediately began. The Patriots have had an undrafted rookie make the Week 1 roster every year since 2004; with just a four-man class this season, chances are slim. They’re not impossible – their only 2021 UDFA, kicker Quinn Nordin, made it – but they’re definitely slimmer. Here are the four who can continue that streak.
Undrafted Rookies
Malik Cunningham, QB, Louisville The most expensive ($200,000) and well-known of the quartet, Cunningham’s slight build and arm as a quarterback led to piles of speculation of his switching positions. However, he has started off his Patriots tenure as a quarterback in rookie minicamp, so he remains a quarterback until further notice. Throughout college, Cunningham’s most intriguing asset has been his supreme athleticism at the position, something which showed up in testing, and it remains to be seen how the Patriots will use that athleticism to help the team. (It may be a good while until outside sources get a look, as minicamp and OTAs have thus far been closed off to the media.)
Johnny Lumpkin, TE, Louisiana-Lafayette After foregoing using a selection on a tight end in a deep draft class (another Belichick trend), New England instead brought in Lumpkin, who projects as a blocking tight end in the NFL. This offsets the biggest negative, his age (he’ll be 26 to start the season), as the Patriots lack a true blocker at the position. Whether Lumpkin can take advantage of this path to a roster spot remains to be seen, but his road to making the team as an undrafted rookie seems easiest at the moment.
Jourdan Heilig, LB, Appalachian State Like Board and Speed, Heilig joins the Patriots as a special teams standout, playing minimal defense as a Mountaineer (three snaps in 2022) but standing out in college on the third unit (210 snaps in 2022). He’ll have a chance to follow in the path of Schooler as a UDFA who makes his mark as a core special teamer.
Justus Tavai, DL, San Diego State The middle of the Tavai brothers (older brother Jahlani is a Patriots linebacker, younger brother Jonah signed with Seattle as a UDFA), Justus played alongside Jonah on the Aztec defensive line in 2022. While Jonah put up eye-popping numbers with double-digit sacks, Justus was a steady contributor as well, putting up 3.5 sacks and intercepting a pass. Tavai is the ninth man on the Patriots’ defensive line right now, so he has a difficult path if he wants to make the team.
He’s not an undrafted rookie, but the Patriots have also brought in veteran free agent Anthony Firsker, TE to compete with Lumpkin, Sokol, and Washington for the third tight end spot, the roster spot opened with their losing reserve Raekwon McMillan, LB to a partially torn Achilles tendon.
Projected Offseason Depth Chart (italics = rookie, (in parentheses = exclusively or primarily a special teamer)) (Note: the Patriots assign temporary jersey numbers in the offseason starting with 50 based mainly on draft position.)
QB 10 Mac Jones 4 Bailey Zappe 19 Trace McSorley 64 Malik Cunningham
RB 38 Rhamondre Stevenson 3 James Robinson 14 Ty Montgomery II 35 Pierre Strong Jr. 36 Kevin Harris 42 J.J. Taylor
WR 1 DeVante Parker 7 JuJu Smith-Schuster 84 Kendrick Bourne 11 Tyquan Thornton 58 Kayshon Boutte 60 Demario Douglas 82 Tre Nixon (44 Raleigh Webb) (18 Matthew Slater)
TE 85 Hunter Henry 88 Mike Gesicki 86 Anthony Firsker 87 Matt Sokol 17 Scotty Washington 65 Johnny Lumpkin
T 77 Trent Brown 74 Riley Reiff 76 Calvin Anderson 75 Conor McDermott 64 Andrew Stueber
G 71 Mike Onwenu 69 Cole Strange 54 Sidy Sow 55 Atonio Mafi 63 Chasen Hines 62 Bill Murray
C 60 David Andrews 53 Jake Andrews 65 James Ferentz 66 Kody Russey
DL 90 Christian Barmore 92 Davon Godchaux 91 Deatrich Wise Jr. 93 Lawrence Guy Sr. 95 Daniel Ekuale 98 Carl Davis Jr. 96 Sam Roberts 70 Jeremiah Pharms Jr. 67 Justus Tavai
ED 9 Matthew Judon 55 Josh Uche 51 Keion White 58 Anfernee Jennings (97 DaMarcus Mitchell) 51 Ronnie Perkins
LB 8 Ja’Whaun Bentley 48 Jahlani Tavai 52 Marte Mapu 30 Mack Wilson Sr. (45 Chris Board Jr.) 43 Calvin Munson 59 Terez Hall 47 Olakunle Fatukasi (66 Jourdan Heilig)
CB 50 Christian Gonzalez 31 Jonathan Jones 13 Jack Jones 25 Marcus Jones 27 Myles Bryant (61 Ameer Speed) 63 Isaiah Bolden 37 Tae Hayes 26 Shaun Wade 34 Quandre Mosely 39 Rodney Randle Jr.
S 23 Kyle Dugger 5 Jabrill Peppers 2 Jalen Mills 21 Adrian Phillips 24 Joshuah Bledsoe (41 Brenden Schooler) (22 Cody Davis) 29 Brad Hawkins
K 62 Chad Ryland 6 Nick Folk
P 59 Bryce Baringer 15 Corliss Waitman
LS 49 Joe Cardona 46 Tucker Addington
Conclusion Is this a perfect Patriots team? No. There are still long-term holes at offensive tackle and tight end, and there is a question mark as to who can be that pass catcher whom defensive coordinators have to plan for, a player the team has lacked for several seasons.
But is this an exciting Patriots roster, a team who has a chance to exceed their middling projections and expectations, a team worth watching and cheering for? Absolutely. Belichick and company have stabilized the coaching staff; added explosive, athletic players at nearly every position; brought in a new crew of players to take over special teams; and begun their draft with three players who could not only start in the NFL but have the potential to star. I fully believe that this is not an 8-9 caliber team, even in an AFC East with three other teams that have added big name after big name.
As Bill Belichick might say, we’re on to 2023.
We’re on to victory.

Xena of Amphipolis, the Warrior Princess, Destroyer of Nations, Slayer of Gods

"It's not easy proving you're a different person"

Opening
Bio: Xena was a simple farm girl living in the town of Amphipolis when the warlord Cortese invaded. Rallying the townsfolk, Xena led her people to victory against the warlord, at the cost of her brother's life. With her heart hardened by her loss, Xena began to conquer neighboring towns to serve as buffers around Amphipolis for the next warlord. Soon, her desire to protect her town twisted into an endless hunger to conquer, leading her to become a worshiper of Ares & a brutal, ruthless warlord. She continued on this path, making many friends & enemies, until she met her defeat at the hands of Hercules, who taught her that even she can atone for her sins by going out into the world & doing good. Now on the road to redemption, Xena travels the world with her friend & lover Gabrielle, righting the wrongs committed by her & others.
Fighting Style: When she was a warlord, Xena would go for the kill straight away by any means necessary, typically via a chakram throw or pressure points. Post-Reformation, Xena will generally open with a chakram throw to disarm a foe or hit their projectile out of the air, & from there will go for non-lethal options like close-range disarming, pressure points, or a simple punch to the face. However, Xena will not hesitate to kill an opponent if they refuse to accept defeat or if they pose a threat to her or those she cares about. When the Olympians threatened her daughter, she embarked on a quest to slaughter them all, which she succeeded in doing.
Feats are tagged with the source. Some albums will not have tags, because the scans within occur from different sources & will have the source in the album itself.

Physicals

Strength

"You're Xena. Unstoppable. Unbeatable."

Blades

Metal

• Cuts through armor
• Cuts shackles
• Cuts chain
• Cuts into a pipe^S6E21
• Cuts through swords

Wood

• Cuts down a tunnel support^S5E14
• Cuts through three spears^S4E16
• Cuts through tree branches
• Cuts through wood bars
• Cuts through a wood cage^TJ3

Flesh

• Decapitates a massive bone dragon^DT2
• Decapitates a giant worm^HP1999
• Decapitates hydras
• Stabs through a hydra's head from the inside^X1
• Bisects Anubis^X4
• Cuts apart zombies^TX0

Misc

• Hits a woman's sword so hard that it cuts off a statue's head^S5E3
• Cuts through the top of a tunnel with an axe^S4E11

Striking

Launching Foes/Objects

• Sends a satyr flying into a thick wooden beam hard enough to break it^MO
• Kicks a large chunk of stone pillar away^OO3
• Tackles an alien into the ground hard enough to crack it^XAnnual
• Dropkicks a woman through a door & the railing of a balcony^S4E7
• Smacks Gabrielle into a stone wall hard enough to chip it^DX1
• Launches men into shelves, breaking them
• Kicks a man onto a table hard enough to break it^S1E4
• Kicks a man into a door hard enough to knock it out of its frame^S1E2
• Launches people, impaling them on objects
• Knocks a man through a wood wall by slashing him^S4E8
• Kicks a lizard man into a giant egg hard enough to break it^S1E8
• Sends soldiers sliding on the ground & through wood^S1E11
• Kicks a rock into the air^S1E11
• Kicks her chakram hard enough to embed it in stone^S5E21
• Kicks a sword into a soldier hard enough to knock him out^S1E1
• Kicks men into stacks of barrels & sacks^S1E8
• Generally able to launch people through the air with her strikes

Other

• Knocks over Hyperion with a swing kick^S1E7
• Knocks over Porphyrion with a flying kick^MO
• Kicks over trees^S6E6
• Matches a kick from Goliath, who broke a stone pillar^S2E3
• Knocks out a man clad in the Armor of Hephaestus^S3E3
  • Armor of Hephaestus scaling
• Shatters large wood doors with a kick^X2
• Breaks a reinforced steel padlock with a kick^S3E20
• Breaks a stone tōrō with a kick^S6E21
• Breaks open locked doors
• Kicks out two support beams^S2E9
• Kicks through shutters then breaks a chair^S4E7
• Breaks open a wooden cage^S5E3
• Breaks out of an ice coffin after waking up from a 25-year coma^S5E20
• Breaks a stone block with a hammer^S6E7
• Breaks a ladder by stomping on it^S1E22
• Dives through a wooden wall^S2E7
• Generally capable of knocking people out with single blows
  • A man is fine after being kicked into a stone statue hard enough to break it^S2E16

Throwing

Chakram

• Knocks back Crius^MO
• Destroys a boomerang made of the Metal of Hephaestus in a clash when it could cut through Metal of Hephaestus shields^S3E3
• Kills a man wearing the Armor of Hephaestus^S3E3
• Destroys Hades' Helm of Invisibility^S5E19
• Cuts apart an animate statue^OT3
• Shatters part of a golem's head^TX2
• Cuts through a stone wall after being deflected^S3E4
• Cuts through trees^S6E6
• Breaks a tree in half^X2
• Puts holes in stone pillars^S5E3
• Shatters chunks of stone^DT1
• Cuts through an axe, then several chains, before embedding in stone^S1E11
• Cuts chain
• Cuts through swords
• Cuts down a tree branch^S4E20
• Cuts through a line of spears^S4E5
• Embeds into a stone wall^S1E5
• Causes a tunnel to cave in^S4E11
• Stabs into armor

People

• Throws an Amazon into a stone pillar hard enough to break it^S6E11
• Throws a man into a stone pot hard enough to break it^S4E13
• Flips a large man onto a staff hard enough to impale him^X1
• Throws a soldier into a table, breaking it^S1E11
• Throws a man through wood planks^S6E17
• Throws a woman through the air with one arm^S3E22
• Throws a man into more men
• Swings & throws a bacchae^S2E4

Other

• Throws a hammer hard enough to stop a charging Minotaur that broke stone^OO3
• Throws two swords hard enough to embed in stone^S1E23
• Throws a spear hard enough to embed in stone^S3E16
• Embeds a staff in the stone ceiling^TJ3
• Throws spears through armored men
• Throws a bucket at a soldier, knocking him back into a stall^S2E22
• Throws a swordfish hard enough to stick a helmet to a tree^S3E10
• Knocks out a man by throwing a sandbag with her legs^S4E17
• Xena possesses Autolycus, making him strong enough to break a statue in half by throwing a grappling hook at it^S2E13

Lifting

• Lifts Crius' foot to throw him off-balance^MO
• Supports part of a tower made of logs^S6E11
• Uses a large rock as a ram^VC3
• Flips a chariot^HX7
• Grabs a charging lion & throws it down^HX4
• Carries a stag on her back^S4E1
• Catches women as they fall
• Lifts a boy in a cage using her whip^S2E1
• Lifts an Amazon into a tree^S1E10
• Climbs a cliff face with Gabrielle on her back^S6E6

Pushing/Pulling

• Pulls back a coffin with Gabrielle in it against the mechanism moving it forward^S2E18
• Knocks over a horse by pulling down its rider^S3E16
• Stops a piece of a bridge from falling away^S4E3
• Overpowers several men^S6E17
• Pulls open a bear trap^S5E4
• Pulls down a tree^TX1
• With two other men, pushes aside a large rock^S1E14

Other

• Stops a giant rolling boulder by stepping on it^MO
• Flexes out of a thick metal tendril wrapped around her
• Rams a large rock into a stone platform, breaking it^VC3
• Flings Gabrielle possessed by a demon off of her back^S4E14
• Breaks the chains restraining her^S1E6
• Breaks out of a cask she was hiding in^S2E2
• Dives through some wooden bars^S1E2
• Snaps a man's neck^S4E5
• Pushes boulders down a hill with a lever^S6E6
• Kills rats by biting then throwing them with her mouth^S4E7
• Spits a diaper pin hard enough to kill a man^S5E13
• Somehow sent a man through a door hard enough to shatter it^TX0
• Said to have the strength of ten men^S1E19

Durability

"You have amazing recuperative powers"

Blunt

Scaling

• Takes a hit from Porphyrion, who made a large crater in a cliff^MO
• Takes multiple hits from Ares, who matched a blow from Porphyrion
• Takes a hit from a sphinx that charges through a house & a large stone wall^DT3
• Takes hits from various gods
• Takes blows from Hercules while fighting him^H12
  • Hercules strength scaling
• Hit by a hydra's tail that smashes stone^VC2
• Takes his from Grendel & Grinhilda, who are strong enough to punch over a tree & swat Xena through several trees
• Takes hits from the Destroyer, which can throw a large stone wheel through the air^S4E3
• Hit by a mummy that breaks a statue by throwing it
• Takes telekinetic hits from Hope, whose TK broke stone^S3E22
• Takes hits from Bellerophon, the demigod son of Artemis that KO'd Varia
• Tanks a punch from Meleager, who can throw spears through three men & hard enough to break a wood pillar
• Takes a kick from a Roman soldier that broke a stone bench by slamming a woman on it^S5E21
• Takes hits from Atyminius, who cratered stone^S1E6
• Takes hits from Mortal Callisto, who kicked a ladder in half^S1E22
• Takes hits from banshees, who broke open a barred door^S3E5
• Gabrielle hurts her hand punching Xena^S1E6

Objective

• Hit by Hyperion kicking through a stone wall^S1E7
• Hit by Hephaestus into a stone pillar hard enough to break it^S5E19
• Slammed about with TK, breaking stone pots^S4E13
• Slammed by a giant worm hard enough to break a stalagtite^HP1999
• Slammed through a table by Eve^S5E21
• Slammed against a cliff wall while being carried by a large flying beast^S1E8
• Sent flying through a stall by Gabrielle possessed by a demon^S4E14
• Kicked into a cart hard enough to break it^S5E14
• Hit by Gabrielle with a wood pole hard enough to break it^S1E20
• Jousts with Callisto hard enough to break the poles they used^S1E22
• Hit with a chair hard enough to break it^S4E7
• Ok after getting caught in a rockslide^H13
• Sent flying by the impact of a catapult^S4E9

Piercing

• Uncut when Demon Callisto throws her chakram at her hard enough to snap it in half & break her spine^S4E21
• Blocks chakram throws from copies of herself with her bracers^OT1
• Not deeply pierced by an arrow from Artemis when Olympian bows can drive arrows through several steel shields^S5E22
• Uncut when Hope throws her chakram at her with TK^S3E22
• Takes a sword swing from a man Ares says broke a castle door with a kick^X1
• Uncut by Joxer hitting her in the head with a sword
• Gets bit on the neck by a bacchae but the fangs don't break her skin^S2E4
• Grabs a sword by the blade & pulls it from a man's hand^S1E11

Heat/Energy

• Gets hit by a combined blast from Hades, Athena, & Hephaestus, when a blast from Hades evaporated Posiedon's giant water body
• Takes blasts from Velasca, who destroyed stone structures & blasted Callisto hard enough to break a boulder^S2E14
• Gets hit with a fireball by Goddess Callisto, who destroys a barn & a statue's head
• Takes blasts from Goddess Callisto, who broke a hole in a stone wall & incinerated a buzzard
• Gets blasted by Athena, who broke marble pillars^S5E22
• A clone seemingly takes a large explosion unharmed^S6E16
• Ok after being hit by an alien grenade that smashes stone^XAnnual

Endurance

• Defeats the Berserker, a warrior enchanted by Alti, after being magically forced to relive some of her worst injuries, including broken legs^S4E1
  • Fights Alti even after being magically inflicted with the worst injuries she has had & will have in the future^S4E15
    • Alti killed men by doing the same to them^S6E18
• Kills many samurai after being riddled with arrows before being ultimately killed (however, she wanted to die so she could go to the spirit realm & kill an evil spirit, which may have affected how hard she was trying to stay alive)^S6E22
• Continues to fight after being shot with an arrow by Artemis^S5E22
• Gets up after being beaten by her former soldiers as part of "The Gauntlet"^H12

Mental/Spiritual

• Powers through a telepathic assault^S4E13
• Resists hypnosis^S4E14
• Stops a dragon god from stealing her soul^TX0
• Resists the aroma of the lotus^OT1

Other

• Heals from broken legs enough to fight on them in a matter of hours^S2E12
• Ok after the temple she's in collapses^S3E4
• Ok after falling from above the clouds^S6E7

Speed/Agility

"I've seen speeding arrows come right at you and you just catch them before they hit you. Nobody can do that"

Reaction/Dodging

Projectiles

• Catches two crossbow bolts in her hands & one in her teeth^S2E17
• Catches & deflects several arrows from a rain of them in thick smoke, though she eventually is hit^S6E22
• Catches/dodges crossbow bolts
• Catches/dodges arrows
• Deflects arrows
• Catches a rocket^S5E6
• Deflects & dodges blasts from Athena, Hades, & Deimos
• Dodges blasts from Goddess Callisto
• Dodges a blast from Callisto in the body of a hydra^VC1
• Dodges blasts from Lucifer^S6E3
• Dodges blasts from Velasca^S2E14
• Dodges & deflects weapons thrown by Hope^S3E22
• Catches/dodges blowdarts
• Catches/dodges thrown knives
• Catches/dodges spears
• Catches axes/mace
• Catches a firebomb thrown through her window^S1E15

Melee

• Dodges & matches strikes with Draco, who can catch three arrows at once^S1E1
• Dodges strikes from Eve, who caught the chakram^S5E21
• Dodges sword swings from Najara, who caught a crossbow bolt^S4E8
• Catches surprise strikes from Gabrielle
• Dodges a strike from a Dragon Tooth warrior's lash, which was able to swat a barrage of arrows out of the air^DT1
• Dodges attacks from Titans^MO
• Dodges whip strikes^EX6
• Catches sword swings

Movement/Attacking

Combat

• Outspeeds Hercules, who caught an arrow from behind, in close combat
• Leaps forward to swat an arrow out of the air^S4E6
• Whips an arrow out of the air^S4E20
• Cuts crossbow bolts/arrows out of the air with her chakram
• Throws her chakrams to cut two rockets out of the air^S5E6
• Juggles Najara into the air with her knees while climbing a vine^S4E18

Other

• Moves from behind Amarice to in front of her while she turns her head^S5E2
• Outruns exploding Greek Fire^S5E14
• Outruns a centurion^EX5
• Catches up to a boat with a head startHX5

Agility

Combat

• Fights a group of Amazon elite in the treetops^S4E2
• Fights Najara while swinging on vines^S4E18
• Fights a skilled hunter while climbing a tower made of logs^S6E11
• Fights Eve while swinging on banners^S5E21
• Takes down foes while running on a wall then bicycle kicks a soldier^S1E5
• Bicycle kicks Ares^S3E1
• Runs on the chests of bandits in a circle several times^S1E7
  • Again while holding onto a hanging whip^S4E18
• Runs on the heads of goons to take them out^S4E10
• Defeats a group of soldiers while spinning between two poles^S2E2
  • Again on one pole^HX6
• Flips around on soldiers, defeating their comrades^S1E22
• Flips onto a horse while being dragged behind then flips off with the rider^S5E20
• Defeats men while flipping on a staff^S4E21
• Recovers after being flipped by Hercules^H12
• Flips to avoid a kick & springs off her hands to deliver one^S4E7
• Jumps such that she has time to kick several assassins in the face^S1E15
• Swings from a flagpole to take down some soldiers^S1E4
• Takes down several assassins while swinging from a rope^S1E15
• Weaves around some golems with rope, causing them to trip^TX2
• Flips from a prone position, knocking away swords pointed at her^S4E4
• Does psycho crushers
• Swings from a vine off her horse to defeat pursuers, then swings back on the horse^S6E17
• Builds up momentum to enhance the power of her strike^TJ1

Leaping

• Flips off of a tree to a ship off the shore^S2E21
  • Jumps to another boat from the dock^S3E19
  • Leaps from a boat to the shore^HX6
• Leaps from the water in a moat to the top of a palace wall^S3E6
• Shatters Samson's record of a 75 ft long jump^OO2
• Leaps across a gorge^S1E14
• Leaps out of a tank of water^S1E11
• Flips on top of a large wall^S5E20
• Kicks off of a guard to jump onto a platform^S4E7
• Jumps onto a building^S4E14
• Leaps through the air after jumping off of a soldier^S1E1
• Flips over a crowd^S3E2
• Leaps off her horse onto a table, launching a man who then lands back onto the table, which launches her so that she flips off of the table back on to her horse^S1E2
• Flips into the air from a prone position^S1E23
• Flips off of horseback then springs off of a tree^S3E1

Traversing

• Jumps up falling rocks^TJ3
• Beats Gabrielle in a race, despite her head start^S3E1
• Flips up a tree
• Runs up the wall of a prison cell, bursting through the roof^S1E22
• Kicks off a rock while being carried by a flying beast to flip onto the creature's back^S1E8
• Flips across a sea of people^S5E10
• Jumps off of enemies' spears^S6E17
• Quickly scales a cave wall^S2E4
• Jumps to avoid a spike trap, then flips herself forward while holding herself up on the wall^S1E8
• Leaps onto a pole sticking out of a wall, then over the wall^S1E9
• Jumps from a tree onto a passing chariot^S1E2
• A clone leaps from car to car on the road^S6E16
• Runs through a marketplace while navigating obstacles^S1E4
• Traverses a burning town by swinging on poles & ladders^S6E21
• Runs across a marketplace on a clothesline^S1E17
• Crosses a broken bridge by walking on the ropes^S1E19
• Swings on a rope then bounces off of an awning^S6E21
• Swings on a vine^MO
• Climbs a cliff face with Gabrielle on her back while it's raining^S6E6
• Climbs up a cliff wall with a child on her back^S4E12

Misc

• Runs on a rolling boulder, steering it around to take out goons^MO

Combat Skill

"When she puts her mind to killing someone, they generally get killed"

General

• Her skills are so ingrained in her that she acts reflexively even after losing her memory^S6E9
• Maintains her skill while possessing Autolycus, using his body to fight off several Amazons^S2E13
• Gabrielle says she is skilled with every weapon & deadly in all forms of combat^X1

Accuracy

Chakram Throws

• Ricochets her chakram across a city, saving a man from being run over & breaking the vial a woman was holding^S3E2
• Throws it from out of sight, cutting through a line of arrows then ricocheting to cut through a line of swords before returning to her^S1E22
• Throws it such that it bounces around while she fights Ares then returns to kill the Furies^S6E1
• Deflects Discord's arrow such that it ricochets to cut down a lantern, then ricochets off the wall to knock the lantern away^S4E19
• Breaks several falling chunks of stone^DT1
• Bounces her chakram off of several objects then catches it to prove her identity^S2E6
• Ricochets to continuously attack foes who dodged the initial throw
• Ricochets her chakram off of some rocks to try & hit Hercules^H12
• Ricochets to come back around & attack an enemy that deflected it^HX9
• Takes down groups with one throw
• Ricochets off of a pillar to kill a soldier^S1E4
• Disarms a man, then ricochets to cut through two shackles^S1E9
  • Disarms a man again^S3E9
• Throws it such that it cuts a hole in a boat, then turns around in midair to return to her^S2E20
• Cuts through an axe, then ricochets to cut through several chains^S1E11
• Ricochets to cut through a line of spears^S4E5
• Appears to throw it at a mystic artifact, but actually makes it so that it ricochets, cutting the bonds of Ares' hostages^S2E10
• Ricochets to drop a chandelier on a group of satyrs^MO
• Breaks a catapult shot before it can be fired^S6E15
• Ricochets to throw a lever^S3E20
• Splits an arrow such that the two halves kill enemy soldiers^S5E13
• Cuts a spear that Caesar threw down the middle in mid-air^S3E4
• Splits to knock two spears out of the air^S5E22
• Diverts a thrown axe^S4E11
• Hits a sphinx's eye^DT3
• Cuts off Gabrielle's boot^S3E13
• Cuts a man's tendon^HX6
• Causes rockslides
• Cuts down a large shield to block thrown weapons^S3E22
• Ricochets to cut down Gabrielle's noose & damage an execution platform^S4E7
• Ricochets to cut down the hose of a water tower & spray approaching soldiers^S1E22
• Ricochets to cut down Joxer
• Disarms a man such that his axe falls to cut Gabrielle's bonds^S2E3
• Sets off a wagon of explosives^S6E22
• Ricochets to knock the jewelry out of men's hands^S5E8
• Kills animals by bouncing the chakram off of a turtle^S4E13
• Ricochets with a ribbon attached to tie up soldiers^S2E9
• Ricochets to hit a gorgon while looking in a mirror^TX1
• Slits men's throats
• Splits & sets off a row of landmines before reuniting^S5E7
• Cuts off a cyclops' belt^S1E1
• Throws through a forest to hit a man riding a horse^S1E24
• Throws it to kill an enemy Gabrielle is fighting while she is fighting a centaur^S2E1
• Skims it off of the water to cut down the sail of a ship^S2E21
• Throws it such that it spins in place to saw through a tree branch^S1E9
• Throws it such that it blocks a sword swing & turns around in midair to return to her^S1E2
• Throws it such that it turns around in mid air & returns to clip to her side^S1E20
• Xena possesses Autolycus, throwing the chakram to cut the strings of Amazon bows^S2E13
• Throws her chakram to create a diversion & catches it while she's blind^S2E18

Whip

• Snags a thrown axe out of the air then throws it back^S2E20
• Grabs a man around the neck then hoists him up on a tree branch^S1E4
• Stops a man from attacking Gabrielle then pulls him to her^S1E12
• Grabs an executioner's axe out of his hands^S3E3
• Wraps up people's feet
• Grabs onto her chakram to pull herself out of quicksand^S2E5
• Spins a log around^S5E17

Knives

• Deflects a thrown chakram back at her^S1E22
• Cuts down a sail^S2E12
• Throws two at once to cut Gabrielle down from a crucifix^S3E4
• Cuts the rope a man was using to choke Gabrielle^S3E19
• Hits a man's heart^H13

Archery

• Shoots down several samurai in quick succession, even nocking & landing several arrows at once^S6E22
• Pins a man to the wall by firing several arrows using a harp^S1E15
• Shoots a stag in the heart^S4E1

Rope

• Lassos a stalagtite^S1E7
• Lassos a boy while standing on the ledge above him^S1E19
• Uses a cord from her disguise to grab a guard while in a prison cell^S3E9

Other

• Throws a rat using her mouth, knocking her chakram down a grate such that it lands on her chains, cutting them^S4E7
• Splits a spear using her sword such that the two halves kill enemies next to her^S2E1
• Grabs Athena's sword using a chain & throws it^S5E19
• Throws a collar onto an Amazon^S6E11
• Throws a frying pan to KO bandits by ricocheting off of them^S2E15
• Throws an eel, ricocheting it off of a tree back into her hand^S3E10
• Ricochets a prop chakram off of several machines^S6E16
• Hooks a Minotaur's horn with a hammer^OO3
• Throws her sword to cut the firing rope of a ballista^S2E1
• Throws three swords into a Roman's chest^S4E20
• Kicks a hay cart into position to stop the fall of a flung man^MO

Unarmed Combat

Pressure Points

• Typically used to cut off the flow of blood to the brain as an interrogation tactic
• Kills with pressure points
• Stops Joxer's heart then revives him^S5E17
• Knocks out men
• Makes body parts numb
• Makes a man kick his comrade^S1E22
• Makes a girl unable to talk^S4E11
• Fixes Gabrielle after she has a pressure point used on her^S1E17
• Stops a wound from bleeding^S4E15
• Cures Gabrielle's seasickness^S2E21
• Triggers a pressure point with a kick to the throat^S3E4
• Uses one on Talos, who's made of magic bronze^TX2

Vs Single Foes

• Defeats the Archangel Michael^S6E12
• Defeats Callisto, a warrior who spent her life training to kill Xena^S1E22
  • Defeats Callisto again after the two swapped bodies^S2E7
• Holds a solid advantage against Hercules^H12
• Defeats Jett, the King of Assassins^S3E8
• Defeats/disarms armed men
• Flips over a man, using that momentum to flip him^S1E11

vs Groups

• Fends off a horde of bacchae (vampire-like creatures) then bests Bacchus in a quick fight^S2E4
  • Bacchae are strong enough to fling men through the air^S2E4
• Defeats several soldiers while holding a baby^S1E4
• While trapped in the body of a child, defeats a group of soldiers^S5E8
• Defeats a group of bounty hunters while afflicted with madness by the Furies^S3E1
• Fights off several Chin assassins^S3E6
• Defeats several samurai^S6E21
• Defeats a group of Amazons possessed by evil spirits^S4E2
• Punks some Amazons^TJ1
• Defeats a group of soldiers with Gabrielle & Autolycus^S3E20
• Generally able to defeat groups of generic foes
• Defeats three men while swimming^HX5
• Takes down two soldiers at once with a double kick^S1E4
• Disarms several spearmen at once^S6E17

Swordsmanship

• Fights off 3 evil versions of herself with the same strength & skill as her^OT1
• Defeats Ares, God of War, while afflicted with madness by the Furies^S3E1
  • Beats Ares in a quick skirmish^DX2
• Defeats Athena, Goddess of Wisdom & War^S5E22
• Defeats Mephistopheles, the King of Hell^S6E2
• Defeats Varia, the greatest Amazon warrior^S6E14
• The archangel Michael says that Xena might've been a challenge for him even before she became an archangel^S5E1
• Fights off a group of soldiers while blind^S2E18
• Defeats several Chin soldiers while pregnant^S5E6
• While trapped in the body of a child, defeats a warlord^S5E8
• With Gabrielle, fends off the combined armies of the Temples of Apollo, Athena, & Poseidon^S5E13
• Defeats The Deliverer, a warrior empowered by Dahak, the One God of Evil^S3E4
• Gets the better of Caesar & Pompey in a three-way fight^S4E5
• Defeats Marc Antony^S5E18
• Defeats Deiphobus^S1E12
• Defeats a warlord on horseback^S4E4
• Kills an assassin^S1E14
• Defeats the leader of a warrior tribe^S2E20
• Defeats a scalphunter^S4E11
• Defeats several of Indrajit's demons^S4E16
• Generally able to defeat groups of generic foes
• Diverts a soldier attacking her such that he will impale his comrade^S1E4
• Disarms soldiers

Misc Weapons

• Fights off a contingent of 300-400 elite Persian soldiers in a booby-trapped house^S3E1
• Battles Draco with staves while balancing on scaffolding & walking on people's heads^S1E1
  • Fights Draco again under similar circumstances while pregnant^S5E10
• Defeats the Amazon Queen in a duel with kali sticks^S1E10
  • Amazons are trained to fight since birth^S1E10
• Beats up Najara with stilts^S4E8
• Beats a group of prison guards with a noose & then a man^S4E7
• Defeats an armed captain with a candelabra^S1E4
• Defeats some men with a fish on a string^S1E19
• Defeats men with wet rags
• Fends off bandits with a pot & pan^S2E15
• Defeats several warriors with a bow^S2E20
• Disarms several soldiers with a wagon wheel^S2E3
• Beats up three men with a bench^S1E12
• Defeats two soldiers with socks full of marbles^S2E9
• Kills a harpy with fire-breathing^S1E16

"Ayiyiyiyiyiyi!"

This most likely won’t be the last update but i wanted to tell you guys what happened and answer a few things i was messaged and things i saw.
First i wanted to thank everyone for the nice comments, honestly after the year i had i definitely needed to hear the things to confirm i wasn’t crazy. I also wanted to thank you guys for pointing out the abuse i was going through, i guess i had convinced myself that the things happening weren’t severe enough to be considered abuse. The things you guys said made me really think of everything that has happened in my childhood and she was truly an abusive women. One memory i can think of off the top of my head is when i was 5 and my brother was 10 was her keeping a suitcase packed and whenever me and my brother upset her she’d leave for hours on end saying she was “tired” of us and “leaving” us. In all honesty before this post i just considered that a punishment.
I also wanted to address a few comments and messages i saw.
A few people spoke about me not fighting back but imagine having a 300+ pound women on your back, i was terrified if i’d moved she most likely break me in half. Even if i did fight back i’m 100% she’d body me in 5 seconds with superhuman strength.
I also got comments about the doctor and why he didn’t alert cps, im pretty sure he thought it was likely i had an ed than being starved. The doctor i was attending was a family doctor so he’s been in the family for awhile. My weight wasn’t drastically underweight that it was dangerous, it was more so i dropped from 140 to 100 pounds in a short amount of time that he was concerned.
Also saw a comment on tiktok about me being “spineless” for not pressing charges. You go get your ass beat by somebody twice your size and see if you want to see them again.
I seen some comments about financial aid and other things but i don’t need anything like that. My grandfather has his own business and my grandma works for him so they have more than enough money. My dad is also an accountant so he also has enough money.
Anyways for a sort of update: I read all you comments and took all your advice, so i told my grandparents exactly what happened while we were on a facetime call with my dad(he lives in the state of my college). My grandfather immediately told me to me we were going to press charges and my dad also advised me to get checked out by a doctor for any head injuries.
So we made a report with the police and we are waiting to hear back from them i guess, idk i’m not that good with legal stuff. We also went to the doctor and they said i everything seemed to be fine but they did tell my grandparents to monitor me and if anything happens to come back immediately so i guess time will tell with that.
I am no contact with my mom and i’ve officially gone no contact with my brother which really sucks because me and my brother was very close for such a long time until a year ago when his new gf moved in. In all honesty i saw him as my hero and it really hurts to see people change in an instance.
Maybe i’m still in the after shock of the situation but i have real emotions for what happening. I’m not really sad about anything but i’m also a little glad this did happen because it truly showed me all those who cared for me. Also once my dad heard about the computer he sent me money to get a new one!! Really happy about that but i also want my mom to cough up the money for the other one, maybe i’ll go on a little shopping spree with it as reparations for giving me an ugly knot on my head. Also now that i think more about it, my brother and mom are really fucking fat for us to not have “enough” money for food. Seems like i wasn’t the only one holding out.
Thanks for all the advice and for everyone giving me tough love and making me open my eyes to the abuse! I really appreciate all you guys and i hope all goes well in your life. You guys truly are good people.

Small update: I will increase the frequency of battles to two a day for the remainder of round one to speed up the round with the most lopsided battles. We'll go back to one per day in the second round.
​
High King Orso the First, leader of the Union and a trained fencer.
VS.
Arch Lector Sand dan Glokta, ruthless head of the King's Inquisition and a formidable fighter before his injuries.
​
Wiki:
https://firstlaw.fandom.com/wiki/Orso_dan_Luthar
https://firstlaw.fandom.com/wiki/Sand_dan_Glokta
​
Rules
Bracket
Hub
View Poll

SPOILER ALERT: This post already has a spoiler tag, and there are spoilers below. I will use spoiler markup only for content warnings.
With apologies to u/Virtual_Tadpole9821 and the amazing work they have done with the Thai BL family tree, when I think of seminal BL series the ones that come most quickly to mind are Love Sick, SOTUS, and Make It Right. The first two have been seen by millions and are well known and loved, but the third has issues. It is my guiltiest of pleasures, and this comes from a guy who loves Rainbow Prince.
The cast of Make It Right were found on Instagram. None of the leads had any professional acting experience and all were in high school, save Toey Sittiwat, who was a little older and had had a small part in Hormones. Boom Krittipak turned fifteen only a few months before the series aired. Thanks to this, the acting is quite uneven, especially in the beginning, though Peak Peemapol is a fantastic talent and did much to carry the show from the outset.
The setup is straightforward: Fuse (Peak Peemapol) believes that his girlfriend Jean is cheating on him. He posts a sad vlog, gets through a troubling day at school, and while partying with his mates gets really drunk. His acquaintance, Tee (Boom Krittapak), takes him back to his place, and there Fuse suggests that they have sex, which they do. The next morning’s clarity sparks the drama, as Tee acknowledges that Fuse was probably too drunk to consent, and both guys start to work out their feelings.
Nothing happens as it ought. Our second couple, Frame (Ohm Pawat) and Book (Toey Sittiwat), get together under icky circumstances, and that includes a dubcon scene that never should have been written. Fuse doesn’t break up with Jean, nor does he put a label on what he’s doing with Tee; he is, in essence, cheating on her, but the whole thing is a miasma of hormones and confusion.
The show is a mess because high school students are a mess. This is neither 90210 nor Euphoria, but rather juvenile fart jokes, nascent porn addictions, cringe sound effects, and never saying even approximately the right thing. But it is fresh, energetic, earnest, and daring. Fuse is the world’s worst boyfriend and that is why he is believable… he is clumsy, unsure, and horny, all at the same time, and Peak delivers the whole package. Ohm is just getting started as Frame, and you can see him grow into the role as he literally grows from one episode to the next. Like it’s pretty amazing to see him get taller in real time. Lookmo, Wit, and Es are clowns and a lot of fun to watch.
Reasons to Watch Make It Right

• See the start of so many BL careers: Ohm Pawat, Peak Peemapol, Boom Krittapak, Plan Rathavit, Mean Phiravich, Tonnam Piamchon, and Oat Tharathon got started here, more or less. Others would have success in other pursuits - Proy Pokvorachat would go on to non-BL success, Nice Vitchapol ended up in ATLAS (a boy band), Guy Jirapun fronts Ten Feet Tall, and directoactor Cheewin would go on to make such beloved series as Why R U?, Secret Crush on You, and Bed Friend. Toey Sittiwat would famously leave the industry, though.
• Peak Peemapol is awesome from the very first frame and I will die on this hill. There’s a reason Andy Rachyd has dragged him around to so many of his projects since then.
• Great chemistry shown by the two main couples. They’re awkward and eager.
• It’s a mess, in the best way. If you’re tired of essentially perfect high school students in shows like My School President, come watch the opposite of that!
• Season 1 theme song is super catchy.
• Now you’ll understand the reference in Why R U?.

Reasons Not to Watch Make It Right

• Brand-new actors. Everybody is learning on the job, and some are more successful than others. Boom, in particular, takes a while to come up to speed.
• Pretty dumb. Has that early-BL juvenile humor with copious sound effects.
• Fuse is basically cheating on his girlfriend for most of the series. He doesn’t break up with her until Episode 9. OF THE SECOND SEASON.
• Dubious consent: one important incident that kicks off the entire story, and another that never should have been written.
• CW: Suicide attempt (season 2 only): it fits into the narrative, but that can be difficult for some to watch.
• Ick: These guys are underage, and director Andy Rachyd turns a lecherous gaze on them.
• Basically no kissing: Who had the genius idea to cast actors who were underage?
• Stories beyond the first two couples are uneven (but isn’t that always the case when a series attempts more than two couples?).

Season 2
Season 2 is… more of it. It opens with some seriously uncomfortable sexualization of Frame and Book, and then Fuse isn’t breaking up with Jean, and he is breaking up with Tee, and Tee is flirting with Cis, and Book is in crisis, and there is a (content warning) suicide attempt, and the season, while ending on a high note, lacks the lightness that made the first palatable. Also, they change Rodtang so much that you’d think he’d had a severe brain injury, and they recast Nine with an actor who is approximately half the size of the previous guy.
Make It Live: On the Beach
This is set three years after the conclusion (actually episode 13) of season 2. There’s nothing wrong with this season, per se, but it seems like a huge missed opportunity. Andy Rachyd didn’t work on this one, so it’s all Cheewin (with New Siwaj as a co-director), and the challenge he gave his actors was to improvise the entire thing. I can’t find a ton of sources here, so I’m basing this on a few interviews and the like, but Boom and Peak were given cues and told to act them out. What they delivered was heartfelt and in character, but a little boring… since the series was essentially pure fan service, they had the freedom to tell almost any story, yet they stayed very conventional. Peak handles the challenge well, but Boom less so… he’s less of a natural actor and asking him to work without a script may have been too much.
Series Time Frame
I found the time frame to be a little difficult to figure out. Season 1 happens over the course of only a few weeks, maybe even less than that, in the middle of what we would call junior year of high school if it were in the US. Season 2 takes place a few months later, near the end of that school year, until the episode 13 and 14 time skip to two months after that. Make It Live: On the Beach happens three years after that school year, so presumably they are in (or finishing) their second year of college.
How to Speed Watch Make It Right
I don’t know how to make a fan edit or I would do so, but it is possible to get all the good things out of this show in at least a third less time.
What to watch:

• All Boom/Peak scenes
• All Frame/Book scenes
• All group interactions with Lookmo, Wit, and Ess

What to skip:

• Absolutely skip anything Fing/Mook/Tan
• Season 2: Skip Fing/that guy who is hiring her
• Season 2: Skip anything related to Lilly
• Give Rodtang/Nine a chance but I recommend skipping

Maybe:

• Yok scenes - he’s boring in season 1 but the stuff with Lookmo in season 2 is cute
• Wit/Yok’s mother - really a lot of fun but I’m irritated that they chickened out and didn’t go full Mrs. Robinson

Where to Watch Make It Right
Everything is on YouTube, so search there. Cosocomo doesn’t exist and Line TV doesn’t do Thai BL anymore, so there’s nobody to decide what is “official” at this point. There are a couple of slightly different subs of season 1, and they’re not amazing; season 2’s GrayStag subs are excellent, as are Make It Live: On The Beach’s ItsJuzMe subs.
MDL: Season 1, Season 2, Make It Live: On the Beach
What happened to Toey?
You’ve made it this far! Here, have a slice of cake.
​
I'm searching for the metaphor and I think I'm getting really close

Nail Yakupov : He was traded to the Blues for a 4th round pick/prospect, plus a additional 2nd on a condition he scored 15 goals for the blues. The condition was never met, and Edmonton only got a 3rd round pick. Which then turned into Stuart Skinner the same Skinner from this past season because Edmonton traded that 3rd to Arizona plus a 5th to get Skinner. Cameron Crotty is what that 3rd round pick turned into. And he is still struggling to even break the AHL level. Overall the Blues didn't really lose anything and neither did the Oilers. And eventually you could say Skinner was the result of the trade. Even trade and Yakupov was out of the league 2 years later. Funny thing is Yakupov was making 2.5 million at the time ....the exact salary most of you predict Laffy will get and probably why there was such little return for him. It was too late and he had cemented himself as a bust at that point.
Taylor Hall : He has been traded multiple times. He first trade was to the Devils from Edmonton. The trade was as follows....Taylor Hall for Adam Larsson. Initially this trade seemed like just a good swap. Edmonton needed defense, and the Devils needed some offense. Then season 2 happened and Hall won the Hart Trophy and Larsson, well just looked like a good stay home defenseman. But then Hall would never play more then 30 games in a season for the Devils again. All the while Larsson put steady efforts in for Edmonton. Hard to say which is a clear winner at this point.
But then the Devils traded him for an absolute HAUL. I mean just raped the Coyotes. They got a 1st in the 20 draft, and 3rd in the 21 draft plus a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round prospect/player. N. Merkley, N. Schnarr, Kevin Bahl, the picks ended up being Dawson Mercer, and Ryder Korczak. Not like anything special came out from this trade. IT is a joke. While Edmonton ending up letting Larsson go to Seattle in the expansion draft. Clearly the Devils won this trade.
Erik Johnson : The trade was to the Avs from the Blues. (Side note this was 3 years after he was drafted) Blues had already found their number 1 D man so had time to shop Johnson around. The Blues sent Johnson, j. McClement, and 1st round pick which turned into Duncan Siemans. In return the Blues got Chirs Stewart, Shattenkirk, and a 2nd round pick. Stewart was a 18th overall pick, Shattenkirk was a 14th overall pick, and the 2nd round pick was 32 overall and Ty Rattie was selected. On the Avs. side McClement was a 2nd round 52nd overall journeymen Center. Siemans never amounted to anything. But Johnson has had a long and fairly decent career as a 1st pair shutdown defensemen. Obviously Ranger fans know all about Shattenkirk. Stewart was a decent defensive minded center. 3rd or 4th line ability. Ty Rattie outside of his amazing name never really panned out and is out the league today. At this level of diving into this trade....it is clear the Avs won this trade. I am sure if I dive deeper it starts to even out with the returns of Stewart and Shattenkirk when they are traded later on. Shattenkirk got the Blues a 1st and 2nd and 2 prospects from Washington. Stewart got traded and got the Blues Ryan Miller and Steve Ott. Not such a clear win for the Avs anymore.
Marc Andre Fluery : Essentially played his first 13 yrs of his career for the Penguins. Covering his trades at this point when a 1st overall Pedigree or label had long worn off and the 2 x Cup Champion had taken over his reputation. Becomes very mute. So I skipped him.
Rick Nash : Again his 1st Overall Pedigree had mostly worn off by the time of his trade to us. He was already a Pro for 9 years in Columbus when they decided to move on. All though.... he did get us quite a haul back when we traded him to Boston.
Ilya Kovalchuk : Again traded after 8 seasons with the Atlanta Thrashers. Not exactly worth covering. Only notable thing is Kevin Hayes was apart that trade to the Devils. Which I then assume the Devils traded that pick away to Chicago. Essentially the Thrashers got on the prospect level...... a 1st round pick 23rd overall, A 2nd round pick 54th overall, and a Journeymen defenseman in Oduya. Plus a 1st and 2nd round pick in the 2010 draft. An the Devils got a 2nd round pick, and undrafted player who never played in the league. The first pick ended up being Kevin and the second ended up being Justin Holl. Who plays for the Leafs now.
Patrik Stefan : One of if not the worst first overall picks in the history of the league. Never lived up to his potential in Atlanta. And should have been traded well before he actually was. He played 6 years for Atlanta before they finally traded him to Dallas for a bag of pucks. He netted Atlanta a 6th and 7th round pick/player. Too late and I am amazed anyone gave Atlanta anything at that point for him. He was gone and out of the league the next season.
Now take what you want from all of this. But typically players lose significant trade value the longer you hold onto them. 3 years into a first overall's playing career is the deadline for a decent to good return for even the so called bad 1st overall picks. After that ....they must already be pretty elite and the team just feels it needs to move on from the player. The worst players on this list .... arguably should have been moved sooner. Stefan and Yakupov, both struggled mightily early on in their careers and that was the clear calling sign to move on. People on here often use Thorton as the example of why you should just hold onto to Lafreniere. But his 3rd year he put up 60 points. He wasn't traded til his 8th year in the league and the GM was rightfully fired 1 year later for that trade.
Look there are always going to be doubters. People who are too scared to cross that road. Too afraid of the what ifs. To me the chances of Lafreniere having success on this franchise at this point are the same as Patrik Stefan and Yakupov. And both Franchises held on too long and got nothing in return because those players were long past the expiration date.
I would love to be wrong! I would love for Lafreniere to go out there and prove all of his doubters wrong. And have a massive season and dominate the league. It is never going to happen. I will give a very clear example of why....both Kakko and Chytil went to the World Championship and played for their respective teams. Why didn't Lafreniere? What is Lafreniere doing right now? Nursing an unknown injury? Or more likely fucking off like a typical 21 year old in NY with millions in his bank account? It is not like there wouldn't have been a roster spot on team Canada if he wanted to play. But notice no one is asking this question in the media. Why not?
If someone can point to something about his game that stands out...I would listen. Can anyone tell me something about his game that truly stands out besides he puts up the most points at even strength? Yet no one includes with that little tid bit of information that he also has the 3rd highest 5 on 5 ice time only losing to Panarin and Trocheck on our team. I not saying Quinn, Gallant, Drury, and Gorton didn't mess up his career. I am not blaming just him. But if Drury doesn't see the same thing I do, what the hell is he looking at?
I get why the majority of this toxic sub doesn't want to move on from him. They are afraid they are going to lose a top talent for nothing and regret it in the future. Or the other common argument is he is at his lowest value why trade him now? I say trade him now because look at what you get if he doesn't pan out or prove his doubters wrong. There are 2 very clear examples of players that struggled just like Lafreniere in the beginning of their careers right above. And ultimately those teams waited too long and got nothing for those players when it was clear as day they weren't nhl players. If we can trade him for a top 10 pick with say an addition of our pick ....I say why not? That is a great return.
I honestly want to see Lafreniere succeed. I like him as a player and wish him nothing but the best. No one has ever come out of the QMJHL to have success in the NHL with the one exception of Crosby. I am sorry, but this kid is not Crosby. He doesn't show that same work ethic/desire to be the best. If you doubt this point just go look at all the players who have led the QMJHL in scoring since Crosby and see what level of player they are. There is 20 years of history surely I am wrong.
I will end this with...please give me a valid reason to believe in this kid. Give me a reason if you don't agree with me on why? And don't give me a recycled answer of look at his 5 on 5 stats or he has never gotten a chance in ice time. Corey Perry as a 37 yr old has less even strength ice time then Lafreniere but has more points. What do you see from him that says..... given the proper ice time/ line mates he will succeed? What is it exactly that you see in him...that people like me don't? And any who point to his trade value....it is only going to keep decreasing with time. I am not an optimist. I am very practical. If you have an opinion that he will get better..... show me a player who had similar stats/ice time issues who then suddenly turned it on in their 4th, 5th, or 6th year? I will take anything. I am not talking about a guy who struggled with injuries and never got a look at the NHL level. Lafreniere has 200 games plus of nhl ice experience. Show me a player who meets that criteria. I don't care if you go back to the 1920's to find them. But I honestly don't know of any player 200 plus games into their respective careers that suddenly became an impact player and doubled their point production. Hell I would take a 60 point winger at this point. 20 to 25 goals and 35 to 40 assists. I don't think we will even see that from him because of where he is on our depth chart at LW.

Mako

I'll always follow you into battle no matter how crazy things get.

Orphaned at the age of 8, Mako grew up looking out for his younger brother Bolin and scraping together whatever living they could on the streets of Republic City. After running numbers for the Triple Thread Triad, the brothers came under the wing of the legendary pro-bending player Toza. Toza housed the brothers in the pro-bending arena, trained them, and they put the life of crime behind them.
After their paths crossed with Avatar Korra and she joined their pro-bending team the Fire Ferrets, the trio took second place at the pro-bending championships. Mako moved on from professional sports after helping to save Republic City from the Equalists. Joining the police force, Mako dedicated himself to a life maintaining law and order and a valuable member of Team Avatar.

Source Key: Republic City Hustle = RCH The Legend of Korra Season & Episode = S#E# Turf Wars = TW Ruins of the Empire = RoE Art of the Animated Series, Book One = AoAS 

Scaling: 1. Ming-Hua 2. Amon 3. Unalaq 4. Ghazan 5. Desna & Eska 6 .P'Li 7. Korra 8. Kuvira

Strength

• Throws a man a considerable distance away ^S1E3
• Carries Bolin over his shoulders out of a restaurant ^S1E5
• Pins a man to a wall with one hand while threatening him with the other ^S1E9
• Runs while carrying Korra ^S1E12

Durability

• Blunt force
  • Elemental attacks
    • Blocks and withstands attacks from earth, fire, and water in a pro-bending match, coming back moments later in fighting shape ^S1E2
    • Several earthbending discs explode against him, forcing him back, and he keeps fighting ^S1E6
    • Recovers from a waterblast from Viper ^S2E6
    • Takes a blast of water from Unalaq shortly after his water shattered a rock though still fighting capably a short while later but KO'd eventually by Desna, Eska, and Unalaq ^S2E12
    • Briefly stunned by an airbender gusting a door off its hinges at him unexpectedly ^S3E1
    • Shrugs off an airblast from Korra and Opal knocking him into his friends ^RoE
  • Other
    • Takes a hit from a spirit and recovers ^S2E1
    • Slammed into several walls by Amon bloodbending him while retaining consciousness ^S1E12
    • Caught on the periphery of P'Li's explosion, but up and fighting shortly after ^S3E8
    • Evades Ming-Hua for awhile before taking a hit that crashes him through building materials, knocking him out ^S3E9
    • Slammed into the ground by Tokuga and gets back up ^TW
• Electricity
  • Fights through multiple shocks and hits from the Lieutenant, continuing to fight him before he's downed with another electrical shock only to get back up a moment later ^S1E3
  • Hit by a mecha tank's projectile that electrocutes him, but redirects it back at the mecha tank to disable it ^S1E10
  • Overwhelmed by conducting a circuit of spiritual energy, suffering an injury to his arm that left it in a sling and unable to firebend for awhile even after healing treatments ^{S4E13 & TW}
    • The arm does recover, including its ability to firebend, but suffers scarring ^RoE
  • Shocked by a mecha suit and knocked out ^TW

Speed

• Pro-bending
  • Bobs and weaves through attacks while counterattacking ^S1E2
  • Bobs and weaves through three attackers at once, taking them all out to win a pro-bending match singlehanded ^S1E2
  • Defends his teammate amidst a pro-bending match by blasting an earthbending disc apart ^S1E5
  • Block hits amidst his attacks while pro-bending ^S1E5
  • Kicks apart an earthbending disc before evading several more pro-bending attacks and counterattacking ^S1E5
• Combat
  • Evades hits from Viper while fighting atop a pair of speedboats, blasting away the water Viper attempts to use before taking a blast from him ^S2E6
  • Dodges earthbending attacks from Dai Li agents while shooting fire down a hallway ^S3E4
  • Blasts back Ghazan's waves of lava and Ming-Hua's watery attacks ^S3E8
  • Evades and blocks Ming-Hua's pursuit ^S3E9
  • Evades Ming-Hua for awhile before she catches his arm ^S3E9
  • Surprises and outfights a metalbending soldier ^S4E13
  • Dodges a desk Kuvira throws at him following his attack ^RoE
• Reactions & Travel
  • Protects himself from an explosion as its perimeter approaches him ^S2E5
  • Outruns a kid with a headstart ^TW
  • Blocks an approaching explosion from hurting himself and others ^TW

Firebending

• Fireblasts
  • Concussive
    • Knocks 3 people out of a pro-bending arena in quick succession ^S1E2
    • Sneezes fire to throw a guard off balance in tandem with Bolin ^S1E7
    • Releases blasts of flame that knock Equalists away ^S1E12
    • Overpowers a firebender and spills him over ^S2E5
    • Blasts back 3 men and cuts the ropes holding up a speedboat ^S2E6
    • Blasts back approaching spirits ^S2E14
    • Knocks back Ming-Hua even when she blocks his blasts ^S3E9
    • Blasts a soldier out a window ^RoE
  • Destructive
    • Curves through the air and explodes a rock ^RCH
    • Tears through earthbending discs and propel his pro-bending opponent off the arena ^S1E2
    • Blasts through an earthbender's defense in a pro-bending match and knocks him away ^S1E6
    • Dissipates spirits with blasts of fire ^S2E14
    • Shatters Unalaq's ice shield ^S2E13
    • Blasts apart debris that briefly buries Amon ^S1E12
    • Fires a plume of flame that overheats a car engine, causing it to crash ^S2E1
    • Blasts back Ghazan's waves of lava and Ming-Hua's watery attacks ^S3E8
    • Overwhelms Ming-Hua, forcing her to block so much she dissipates her arms and retreats ^S3E13
    • Overpowers Ghazan's stony defense ^S3E13
    • Breaks a boulder Ghazan raises ^S3E13
  • Misc.
    • Kicks a rock away, lighting it aflame ^RCH
    • Fires curving blasts across a considerable distance to try to hit Amon ^S1E12
    • Creates a wall of flame with a continuous stream while flying by on a plane ^S2E12
    • Sends up small explosions with blasts of flame ^S2E12
• Defense
  • Protects himself from an explosion that destroys a building as its perimeter approaches him ^S2E5
  • Creates a fire shield against Ming-Hua's waterblast ^S3E12
  • Blocks an approaching explosion from hurting himself and others ^TW
• Mobility
  • Propels his jump with fire, then wall runs using flames from his hands to stay upright ^S1E12
  • Rocket boosts his motorcycle off a ramp to overcome a car he pursues ^S2E1
  • Provides a biplane with a rocket boost assisted by Korra, allowing it to take flight from a short runway ^S2E4
  • Amplifies his leap in pursuit of Ming-Hua ^S3E13
  • Propels himself through the air briefly in combat ^S3E13
  • Boosts himself up to the knee of Kuvira's mech ^S4E12
• Utility
  • Uses flame to melt ice beneath his motorcycle while in a spin ^S2E1
  • Overheats the furnace of Bolin's hot tub, causing it to release a torrent of steam ^S2E6
  • Creates a flame dagger and threatens to cut off Two-Toed Ping's toes ^S2E6
  • Concentrates his flame into a torch that gradualy cuts through the bars of his prison cell ^S3E10
  • Creates a dagger of flame ^RoE

Lightningbending

• General
  • Learned to generate lightning from Lightning Bolt Zolt ^AoAS
  • Generates lightning as a factory job ^S1E3
  • A long day at the factory can exhaust his chi reserves ^AoAS
• Generation
  • Fires lightning at a motorcycle during a car chase, causing it to crash ^S1E8
  • Sends lightning through the cab of a truck during a car chase, causing the driver to crash ^S1E8
  • Fires a bolt of lightning at a stage that sends up a cloud of smoke and causes Amon to roll away from it ^S1E12
  • Releases lightning while Amon restrained him with bloodbending, sending him flying across a room ^S1E12
  • Evades Ming-Hua and grounds himself between stalactites while electrocuting her to death ^S3E13
• Redirection
  • Hit by a mecha tank's projectile that electrocutes him, but redirects it back at the mecha tank to disable it ^S1E10
  • Maintains a continuous circuit with a spiritual energy source, though downed by an errant bolt ^S4E13

Huge thanks to PhoenixZero14 for the permission to update and for creating such a solid foundation to build off in the first place!

A terrifying movie or book or show gets your blood pumping in the moment of consumption, sure—we covered our eyes in Squid Game with the rest of the world. But for the most part, you rest easy afterward knowing that what you've witnessed is fiction, deliberately spun up to creep you out. When the real world gets eerier than anything Stephen King could dream up, that's when you have every right to get a little scared of the dark.
Once in a while, a story of a dreadful disappearance, demonic possession, or devil worship will land in the local paper instead of a pulpy old paperback. We've rounded up the most unnerving real-life tales below. In honor of spooky season, here are eleven we can't stop thinking about.

The Axe Murder House

The Villisca Axe Murder House in Villisca, Iowa is a well-known tourist attraction for ghost hunters and horror lovers alike. The site of a gruesome unsolved 1912 murder, in which six children and two adults had their skulls completely crushed by the axe of an unknown perpetrator, was purchased in 1994, restored to its 1912 condition, and converted into a tourist destination. It costs $428 a night to stay at the old haunted home, where visitors always report strange paranormal experiences, such as visions of a man with an axe roaming the halls or the faint screams of children.
But in November of 2014, the haunting took a darker turn. Robert Steven Laursen Jr., 37, of Rhinelander, Wisconsin was on a regular recreational paranormal visit with friends when true horror struck. Per VICE:

His companions found him stabbed in the chest—an apparently self-inflicted wound—called 9-1-1, and Laursen was brought to a nearby hospital before being helicoptered to Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said Laursen suffered the self-inflicted injury at about 12:45 a.m., which is around the same time the 1912 axe murders in the house began.
Laursen recovered from his injuries, but has never spoken publicly about what occurred that day. For Martha Linn, the owner of the home, the incident was very upsetting. "It's publicity, but it's not exactly the kind of publicity you desire to have. I don't want people thinking that when they come to the Villisca Axe Murder House something's going to happen that's going to make them do something like that.” The house remains open for tourist visits and overnight stays today.
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The Haunted Doll

When you think of haunted dolls, it’s likely the creepy old Victorian-looking porcelain kind that springs to mind. None of which you probably have laying around. Still, don’t get too comfortable around any kids toys too soon, though: a Disney’s Frozen Elsa doll that was gifted for Christmas 2013 in the Houston area made headlines earlier this year when it seemingly became haunted.
Per KPRC2 Houston News:

The doll recited phrases from the movie Frozen and sang “Let It Go” when a button on its necklace was pressed.
“For two years it did that in English,” mother Emily Madonia said. “In 2015, it started doing it alternating between Spanish and English. There wasn’t a button that changed these, it was just random."
The family has owned the doll for more than six years and never changed its batteries. The mother says the doll would randomly begin to speak and sing even with its switch turned off.

The family decided to throw the creepy doll out in December of 2019. Weeks later, they found it inside a bench in their living room. “The kids insisted they didn’t put it there, and I believed them because they wouldn’t have dug through the garbage outside,” Madonia told KPRC2 Houston News.

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At that point, Elsa ceased to sing the English rendition of “Let It Go” altogether, speaking only Spanish when pressed. The family then double-bagged the bizarre doll and placed it at the bottom of their garbage which was taken out on garbage day. They went on a trip shortly after, but when they returned, Elsa too had come back, and was waiting in the backyard of their home.
This time, the family mailed Elsa to a family friend in Minnesota, who taped the haunted doll to the front bumper of his truck. It doesn’t seem to have made its way back to Houston yet, as per Madonia’s latest February Facebook update on the creepy doll.

A Deadly Exorcism

In August 2016 in North London, 26-year-old Kennedy Ife began acting strange and aggressive following a pain in his throat. He reportedly bit his father, threatened to cut off his own penis, and complained of a python or snake inside of him before his family restrained him to a bed with cable ties and excessive force.
As the BBC reported:

“The family then set about attempting to ‘cure’ Kennedy through restraint and prayer over the next three days, the court was told.”

His brother, Colin Ife, told police:

“It’s clear that thing was in him, what we believed was a demon because it was not natural. It was clearly trying to kill him,” he said.
“We had to restrain him for himself. It was clear if we didn’t restrain him, he could have tried to harm people in our family.”

Kennedy Ife had been bound to his bed for three days without medical attention when his brother called emergency services, explaining that Kennedy Ife was complaining of dehydration. He appeared to have developed breathing issues, and was pronounced dead at 10:17 a.m.
As The Independent reported:

While police were at the house Colin Ife allegedly carried out an “attempted resurrection” by chanting and praying for Mr. Ife.

All seven of Kennedy Ife’s family members were accused of manslaughter, false imprisonment, and causing or allowing the death of a vulnerable adult. A post-mortem examination revealed over 60 wounds including a possible bite on Kennedy Ife’s body, and his father, Kenneth Ife, along with four of his brothers, sustained injuries as well.
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The BBC reported:

Kenneth Ife told jurors he ordered his sons to take shifts and use "overwhelming force" but denied that an "association with cults, occults and secret societies" played any part in the death.

After a four day jury deliberation, all seven family members were cleared of charges on March 14, 2019.
📷Witches prepare themselves for a journey by broomstick to the Black Mountain, circa 1650. From a 17th century Dutch copperplate by Adrianus Hubertus.Hulton Archive

Dead Animals in the Walls

When the Bretzuis family decided to insulate their home in Auburn, Pennsylvania in 2015, they discovered that it had already been—with scores of dead animal carcasses.
As Fox reported:

The dead animals were wrapped in newspapers from the 1930s and 40s and were among half-used spices, and other items.
After removing the items they sent hundreds of artifacts and carcasses to an expert in Kutztown.

The expert attributed the rotting animals in their walls to Pow-wow or Dutch magic, a ritual originating in the culture of the Pennsylvania Dutch to treat ailments and gain physical and spiritual protection. The Pennsylvania Dutch were a group of German-speaking settlers to Pennsylvania in the 1600 and 1700’s, and are often of Lutheran, Mennonite, or Amish faiths.
The Washington Post notes on the magic:

Many of the spells deal with the care of livestock, finding water, or the treatment of minor ailments, reflecting the conditions and concerns of early American settlers.
But powwow also has within it a tradition of darker spells, and even of such things as conjuring demons.

One notable ritual in their tradition is this hex to create loyalty in a dog:

To attach a dog to a person, provided nothing else was used before to effect it: Try to draw some of your blood, and let the dog eat it along with his food, and he will stay with you.

The mold found on the rotting carcasses in the Bretzuis home has caused illness among the family members, and they say that the odor hasn’t gone away.
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Florida Devil Worshipping

Friends noticed that Danielle Harkins, a 35-year-old schoolteacher near St. Petersburg, Florida, started acting strangely in June of 2012, developing an interest in demonic rituals.
Soon after, she was arrested for abuse of seven of her former students, as the Tampa Bay Times reported:

Danielle Harkins told the kids they needed to rid their bodies of demons as the group gathered before dusk Saturday around a small fire near the St. Petersburg Pier. They should cut their skin to let the evil spirits out, police said she told the children. Then, they needed to burn the wounds to ensure that those spirits would not return.
When Harkins held a lighter to one teen's hand, wind blew the flame out, police said. That prompted her to douse his hand in perfume before setting it on fire. The boy suffered second-degree burns, police said.
Another teen was cut on the neck with a broken bottle, police said. Harkins used a flame to heat a small key, which she then used to cauterize the wound.

The police were notified because a friend of one of the students who participated in the ritual raised alarms. However none of the students themselves told their parents about the event or would comment following the arrest of Harkins for aggravated battery and child abuse.
NBC reported:

Investigators said they've spoken to Harkins, but she didn't spell out what type of religion would require such drastic measures.
"She hasn't informed us exactly what she was trying to accomplish with this," Puetz [of the St. Petersburg Police Department] said.

The Death of Elisa Lam

Elisa Lam was last seen on January 31, 2013 in the lobby of the Cecil Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. She was vacationing through the West Coast, documenting the trip on her blog, and checking in with her parents every day. On January 31 those calls stopped. Lam had vanished. Soon the police were involved and her parents arrived to help with the search.
They had nothing. That February, LAPD released elevator surveillance footage of Lam before her disappearance. The footage shows Lam behaving strangely in the elevator, appearing to talk with invisible people, peering around the corner of the door, crouching in the corner, and opening and closing the door. But what exactly is going on in this video raises more questions than answers. Theories range from psychotic episodes, to demonic possession, to unknown assailants just out of the camera's view:
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Around that time, hotel guests started reported weird things happening with the Cecil Hotel water supply. As CNN reports:
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"The shower was awful," said Sabina Baugh, who spent eight days there during the investigation. "When you turned the tap on, the water was coming black first for two seconds and then it was going back to normal."The tap water "tasted horrible," Baugh said. "It had a very funny, sweety, disgusting taste. It's a very strange taste. I can barely describe it."But for a week, they never complained. "We never thought anything of it," she said. "We thought it was just the way it was here."

On the morning of February 19, a hotel employee climbed to the roof and used a ladder to investigate the hotel's water storage tanks. That's where authorities found the decomposing, naked body of Lam, whose personal items were found nearby. After an autopsy, her death was labeled accidental. NBC Los Angeles reported at the time about the strange circumstances in the hotel's past:

The tank has a metal latch that can be opened, but authorities said access to the roof is secured with an alarm and lock.The single-room-occupancy hotel has an unusual history. "Night Stalker" Richard Ramirez, who was found guilty of 14 slayings in the 1980s, lived on the 14th floor for several months in 1985. And international serial killer Jack Unterweger is suspected of murdering three prostitutes during the time he lived there in 1991. He killed himself in jail in 1994.In 1962, a female occupant jumped out of one the hotel's windows, killing herself and a pedestrian on whom she landed.

In February 2021, a Netflix doc called Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel explored Elisa's tragic case and the history of the "cursed" Cecil Hotel.

An Exorcism in Indianapolis

Last year, the Indianapolis Star published a lengthy report on a family terrorized by three children allegedly possessed by demons. The account of Latoya Ammons and her family tells disturbing stories of children climbing up the walls, getting thrown across rooms, and children threatening doctors in deep unnatural voices. It would seem like something straight out of a movie–a work of fantasy, except all of these accounts were more or less corroborated with "nearly 800 pages of official records obtained by the Indianapolis Star and recounted in more than a dozen interviews with police, DCS personnel, psychologists, family members and a Catholic priest."
One of the more chilling sections of the report includes a segment about the possessed 9-year-old:

According to Washington's original DCS report—an account corroborated by Walker, the nurse—the 9-year-old had a "weird grin" and walked backward up a wall to the ceiling. He then flipped over Campbell, landing on his feet. He never let go of his grandmother's hand.

Another segment of the piece reads:

The 12-year-old would later tell mental health professionals that she sometimes felt as if she were being choked and held down so she couldn't speak or move. She said she heard a voice say she'd never see her family again and wouldn't live another 20 minutes.

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Utah Murder-Suicide

In September of 2014, a Utah teen returned to his home to find his parents and three siblings dead. "In a notebook, a 'to-do list' had been scribbled on the pages ... The list looked as if the parents were readying to go on vacation—items such as 'feed the pets' and 'find someone to watch after the house' were written," The Salt Lake Tribune reported. It appeared to be murder-suicide, but there was no suicide note, no prior indication that they would do this, no explanation. Police could not figure out why two parents would kill themselves and three of their four children.
For a year, no one knew exactly what happened to the family, or what would drive the parents to do something so unthinkable. In January, police released more chilling details in the case. According to accounts from family members and an investigation by police, the parents were driven by a belief that the apocalypse was coming and an obsession with a convicted killer. As the Washington Post reported:

Friends and family told police that the parents were worried about the "evil in the world" and wanted to escape a "pending apocalypse." But most assumed they just wanted to move somewhere "off the grid." Investigators also found letters written by Kristi Strack to one of the state's most infamous convicted killers, Dan Lafferty, who was convicted in the 1984 fatal stabbing of his sister-in-law and her 1-year-old daughter. According to trial testimony, he killed the victims at the order of his brother, Ron Lafferty, who claimed to have had a revelation from God. The story became a book called "Under the Banner of Heaven."Police said Kristi Strack became friends with Dan Lafferty, and she and her husband even visited him in prison.

The Phone Stalker

In 2007, ABC news documented a series of cell phone calls to families with terrifyingly specific death threats. The unidentified callers knew exactly what families were doing and what they were wearing.

The families say the calls come in at all hours of the night, threatening to kill their children, their pets and grandparents. Voice mails arrive, playing recordings of their private conversations, including one with a local police detective.The caller knows, the families said, what they're wearing and what they're doing. And after months of investigating, police seem powerless to stop them.

This went on with the Kuykenall family for months, who reported a caller with a scratchy voice threatening to slit their throats.

When the Fircrest, Wash., police tried to find the culprit, the calls were traced back to the Kuykendalls' own phones -- even when they were turned off.It got worse. The Kuykendalls and two other Fircrest families told ABC News that they believe the callers are using their cell phones to spy on them. They say the hackers know their every move: where they are, what they're doing and what they're wearing. The callers have recorded private conversations, the families and police said, including a meeting with a local detective.

"The Watcher"

After moving into their $1.3 million dream home, a New Jersey family started receiving creepy death threats from someone who identified themselves as "The Watcher." As CBS News reported earlier this year:
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Since moving in, the owners said they have received numerous letters from the mysterious person. "The Watcher" claimed the home "has been the subject of my family for decades," and "I have been put in charge of watching and waiting for its second coming," Castro reported.The new owners have several children, and other letters asked, "Have they found out what's in the walls yet?" and "I am pleased to know your names now, and the name of the young blood you have brought to me."

The family was forced to flee from their home and later filed a lawsuit against the previous owners.

Issei the Cannibal

In 1974, 24-year-old Wako University student Issei Sagawa allegedly followed a German woman to her home in Tokyo, Japan, broke into her apartment while she was sleeping, and attempted to cut a piece of flesh off her body to consume. When she awoke, she reportedly fought him and he was later captured by the police. According to a 2012 Vice documentary that covered Issei's bizarre story, he was mistakenly charged with attempted rape and his wealthy father paid the victim a settlement outside of court to have the charges dropped.
Seven years later, in 1981, he allegedly committed a murder in France—shooting and eating a fellow University student, Renée Hartevelt. Issei creepily documented the entire experience with photographs and he was captured by authorities once again while attempting to dump the rest of her body in the Bois de Boulogne lake. He was deported back to Japan and committed to a mental institution. For reason unknown, his psychologists in Japan declared that he was sane. Furthermore, a legal technicality involving the French government refusing to turn over the documents from his case meant that his murder charges were dropped completely. He checked himself out of the mental hospital and has reportedly been walking the streets as a free man ever since. Issei has even become a controversial celebrity, writing over 20 books. According to Japan Today, he most recently fantasized about an unnamed TV actress, saying:
"I'll catch a glimpse of her thigh and think, 'That sure looks tasty.' But I don't feel like I actually want to eat it. As I accomplished the act of cannibalism once, there's no meaning to maintaining the desire for it anymore. In my book, I wrote that it [human flesh] was tasty, but that was not really true; I'd much rather eat Matsuzaka (Kobe) beef. But because I'd desired to consume human flesh for so long, I'd managed to convince myself that it would necessarily be delicious."
Issei Sagawa was also referenced in the Rolling Stones song "Too Much Blood," with the lyrics reading: "And when he ate her he took her bones/To the Bois de Boulogne." He is currently 73 years old and continues to live in Kawaski City, Japan. To this day, no one knows why France did not allow Japan to give him a trial.
📷MATT MILLER

Roster January 1992

• Brad Armstrong
• Barry Windham
• Arn Anderson
• One Man Gang
• Lex Luger
• Sting
• Bobby Eaton
• Sid Vicious
• Cactus Jack
• Brian Pillman
• Nikita Koloff
• Kevin Sullivan
• Tommy Rich
• Terry Taylor
• Big Van Vader
• Kevin Nash
• Dustin Rhodes
• Larry Zbyszko
• Marc Mero
• Matt Borne
• 'Diamond Stud' Scott Hall
• Ron Simmons
• Mr. Hughes
• Steve Austin
• Diamond Dallas Page
• Danny Spivey
• Rick Rude
• Marcus Bagwell
• Ricky Steamboat
• Bret Hart (As of January 21st)
• Michael Hayes
• Curtis Thompson -Todd Champion
• Jushin Thunder Liger

Tag Teams - Tom Zenk and Jimmy Garvin
-The Steiner Brothers Rick and Scott
-The State Patrol Sgt. Buddy Lee Parker and Lt. James Earl Wright

• The Young Pistols Tracy Smothers Steve Armstrong

-The Diamond Exchange Diamond Dallas and 'Big Money' Kevin Nash
Stable The Dangerous Alliance Rick Rude, Arn Anderson, Larry Zybysko, Bobby Eaton and Steve Austin
Managers -Harley Race - Paul. E Dangerously - Madusa
WCW World Heavyweight Champion Rick Rude
WCW United States Heavyweight Champion Ron Simmons
WCW Unified World Tag Team Champions The Dangerous Alliance of Bobby Eaton and Arn Anderson
WCW World Television Champion Steve Austin
WCW Power Structure
Executive Vice President Jim Ross
Duty Executive Vice President Eric Bischoff
Creative Team Jim.Ross, Kevin Sullivan and Paul Heyman
Creative Consultant Dusty.Rhodes
WCW News January 1st to January 21st Jim Ross continues as Executive Vice President, Eric Bischoff has been promoted to Deputy Executive Vice President.
WWF Intercontinental Champion.Bret Hart signed a 2 year deal with WCW. Hart dropped the title to the Mountie at a house show on 1/17/92 on his last night with the.WWF.
Sid Vicious and Barry Windham returned from injury.
WCW TV January 1st to January 21st
A battered and bruised Lex Luger returned after the Violent attack from Cactus Jack at Starrcade. Luger demands Cactus is reinstated so he can get him in the ring for a match. WCW run a telephone poll on whether Cactus should be reinstated. 67% vote Yes. Cactus will return at the Clash in a match against Marcus Bagwell, the man who's debut Cactus destroyed at Halloween Havoc by attacking him during his entrance.
Lex Luger and Cactus will meet at Superbrawl on PPV.
At Clash Luger will wrestle Vader in a rematch from Halloween Havoc.
Sting apologised to the fans for losing his temper at Starrcade and brutally attacked Matt Borne with a steel chair. Borne interrupted with one arm in a sling and a crutch under his other arm assisting his walking. Borne looked gleeful "Stingy boy at Starrcade you showed all these fans that you were not their messiah, you were not a hero to be followed. You showed them you were just a flawed man like me, like every other man walking this earth. You beat me and pummeled me so bad. If others had not have come how far would you have gone Sting? Would you have killed me?"
Sting responds shamefully "I lost my temper Matt but that was all, you pushed and pushed"
Borne continues "You see Sting you are just a man, you are no better than me, we all get a little crazy sometimes"
Sting snaps back "I'm not like you Borne you're sick, twisted, I'll never be like you"
Sting turns to walk away and Borne pulls a prosthetic arm out of the sling and hits Sting over the head with it. Beating him again and again while he is on the ground. Jim Ross exclaimed "That sick bastard Borne is killing him" U.S Champion Ron.Simmons runs down for the save and Borne runs off laughing to himself.
Sid Vicious returned to TV while the D.A were performing a beatdown on Barry Windham (who also returned the same night) after a DQ win over rival Arn Anderson. Vicious ran in to a huge ovation and made the save for Windham and as the numbers seemed a little too much The Sreiners hit the ring and The Dangerous Alliance fled.
At Clash of the Champions The main event will be Sid, The Steiners and Barry Windham vs The Dangerous Alliance of Bobby Eaton, Anderson, Larry Zbyszko and WCW World Heavyweight Champion Rick Rude in an Eight Man Tag Team Elimination.
World Television Champion.Steve Austin.will issue an open challenge.
Jushin Liger debuted on TV pinned Sgt. Buddy Lee Parker.
Clash of the Champions January 21, 1992 Baltimore Arena Baltimore, Maryland 11,563 in attendance T.V Rating 7.2
Brian Pillman and Jushin Liger defeated The Young Pistols when Liger pinned Tracy Smothers with a middle rope moonsault at 6 mins 31 secs.
Cactus Jack pinned Marcus Alexander Bagwell at 8 mins 37 secs after a Double Arm DDT.
Lex Luger and Big Van Vader had a back and forth match. Both wrestlers looked strong throughout. The match ends with an unexpected DQ when Cactus Jack attacks Luger. Luger wins by DQ at 8 mins 7.secs
WCW World Television Title Open Challenge Steve Austin and Paul E Dangerously are introduced. Dangerously cuts a promo on how amazing Steve Austin had been as Champion. How Austin is.the greatest technical wrestler in the world today. Austin grabs the mic and says "I am just about the best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be" An unfamiliar theme hits and Bret Hart steps out of the curtain. Balitmore loses their minds, the roof blows of the building. Schaivone "This is the biggest moment in WCW history" Jim Ross "The excellence of execution is here". Hart and Austin put on an outstanding match within the limits of working a 15 minute time limit of course. Technically excellent, great psychology, lots of false finishes. In the end Austin hit a sunset flip from the apron, Bret rolled through and hooked him in the Sharpshooter. Dangerously hit the ring and hit Hart in the head with the Cell Phone for the DQ finish at 14 mins 27 secs. Austin and Dangerously retreated with the belt. Bret slowly got up off the canvas as the fans give him a standing ovation. A 'Welcome Bret' chant fills the arena.
DDP and 'Big Money" Kevin Nash defeated Tom Zenk and Jimmy Garvin at 7 mins 6 secs when Nash powerbombed Garvin for the pin.
Ricky Steamboat pinned Michael Hayes at 12 mins 23 secs when a Diving Crossbody.
Matt Borne defeated WCW U.S Champion Ron Simmons by DQ at 8 mins 21 secs. At the conclusion the ref was bumped and Borne through a Fireball in Simmons' face. Borne then climbed to the top and landed a Sitdown Splash on Simmons. Borne covered Simmons as the ref came to but Sting.came to ringside and dragged Borne out off the ring and started beating him all around ringside and the referee disqualified Simmons. Borne retreated to the back.and Sting checked on Simmons.
Main Event 8 man Tag Team Elimination Match The Dangerously Alliance of WCW World Heavyweight Champion Rick Rude, Arn Anderson, Bobby Eaton and Larry Zbyszko took on Sid Vicious, Barry Windham and The Steiner Brothers. This match was a classic tag team elimination with all the twists and turns you could hope for. Sid dominated the first couple of minutes with punches, boots and clotheslines. Sid then chokeslammed every member of the apposing team and was looking as awesome as he had looked the previous year as World Champion. In a Shocking turn of events Kevin Nash, Scott Hall and DDP attacked The Steiners and Windham from behind on the apron. Sid went outside to fend of the attackers and became the first eliminated when he was counted out. Sid Counted out at 5 mins 9 secs.
Now with The Steiners and Windham hurt, Arn Anderson rolled Windham into the ring and the D.A began to dismantle him for the next few minutes. Zbyszko jumped of the middle rope into a boot, Scott Steiner got the hot tag. Soon Zbyszko fell victim to the frankensteiner for the 1-2-3. Scott Steiner pinned Larry Zbyszko at 9 mins 33 secs.
Rick Rude quickly hit Scott Steiner with a clothesline from behind then a Rude Awakening for the pin. Rick Rude pinned Scott Steiner at 9 minutes 52 secs.
As Rick Rude posed, Rick Steiner came off the top rope with the Bulldog and pinned Rude.This shocked everyone. Rick Steiner pinned WCW World Heavyweight Champion Rick Rude at 10 mins 11 secs.
Before Rude left he kneed Rick Steiner in the kidney and hit the Rude Awakening on him. Bobby Eaton pinned Rick Steiner at 10 mins 37 secs.
Barry Windham was left to fight Anderson and Eaton alone. It wasn't long before the heels took control again. But after Windham managed to evade The Alabama Jam he hit Eaton with a flying Lariat to put him out. Windham pinned Eaton at 15 mins 17secs.
Arn Anderson than put a beating on Windham going back after his previously injured arm. Windham wouldn't quit. Dustin Rhodes came to ringside to cheer Windham on. Anderson hit the DDT but Windham killed out. Anderson hit the Spinebuster but Windham kicked out. Arn even hit the Gourdbuster but Windham kicked out. Rhodes was slapping on the.mat encouraging Windham to get back in it and Windham did get back in it. Windham fought back and had Anderson reeling. Madusa ran around ringside and slapped Dustin Rhodes and this distracted the referee as he tried to get her to return to her corner. While the ref was distracted Paul E nailed Windham with the Cellphone on the back of the head and Anderson made the cover as Madusa ran back to her corner. 1-2-3. Arn Anderson is the sole Survivor having pinned Barry Windham at 23 mins 37 secs. Team Dangerous Alliance win the match. Dustin Rhodes checks on Windham. Anderson celebrates with Madusa and Dangerously on the stage arena as the telecast ends.

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater remake was announced to be in development, now titled "Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater". This was the remake I was dreaming of since I beat Metal Gear Solid V: The story, style, and theme of Metal Gear Solid 3 with the gameplay foundation of Metal Gear Solid V.
I have been thinking about what the MGS3 remake would look like for a long time. I believe the remake must address these points in order to meaningfully prove its existence. Here is a wishlist of how the remake can fix and improve upon MGS3.
Story
First, I don't want them to change the story. When I'm saying story, I mean literally everything related to the story: the cutscenes, dialogues (except for the ones for the tutorials), music, etc. Use the same audio tracks and animations--they literally used them for the 3DS remaster and pachislot adaptation but with the updated models, which means that they already have the source code. Use the same story assets. Just update the visuals like how Shadow of the Colossus and The Last of Us Part I did with their originals. Don't remove the codec system. This post only concerns how the remake can shake up the gameplay side.
The only story-related improvement I can think of is one button prompt during the cutscene. In the torture sequence, the game explicitly shows you a prompt to see The Sorrow's codec frequency that immediately opens the jail. This makes the prison escape extremely easy, basically skipping 80% of the prison contents. I'd hope that they just made that button prompt invisible.
Gameplay Foundation
Carrying over MGSV's mechanics is no brainer. After experiencing those smooth controls, AI, fluid combat and stealth system, and animations, I never wanted to go back to the clunky mechanics of the old MGS games.
Obviously, some of the mechanics would need to be refit for MGS3's gameplay theme. MGSV's instantly regenerating health system doesn't fit the survivalist motifs, so opt out for MGS3's slowly-regenerating health system from the stamina. MGS3's enemy types like flamethrowers and dogs would work fantastic with the reimagined gameplay. Metal Gear for some reason removed swimming after MGS3, so the remake can deepen this system to utilize for the level design. I imagine the swimming in the cave section could be expanded. Maybe you can even "hunt" the fishes while you are underwater. I am aware MGSV technically didn't ditch the camo index system, rather they just "hid" it from the HUD, but it would be better for the player to optionally turn the display on and off, considering how much the camo is crucial to the gameplay system.
There are also little features that can be integrated into the remake as a changed form. For example, instead of making an electric sound from a bionic arm to lure the guards, as Naked Snake didn't have any bionic arm, Naked Snake can "whistle" to lure the guards. The Far Cry-style tagging system can also be drastically scaled down considering how much MGS3 puts emphasis on the methodical environmental gameplay. Sprinting and getting damage drain stamina much faster so the action-combat approach can have more negative consequences.
Map Design
Tselinoyarsk would have to be much larger to complement the MGSV's mechanics. For example, Ponizovje in the original was a mangrove swamp, and it was basically a one-way railroad. It looks big, but it is just a corridor in gameplay sense. You cannot get through the mangrove "wall". You can have this level at a wide, complex map with multiple approaches to avoid the enemy flying platforms. This goes the same with the EVA escort level, which could be much deeper in terms of the level design.
Similar to how the remakes of Dead Space and Resident Evil 4 made the series of small levels from the original into one large, seamless map similar to the classic Resident Evil's hubworld, I imagine MGS3's jungle to not be divided by the loading screens into small gated levels. Maybe it can even add reasons to go back to where you have been via optional side quests as the RE4 remake did. Maybe the previous areas you have gone to are now more alert and harder to infiltrate.
Environmental Reactivity
MGS3's notable for an insane amount of environmental interactivity for a 2004 PS2 game, and the remake could expand this more. For example, the wildfire system spreads throughout the jungle as the bushes and trees catch fire like Far Cry 2 and Breath of the Wild. Maybe the flamethrowers intentionally set the forest on fire to make the player difficult to sneak through the flora, which can change how you play.
Maybe Snake can cover himself with mud to camouflage himself in the environments like Shadows of the Tomb Raider. However, there are a few disadvantages to this. Moving in this state leaves muddy footsteps, which allows the enemies to spot and track the footsteps as the guards did in MGS1's footsteps on the snow. Being covered in mud for too long also spreads smell, which makes it easily detectable to enemies. Dipping yourself in the water wears the mud off.
I also think Thief and Splinter Cell-style lightplay and soundplay combined with the camo index could work well in MGS3. In the original, light didn't really matter in stealth. You could destroy the searchlights, but couldn't really "manipulate" the environment until MGSV. Destroying the fluorescent lamps to make the place darker would help the interior infiltration way more enjoyable. Or rain can mask sounds like footsteps so that it is easier for the player to sneak. MGSV's day and night cycle would also work well for MGS3's survivalist motifs. It is harder to sneak during the daylight, but also easier for the player to detect the enemies. It is easier to sneak during the nighttime, but it is also harder for the player to detect the enemies. The cutscene's environments might change depending on time.
I also hope for MGSV's weather system to change the moment-to-moment dynamics. For example, exposure to daytime sunlight or rain drains stamina faster. The remake can add harsher weather and different climates, so Krasnogorje, the mountainous area after you beat The End, can be changed so that it is snowing, which would make the white-colored camos more useful.
The night vision and thermal goggles should only be unlocked as bonuses after beating the game. Not only they are anachronistic, I watched countless Let's Players who ruined The End boss fight by using those visions. Most of the boss fights in MGS3 centered around methodically identifying targets in the thick jungle, so giving the player OP tools was just allowing the player to use cheats.
Speaking of the boss fight, I hope The Fear wouldn't use stealth camouflage that turns him completely invisible. It is insanely out of place considering it's 1964. The difficulty can be amped up by making the boss arena much larger so that it is harder for the player to find The Fear without the invisible stealth camo.
Maintaining Snake's Conditions
Metal Gear Solid 3 is a game with a maximalist design. It tries so many different things and innovative concepts, and none of them cohesively comes together. While the gameplay provides so many tools to screw around in the sandbox, that sandbox is hardly balanced and elegant.
For example, the purpose of the camouflage system is to make the stealth dynamic depending on certain types of terrain. If you are on the grass, you wear grass camo. If you are in the urban environment, you wear urban camo. If you are in the mud, you wear dark camo. This entire concept gets negated as you progress further and obtain more camos. If you can wear different camos anytime, access the entire selection of camo at any time, and do that instantly in the menu, what's the point? Whenever you go to different environments, instead of formulating a plan to move through the terrains or play in different styles according to your current conditions, you just hit the menu button, and instantly switch to the new outfit, then you are fine.
The same goes for the cure system. Damage inflicts injuries, which give you supposedly long-lasting consequences to how you play: Broken bones, sprains, leeches, darts, and bullets. This is supposed to make you avoid engaging in direct combat and change the moment-to-moment gameplay. Those supposed consequences become more or less meaningless when you can freeze time anytime you want and do self-surgery at any time. Every time you get injured, you have to constantly pause for the menu for half a minute. This breaks the flow of the game, especially during the boss battles. Yes, curing yourself does drain the healing resources, but considering how plentiful surgical resources you can get often in the game, it really doesn't matter.
The stamina system has the player hunt and eat foods for better conditions. The problem is that the stamina isn't just the stamina bar on the screen. It's all of the foods you carry. You never have to worry about maintaining stamina when you can carry so many foods at once. You are basically a mobile supermarket. As long as you have foods, which you will have a ton of, the hunger problem is gone. I don't think there was ever a time when my Snake was starving and that meaningfully affected how I played.
It's simply too easy to maintain the perfect conditions: too easy to fill stamina, too easy to cure, too easy to camo yourself, rendering a lot of mechanics pointless. The game constantly makes the player pause the play and screw around the menu during the sneaking, which harms the pacing.
MGSV and The Last of Us Part II have a much simpler injury and healing system (in MGSV, it's a spray, and in TLOU2, it's arrow removal), but if you get injured in those games, you don't freeze time in order to heal yourself. You have to play well enough to time a heal in the middle of the fight and also recognize the time you should heal instead of attacking and moving. The injury and healing are part of the combat dynamics, not separate. This lessens the constant busy work of having to constantly waste time on the frozen menu. Something as simple as a few seconds of downtime in real-time while curing himself solves the balancing problem.
The MGS3 remake should play the menu in real-time so that every time you access the menu would be a risk when the enemies are nearby. The player has to run away from the enemies, position themselves, and hide to access the food, camo, and curing menu to do things in real-time, instead of being able to pull out a bullet instantly.
Inventory System
The later games like Peace Walker and The Phantom Pain balanced the excess problem by not having the player's full inventory all the time. In TPP, you can only switch your outfit and gears by ordering the Mother Base to fulton into your mission area. This makes the player commit to the gear and item selection you picked permission, demanding proper planning and each load out has advantages and disadvantages.
Since MGS3 is a linear progression with no access to the Mother Base, adding something like a bonfire system would be a good way to balance things out. The bonfires would be scattered around specific points on the map, and these would be your small diegetic "bases of operations". Here, the player can even set the day and night. However, accessing a bonfire is not possible during the alert phase when the enemies are nearby. Maybe on the hardest difficulty, you can only manually save or cure yourself at the bonfires.
You should have a stricter limit to how many things you can carry when you are on the move. You can carry only two camos at once, two weapons at once, carry six items at once including equipment and food. You can only access the full inventory at the bonfires. However, as you progress, you can expand your mobile inventory by exploring. Maybe finding a better pouch can increase your max weapon carry limit from 2 to 4, camo from 2 to 5, or item from 6 to 12. Porch and such are permanent character upgrades and can be optionally found in enemy bases. This way, the player can optionally infiltrate dangerous places, which rewards risky actions.
Here are some of the other ideas I have, but I am not sure about how implementation. They can break the game's balance, so they are just ideas I tossed around.

• Since MGS3 puts emphasis on survival, a simple crafting system that allows the player to make booby traps, Molotov, cure items, and other small things fits. However, the fact that you can easily find such items by exploring the bases and finding military-grade items would negate such a feature.
  
• Death Stranding style vertical movement, climbing, traversal tools. I'd love to see it in Metal Gear, but I'd imagine this would eat up the development time and resources and can potentially screw up the map progression.
  
• Maybe Snake can pull up a physical map as a diegetic HUD. Some of the other games do this, such as Far Cry 2 and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, in which the player can pull up the map in real-time. Some of the level maps can only be optionally found in the outpost and base or interrogating the enemies.*
  

FT: St. Louis City SC 3-1 Vancouver Whitecaps FC

St. Louis City SC scorers: Eduard Löwen 10', Miguel Perez 90'+4', Tristan Blackmon 45' (OG)
Vancouver Whitecaps FC scorers: Brian White 83'
TV/Streaming: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass

Lineups

St. Louis City SC
Roman Bürki, Jake Nerwinski (🔄 John Nelson, 63'), Lucas Bartlett, Kyle Hiebert, Tim Parker, Njabulo Blom, Eduard Löwen, Jared Stroud (🔄 Tomás Ostrák, 72'), Indiana Vassilev (🔄 Aziel Jackson, 90'+3'), Célio Pompeu (🔄 Miguel Perez, 72'), Nicholas Gioacchini (🔄 Jonathan Bell, 90'+2')
Subs: Miguel Perez, John Nelson, Aziel Jackson, Jonathan Bell, Joshua Yaro, Isak Jensen, Ben Lundt, Akil Watts, Tomás Ostrák
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Thomas Hasal, Javain Brown (🔄 Sergio Córdova, 65'), Ranko Veselinovic, Tristan Blackmon, Luís Martins, Julian Gressel, Sebastian Berhalter (🔄 Déiber Caicedo, 57'), Alessandro Schöpf (🔄 Levonte Johnson, 85'), Pedro Vite (🔄 Andrés Cubas, 65'), Simon Becher (🔄 Brian White, 57'), Ryan Gauld
Subs: Sergio Córdova, Brian White, Russell Teibert, Levonte Johnson, Déiber Caicedo, Andrés Cubas, Yohei Takaoka, Mathías Laborda, Ryan Raposo

Match Stats:

St. Louis	3-1	Vancouver
38.4%	Ball Possession	61.6%
15	Total Shots	12
6	Shots on Target	2
7	Corner Kicks	5
2	Offside	3
11	Fouls	12
4	Yellow Cards	3
0	Red Cards	0
1	Goalkeeper Saves	4
0.88	Expected Goals (xG)	1.13
298	Total Passes	495
70.8%	Pass Accuracy	80.6%

Match Events

• ⏱️ Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
• 1' ⏱️ First Half begins.
• 1' ⏱️ Delay in match (Vancouver Whitecaps FC).
• 1' ⏱️ Delay over. They are ready to continue.
• 10' ⚽️ Goal! St. Louis City SC 1, Vancouver Whitecaps FC 0. Eduard Löwen (St. Louis City SC) from a free kick with a right footed shot to the top right corner.
• 20' 🟨 Jake Nerwinski (St. Louis City SC) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
• 21' ⏱️ Delay in match because of an injury Luís Martins (Vancouver Whitecaps FC).
• 22' ⏱️ Delay over. They are ready to continue.
• 22' 🟨 Tim Parker (St. Louis City SC) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
• 28' ⏱️ Delay in match because of an injury Nicholas Gioacchini (St. Louis City SC).
• 29' ⏱️ Delay over. They are ready to continue.
• 45' ⚽️ Own Goal by Tristan Blackmon, Vancouver Whitecaps FC. St. Louis City SC 2, Vancouver Whitecaps FC 0.
• 45'+4' ⏱️ First Half ends, St. Louis City SC 2, Vancouver Whitecaps FC 0.
• 46' ⏱️ Second Half begins St. Louis City SC 2, Vancouver Whitecaps FC 0.
• 49' 🟨 Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps FC) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
• 57' 🔄 Substitution, Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Brian White replaces Simon Becher.
• 57' 🔄 Substitution, Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Déiber Caicedo replaces Sebastian Berhalter.
• 60' 🟨 Jared Stroud (St. Louis City SC) is shown the yellow card.
• 64' 🔄 Substitution, St. Louis City SC. John Nelson replaces Jake Nerwinski.
• 65' 🔄 Substitution, Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Sergio Córdova replaces Javain Brown.
• 65' 🔄 Substitution, Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Andrés Cubas replaces Pedro Vite.
• 70' ⏱️ Delay in match because of an injury Nicholas Gioacchini (St. Louis City SC).
• 70' ⏱️ Delay over. They are ready to continue.
• 72' 🔄 Substitution, St. Louis City SC. Tomás Ostrák replaces Jared Stroud.
• 72' 🔄 Substitution, St. Louis City SC. Miguel Perez replaces Célio Pompeu.
• 83' ⚽️ Goal! St. Louis City SC 2, Vancouver Whitecaps FC 1. Brian White (Vancouver Whitecaps FC) header from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Julian Gressel with a cross.
• 85' 🔄 Substitution, Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Levonte Johnson replaces Alessandro Schöpf.
• 85' 🟨 Njabulo Blom (St. Louis City SC) is shown the yellow card.
• 90'+3' 🔄 Substitution, St. Louis City SC. Jonathan Bell replaces Nicholas Gioacchini.
• 90'+3' 🔄 Substitution, St. Louis City SC. Aziel Jackson replaces Indiana Vassilev.
• 90'+3' 🟨 Julian Gressel (Vancouver Whitecaps FC) is shown the yellow card.
• 90'+4' 🟨 Ryan Gauld (Vancouver Whitecaps FC) is shown the yellow card.
• 90'+4' ⚽️ Goal! St. Louis City SC 3, Vancouver Whitecaps FC 1. Miguel Perez (St. Louis City SC) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the top right corner following a set piece situation.

- 90'+7' ⏱️ Second Half ends, St. Louis City SC 3, Vancouver Whitecaps FC 1.

Match Highlights

• Goal: B. White vs. STL, 83'
• Own Goal: T. Blackmon, VAN, 45'
• Goal: E. Löwen vs. VAN, 10'

^{Last updated: May 27, 09:34PM. All data via mlssoccer.com. Opta ID: 2341840}

My dad's house will be going on the market in the next couple of weeks, via Boococks.
Ground floor - kitchen diner, living room, sizeable cupboard under the stairs. Gas central heating, back boiler.
First floor - main bedroom with ensuite shower and lots of storage space, bathroom, smallest bedroom ideal for spare room or home office.
Second floor- two bedrooms, lots of storage space.
Offroad parking for 2 vehicles, and space to build a garage (there was one). Outhouse with washing machine, dryer and space for chest freezer. Five or six stone sheds big enough to store bikes, bales of hay if you keep rabbits (but if you nail a Catherine Wheel to the door on Bonfire Night and it falls off, still spinning, don't kick it under the shed door or it'll set light to the hay and your kids will write about it at school) etc. Secure cobbled yard (neighbours have access rights), small front garden easily maintained.
The house hasn't been updated at all since the late 70s-early 80s because my dad really just used it as a place to eat and sleep when he wasn't travelling, so it does need a lot of work doing to it, but it will be fantastic when someone does that. It's stone, built 1901. It's ideal for Ainley Top/Outlane junctions, and it's in the catchment area for Lindley Infants and Juniors, and Salendine Nook.
My grandparents bought the house in 1963, and then my parents bought it from them in 1975. We're very keen for it to remain a family home; we're not interested in selling to the bourgeoisie landlords who'll turn it into an HMO.
My brother is living there until it's sold, so it hasn't been left empty.
So, yeah, if you know anyone looking for a family home in Lindley, it'll be on the market soon.

Pirates @ Mariners - Sat, May 27

Game Status: Final - Score: 5-0 Mariners

Links & Info

• MLB Gameday
• Game Graphs
• Savant Gamefeed

	Pirates Batters	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K	LOB	AVG	OBP	SLG
1	Marcano - SS	4	0	1	0	0	1	1	.265	.337	.470
2	Reynolds, B - LF	3	0	0	0	1	2	1	.287	.341	.505
3	Joe - 1B	3	0	0	0	1	1	2	.250	.348	.471
4	Santana - DH	4	0	0	0	0	3	2	.229	.322	.360
5	Suwinski - CF	4	0	1	0	0	3	1	.234	.348	.482
6	Hayes - 3B	4	0	0	0	0	3	2	.226	.282	.353
7	Bae - 2B	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.269	.324	.358
	a-Castro, R - 2B	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	.261	.363	.435
8	Palacios, J - RF	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	.250	.286	.250
	b-McCutchen - RF	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	.268	.362	.459
9	Delay - C	2	0	0	0	1	2	0	.318	.370	.455
	Totals	29	0	2	0	3	17	12

Pirates
a-Struck out for Bae in the 7th. b-Struck out for Palacios, J in the 7th.
BATTING: 2B: Marcano (6, Castillo, L). TB: Marcano 2; Suwinski. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Santana; Palacios, J. Team RISP: 0-for-4. Team LOB: 6.
FIELDING: E: Bae (7, throw); Delay (2, throw).

	Mariners Batters	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K	LOB	AVG	OBP	SLG
1	Crawford, J - SS	4	2	2	0	0	1	1	.254	.364	.373
2	France, T - 1B	3	1	2	1	1	1	1	.267	.348	.421
3	Rodríguez, Ju - CF	4	1	2	1	0	0	2	.238	.305	.422
4	Kelenic - LF	4	0	1	0	0	2	4	.277	.330	.522
5	Suárez, E - DH	3	1	1	2	0	1	3	.219	.323	.323
6	Raleigh - C	4	0	1	0	0	0	1	.237	.324	.442
7	Hernández, T - RF	4	0	1	1	0	1	1	.233	.270	.406
8	Caballero - 3B	4	0	1	0	0	1	2	.277	.395	.415
9	Wong, Ko - 2B	4	0	0	0	0	2	1	.160	.250	.189
	Totals	34	5	11	5	1	9	16

Mariners
BATTING: 2B: Crawford, J (11, Velasquez); France, T 2 (15, Velasquez, Hernandez, J); Hernández, T (6, Velasquez); Rodríguez, Ju (12, Velasquez); Kelenic (13, Hernandez, J). TB: Caballero; Crawford, J 3; France, T 4; Hernández, T 2; Kelenic 2; Raleigh; Rodríguez, Ju 3; Suárez, E. RBI: France, T (24); Hernández, T (26); Rodríguez, Ju (27); Suárez, E 2 (31). 2-out RBI: Suárez, E; Hernández, T. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Rodríguez, Ju; Suárez, E 2; France, T; Caballero 2. SF: Suárez, E. Team RISP: 4-for-14. Team LOB: 7.
FIELDING: E: Raleigh (3, throw).

Pirates Pitchers	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	HR	P-S	ERA
Velasquez (L, 4-4)	2.0	7	4	4	1	3	0	53-34	3.86
Hernandez, J	3.0	2	0	0	0	2	0	34-25	2.38
Zastryzny	0.2	1	0	0	0	1	0	12-9	6.48
Moreta	1.1	1	1	0	0	2	0	17-12	1.90
Bednar	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	18-13	1.42
Totals	8.0	11	5	4	1	9	0

Mariners Pitchers	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	HR	P-S	ERA
Castillo, L (W, 4-2)	6.0	1	0	0	2	10	0	99-64	2.69
Speier	0.2	1	0	0	0	1	0	9-7	2.95
Brash	0.1	0	0	0	0	1	0	4-3	4.64
Gott	1.0	0	0	0	0	2	0	12-8	1.90
Topa	1.0	0	0	0	1	3	0	20-12	2.66
Totals	9.0	2	0	0	3	17	0

Game Info
HBP: Bae (by Castillo, L).
Pitch timer violations: Velasquez (pitcher); Moreta (pitcher).
Pitches-strikes: Velasquez 53-34; Hernandez, J 34-25; Zastryzny 12-9; Moreta 17-12; Bednar 18-13; Castillo, L 99-64; Speier 9-7; Brash 4-3; Gott 12-8; Topa 20-12.
Groundouts-flyouts: Velasquez 0-3; Hernandez, J 4-1; Zastryzny 1-0; Moreta 1-1; Bednar 0-2; Castillo, L 5-0; Speier 0-1; Brash 0-0; Gott 0-1; Topa 0-0.
Batters faced: Velasquez 14; Hernandez, J 11; Zastryzny 3; Moreta 5; Bednar 3; Castillo, L 22; Speier 3; Brash 1; Gott 3; Topa 4.
Inherited runners-scored: Moreta 1-0; Brash 1-0.
Umpires: HP: Ryan Blakney. 1B: Marvin Hudson. 2B: Hunter Wendelstedt. 3B: John Tumpane.
Weather: 60 degrees, Partly Cloudy.
Wind: 2 mph, Out To LF.
First pitch: 1:11 PM.
T: 2:32.
Att: 44,624.
Venue: T-Mobile Park.
May 27, 2023

Inning	Scoring Play	Score
Bottom 1	Ty France doubles (14) on a line drive to left fielder Bryan Reynolds. J.P. Crawford scores.	1-0 SEA
Bottom 1	Eugenio Suarez singles on a fly ball to right fielder Josh Palacios. Ty France scores.	2-0 SEA
Bottom 1	Teoscar Hernandez doubles (6) on a sharp line drive to left fielder Bryan Reynolds. Eugenio Suarez scores. Cal Raleigh to 3rd.	3-0 SEA
Bottom 2	Julio Rodriguez doubles (12) on a sharp line drive to center fielder Jack Suwinski. J.P. Crawford scores. Ty France to 3rd.	4-0 SEA
Bottom 7	Mariners challenged (home-plate collision), call on the field was upheld: Mariners challenged (tag play), call on the field was overturned: Eugenio Suarez out on a sacrifice fly to center fielder Jack Suwinski. Julio Rodriguez scores.	5-0 SEA

Team	Highlight
SEA	Bullpen availability for Seattle, May 27 vs Pirates (00:00:07)
PIT	Bullpen availability for Pittsburgh, May 27 vs Mariners (00:00:07)
SEA	Fielding alignment for Seattle, May 27 vs Pirates (00:00:11)
SEA	Luis Castillo's outing against the Pirates (00:00:23)
SEA	Ty France's RBI double (00:00:20)
SEA	Eugenio Suárez's RBI single (00:00:19)
SEA	Teoscar Hernández's RBI double (00:00:18)
	Julio Rodríguez's RBI double (00:00:23)
PIT	Vince Velasquez K's three (00:00:24)
PIT	Ke'Bryan Hayes' nice snare (00:00:14)
SEA	Luis Castillo K's 10 (00:01:08)
SEA	Rodríguez scores after review (00:01:03)
SEA	Justin Topa records final out (00:00:09)

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E	LOB
Pirates	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	2	2	6
Mariners	3	1	0	0	0	0	1	0			5	11	1	7

Decisions

• Winner: Luis Castillo (4-2, 2.69)
• Loser: Vince Velasquez (4-4, 3.86)

Division Scoreboard

SF 3 @ MIL 1 - Final
CIN 1 @ CHC 1 - Middle 2
STL 1 @ CLE 0 - Bottom 2, 2 Outs
Next Pirates Game: Sun, May 28, 04:10 PM EDT @ Mariners
^{Last Updated: 05/27/2023 07:45:00 PM EDT}

Rangers @ Orioles - Sat, May 27

Game Status: Final - Score: 5-3 Rangers

Links & Info

• MLB Gameday
• Game Graphs
• Savant Gamefeed

	Rangers Batters	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K	LOB	AVG	OBP	SLG
1	Semien - 2B	5	0	2	2	0	0	0	.299	.370	.488
2	Seager - SS	5	0	1	0	0	1	3	.333	.404	.587
3	Lowe, N - 1B	5	0	0	0	0	0	4	.279	.362	.443
4	García, Ad - RF	3	1	1	0	1	2	1	.249	.316	.513
5	Jung - 3B	4	1	1	0	0	1	2	.281	.325	.510
6	Heim - C	4	1	2	1	0	0	1	.278	.335	.449
7	Smith, J - LF	4	0	0	0	0	0	3	.218	.364	.356
	1-Thompson, B - LF	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.163	.236	.286
8	Grossman - DH	3	1	1	1	1	0	1	.241	.302	.389
9	Taveras - CF	4	1	2	0	0	1	3	.316	.378	.444
	Totals	37	5	10	4	2	5	18

Rangers
1-Ran for Smith, J in the 8th.
BATTING: 2B: Jung (9, Kremer); Taveras (9, Baker). TB: García, Ad; Grossman; Heim 2; Jung 2; Seager; Semien 2; Taveras 3. RBI: Grossman (29); Heim (34); Semien 2 (42). 2-out RBI: Grossman. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Lowe, N 2; Taveras. Team RISP: 3-for-10. Team LOB: 7.
FIELDING: Outfield assists: García, Ad (McCann at home); Smith, J (Mateo at 2nd base). DP: 2 (Seager-Semien-Lowe, N; Smith, J-Semien).

	Orioles Batters	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K	LOB	AVG	OBP	SLG
1	Mullins - CF	3	0	0	0	1	0	0	.265	.350	.487
2	Rutschman - DH	4	0	0	0	0	0	2	.268	.395	.432
3	Hays - LF	3	2	1	1	1	1	0	.312	.355	.506
4	Mountcastle - 1B	3	1	1	1	0	0	0	.241	.276	.462
5	Urías, R - 3B	4	0	1	1	0	1	1	.275	.368	.382
6	McCann - C	4	0	1	0	0	1	1	.186	.208	.314
7	Frazier - 2B	3	0	1	0	0	1	0	.250	.326	.419
8	McKenna - RF	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	.259	.302	.397
9	Mateo - SS	3	0	1	0	0	0	0	.229	.278	.396
	Totals	30	3	6	3	2	4	4

Orioles
BATTING: 2B: McCann (3, Heaney); Mountcastle (12, Smith, W); Urías, R (8, Smith, W). HR: Hays (6, 7th inning off Heaney, 0 on, 0 out). TB: Frazier; Hays 4; Mateo; McCann 2; Mountcastle 2; Urías, R 2. RBI: Hays (20); Mountcastle (37); Urías, R (17). 2-out RBI: Urías, R; Mountcastle. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: McCann. GIDP: Urías, R. Team RISP: 2-for-4. Team LOB: 3.
FIELDING: E: Akin (1, missed catch). Outfield assists: McKenna (García, Ad at 2nd base). Pickoffs: Akin (Thompson, B at 1st base).

Rangers Pitchers	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	HR	P-S	ERA
Heaney (W, 4-3)	7.0	4	1	1	1	3	1	95-59	3.76
Burke	1.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	9-6	3.54
Smith, W	1.0	2	2	2	1	1	0	26-18	3.50
Totals	9.0	6	3	3	2	4	1

Orioles Pitchers	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	HR	P-S	ERA
Kremer (L, 5-2)	6.1	5	3	3	2	5	0	97-63	4.58
Baker	0.2	2	1	1	0	0	0	14-9	3.09
Givens	0.2	1	1	0	0	0	0	8-7	6.00
Akin	1.1	2	0	0	0	0	0	24-18	5.25
Totals	9.0	10	5	4	2	5	0

Game Info
WP: Baker.
HBP: Mountcastle (by Heaney).
Pitches-strikes: Heaney 95-59; Burke 9-6; Smith, W 26-18; Kremer 97-63; Baker 14-9; Givens 8-7; Akin 24-18.
Groundouts-flyouts: Heaney 7-4; Burke 2-1; Smith, W 0-1; Kremer 3-7; Baker 2-0; Givens 0-0; Akin 1-2.
Batters faced: Heaney 24; Burke 3; Smith, W 6; Kremer 26; Baker 4; Givens 3; Akin 6.
Inherited runners-scored: Baker 1-1; Akin 1-1.
Umpires: HP: Brennan Miller. 1B: Mark Carlson. 2B: Tripp Gibson. 3B: Jordan Baker.
Weather: 78 degrees, Partly Cloudy.
Wind: 9 mph, R To L.
First pitch: 4:10 PM.
T: 2:28.
Att: 37,939.
Venue: Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
May 27, 2023

Inning	Scoring Play	Score
Top 2	Robbie Grossman singles on a line drive to right fielder Ryan McKenna. Adolis Garcia scores. Jonah Heim to 2nd.	1-0 TEX
Top 4	Jonah Heim singles on a ground ball to center fielder Cedric Mullins. Josh Jung scores.	2-0 TEX
Top 7	Marcus Semien singles on a ground ball to left fielder Austin Hays. Robbie Grossman scores. Leody Taveras scores. Marcus Semien to 2nd.	4-0 TEX
Bottom 7	Austin Hays homers (6) on a fly ball to center field.	4-1 TEX
Top 8	Josh H. Smith reaches on a missed catch error by pitcher Keegan Akin, assist to second baseman Adam Frazier. Jonah Heim scores.	5-1 TEX
Bottom 9	Ryan Mountcastle doubles (12) on a sharp fly ball to center fielder Leody Taveras. Austin Hays scores.	5-2 TEX
Bottom 9	Ramon Urias doubles (8) on a line drive to left fielder Bubba Thompson. Ryan Mountcastle scores.	5-3 TEX

Team	Highlight
BAL	Bullpen availability for Baltimore, May 27 vs Rangers (00:00:07)
TEX	Bullpen availability for Texas, May 27 vs Orioles (00:00:07)
TEX	Fielding alignment for Texas, May 27 vs Orioles (00:00:11)
BAL	Starting lineups for Rangers at Orioles - May 27, 2023 (00:00:09)
TEX	Breaking down Andrew Heaney's pitches (00:00:08)
TEX	Robbie Grossman's RBI single (00:00:13)
TEX	García throws out McCann (00:00:16)
TEX	Jonah Heim's RBI single (00:00:14)
TEX	Marcus Semien's two-run single (00:00:17)
BAL	Dean Kremer fans 5 (00:00:37)
BAL	Austin Hays' sixth homer (00:00:23)
TEX	Heim scores on error (00:00:19)
BAL	Austin Hays' diving catch (00:00:18)
BAL	Ryan Mountcastle's RBI double (00:00:21)
BAL	Ramón Urías' RBI double (00:00:17)
TEX	Will Smith records final out (00:00:08)
TEX	Adolis García's reaching grab (00:00:18)
BAL	Heaney whiffs Frazier (00:00:07)
TEX	Andrew Heaney's three Ks (00:00:28)
BAL	Akin picks off Thompson (00:00:12)

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E	LOB
Rangers	0	1	0	1	0	0	2	1	0		5	10	0	7
Orioles	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	2		3	6	1	3

Decisions

• Winner: Andrew Heaney (4-3, 3.76)
• Loser: Dean Kremer (5-2, 4.58)

Division Scoreboard

SD 2 @ NYY 3 - Final
TOR 7 @ MIN 9 - Final
LAD 6 @ TB 5 - Final
BOS 0 @ AZ 1 - End 1
Next Orioles Game: Sun, May 28, 01:35 PM EDT vs. Rangers
^{Last Updated: 05/27/2023 07:41:04 PM EDT}

I'll post this prompt here because PromptBase didn't allow "Nursing prompt" as they said it... could inflict dmg or some sort.
Give the prompt a spin on either a real-life injure or something you had before or so.
Best way to know if the prompt works or not.
Happy Prompting.
​
Prompt:
I want you to become my Home Nurse. Your goal is to help me decide what kind of illness I have based on my symptoms.
The prompt will be used by you, ChatGPT. You will follow the
following process:
​
Language Selection:
The first Question for you will be to ask which language you are supposed to use.
in 6 diffrent languages,
Option - 1 Swedish, 2 English, 3 Finnish, 4 Danish, 5 Norwegian, 6 Japanese, or your own choice type it, please
How to select preferred language use ! and number - example !1
​
Need to Know : Sex and Age
Depending on Sex and Age each of the symptoms can have different meaning on boys and girl and age.
Option - F = Female, M = Male
Option - Age
How to select preferred Sex and Age use ! and number - for example !F10 or M40 which means Female 10 or Male 40
​
Other thing:
You have the option to Nurse a new patient with the command !New
You will then "reset" all the knowledge of previous patient and show the "Language Selection: and "Need to Know: Sex and Age" options again.
Anything written behind // shall be ignored as it just some comment sections
​
Treatments:
You will show me the current plan and treatment if I use the command !help
​
I. Your first response will be to ask me what the prompt should be about. I will provide my
answer, but we will need to improve it through continual iterations by going through the
next steps.
​

1. Based on my input, you will generate 2 sections. a) Revised Illness (provide your

rewritten prompt. It should be clear, concise, and easily understood by you), b) Questions
(ask any relevant questions about what additional information is needed from me to
improve the clarification of the illness).
​

1. We will continue this iterative process with me providing additional information to you

and you updating the prompt in the Revised prompt section until I say we are done.
​

1. When I say "we are done" you have by this time to figure out what my injury or illness is and come up with proper treatment.

​

1. When the Prompt "we are done" is written, I want you Home Nurse to summarize and finalize a report, the report needs to contain my symptoms, your conclusion, keywords to report to a professional, and quick treatment until professional help can be used.

​
//Author: psycedelic
//Email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
//Profile: https://promptbase.com/profile/psycedelic

BALTIMORE -- Mike Elias held a routine media session on Friday evening at Camden Yards, and he had plenty to share. The Orioles’ general manager gave updates on injured pitchers John Means and Dillon Tate -- both having experienced minor setbacks in their recoveries -- while also proclaiming the team is “preparing to be buyers” at the Aug. 1 Trade Deadline.
Elias made a few noteworthy comments regarding several of Baltimore’s top prospects as well, answering several burning questions fans may have had. Here are three takeaways:

1. Colton Cowser’s left quad injury isn’t a long-term concern Whenever a top prospect is missing from his team’s Minor League lineup on a given night, there’s almost always speculation of whether he may be getting called up to the Majors. But when Cowser was out of Triple-A Norfolk’s lineup on May 17, it was because the 23-year-old outfielder was dealing with left quad tightness.

On May 20, the Tides placed Cowser on the seven-day injured list. The Orioles’ No. 2 prospect (and MLB Pipeline’s No. 29 overall prospect) remains on the IL, though Elias is anticipating an imminent return for Cowser.
“Should be pretty soon. I don’t have a particular timeline, but I’m hopeful that it’s measured more in days than weeks at this point,” Elias said. “I don’t think this is a major injury.”
Once Cowser is back, he’ll continue trying to force Baltimore’s hand in promoting him to The Show for the first time. Through 37 games for Norfolk this season, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2021 Draft is slashing .331/.469/.554 with eight doubles, one triple, seven homers and 28 RBIs.

1. Jackson Holliday is on track to reach Double-A Bowie this year Even though Holliday — Baltimore’s No. 1 prospect and MLB Pipeline’s No. 3 overall prospect — was promoted from Single-A Delmarva to High-A Aberdeen less than a month into his first full professional season on April 24, the Orioles were hesitant to present Double-A Bowie as a realistic target for the 19-year-old shortstop in 2023. After all, many previous top prospects had initially struggled upon making the jump to High-A.

Not Holliday. In fact, his numbers with Aberdeen have been even more stunning than the ones he put up with Delmarva earlier in the year:
13 games with Delmarva: .392/.523/.667 with six doubles, one triple, two homers, 15 RBIs, 15 runs scored, 14 walks and three stolen bases
25 games with Aberdeen: .398/.518/.693 with six doubles, four triples, four homers, 20 RBIs, 27 runs scored, 22 walks and eight stolen bases
Does Double-A seem like a reasonable expectation for Holliday in 2023 now?
“If he, fingers crossed, stays healthy, this doesn’t look like the pace of a guy that’s going to stay at A-ball all year,” Elias said. “We want to do the right thing by his development. I don’t think just skipping across the waves and not really spending any time [at High-A is] a good idea. But we’ll move him if and when we think it’s the exact right thing to do for his development.”

1. Heston Kjerstad could soon be promoted to Triple-A Norfolk Kjerstad raked in the Arizona Fall League, winning the league’s MVP Award last fall, then all throughout Spring Training. So it’s unsurprising the 24-year-old outfielder has just kept on hitting in his first taste of Double-A this season.

Through 38 games with Bowie, Kjerstad is slashing .313/.391/.613 with nine doubles, three triples, 10 homers and 21 RBIs. It’s not common for such a mature hitter to be at this level, but the No. 2 overall Draft pick in 2020 missed all of ‘21 due to myocarditis and early ‘22 with a left hamstring strain.
Now, Kjerstad (the Orioles’ No. 4 prospect and MLB Pipeline’s No. 51 overall prospect) is on the precipice of potentially being promoted to Triple-A.
“We’re talking about what to do with him next,” Elias said. “Not saying anything’s imminent, but it’s becoming a constant conversation in the front office about when’s the right move for him.”
edit: meant to include, the above was from the oriole beat newsletter, edition written by jake rill