It's the second day that X1 and X2 show up to the field to practice their work. The first day had stressed them out completely. It's that initial jumping into the water feeling that shocks the most. When you're in the work, it feels like you were never out of it. That's why it goes on for so, so long. The momentum just won't go the other way. Nonetheless, right now, the feeling before the storm, feels like getting ready to race a rocket through 3g's of force. On this second day, X1 felt uncomfortable having to work another day with X2. Their work on the field was mostly done in silence. At times, an idea or project brought their hands together or had them run in the same direction, however, for the most part, it was the two of them on opposite corners alone. Both working on little projects brought down from above. X1 knew that X2 was doing their work and they respected them for it. They genuinely thought that, they just weren't comfortable with some of X2's movements. That's it, that's all there is to it. As X1 is approaching the field they see that X2 is not alone. As X1 gets closer they realize that there are now two X2s. All three of them bowed to one another and began to do their stretches. X1 did their finely crafted routine that elongated every fiber of their data. Both the X2's sprinted off into opposite directions exploring every crevice of energy. X1 made no clear indication in his body output to show that he noticed any change, but he was emotional on the inside...[TO BE CONTINUED]
But that’s how they are. It makes sense that Vegas stuns these sorts of people quickly. Yes, Megan is slightly more organized than Reggie, but at their core they've both always lived fast lives in a way. They’ve had to. The children of blue collar workers don’t get the privilege of planning for the future or picture perfect parental oversight. In many instances, life happens to them. The first kisses and first jobs come earlier in life than those with more resources. This means that those big, life altering mistakes come earlier, more often and with less money to face them. You can see how time can feel as if you’re just trampling through it. All the while you trample through people, through plans, through the law, through opportunity. These two beautiful simpletons have certainly lived that way. Megan would be lying if she said she never had to make bail for an assault charge. Reggie would be hiding something if he said he never struggled with a substance abuse problem. We don’t have to get into it. The couple can finally breathe now. Megan has already applied to go back to school to become a speech teacher. Reggie is looking into buying properties and getting a certificate as a personal trainer. The tuition, the down payments, the fees were all just numbers thrown around with angst in the past. Now, they’re chump change. That’s how Reggie says it with a little smirk as the couple take the elevator downstairs. It’s their last day in Las Vegas…[TO BE CONTINUED]
"What would be left of us and these competitors without these games." - Some romantic guy somewhere on a Sunday
UFC 266: VOLKANOVSKI VS. ORTEGA
Somehow, a fight not even headlining is what most draws me to this card, so let's start with Valentina against Lauren Murphy. I like Murphy, she's been around for a long time, an incredibly durable fighter. Alaskan made. I'm happy she is going to get this shot but I see Valentina stopping her before the third. War machine. Next, Volkanovski defends his title against rival UFC series coach, Brian Ortega. Everything coming out of Volk's camp and Volk's own mouth just reeks of rage and blood. Ortega is a solid brawler who can compete at the highest level, however, he's lacking that sort of champion energy that swarms around Volk. Volk stops him in the third or fourth. Saving the best for last, Nick Diaz makes his return to the octagon after 6 years. He hasn't won a contest in 10 years, people say. He's going to have ring rust, people say. I only listen to the latter and that's why I'm going with Lawler by unanimous decision. Nick lost to Condit, GSP, and had a NC against the Spider. Those are legends of the sport, so his record should be downplayed. Ring rust is real, however. I don't think it will have worn Nick down enough to get stopped, but he definitely won't compete at the level of Robbie. He's a Diaz, he's a fighter, he's going to end the bout on his feet.
NFL PICKS
Chargers at Chiefs: I don't think any Chiefs fans are hitting the panic button yet, but there's definitely cause for concern on multiple levels. Too many penalties, can't stop the run, can't get the run going. Chiefs win but I think it will be a shoot-out (expect this to be the case for the rest of the season).
Bears at Browns: The Browns know what they're about. At home, likely with typical Cleveland weather, they'll run the ball all day keeping Fields off the field. A rookie out of rhythm on his first NFL start. I think I'll go with Chubb Hub's team.
Colts at Titans: Derrick Henry is a force of nature the likes we have never seen. It's a bit frightening to think that there's a human being that can run that fast, carrying that much mass, with that amount of agility. It's like trying to tackle a Zebra. Did you know Zebras have NEVER been domesticated? Titans win in a close one.
Cardinals at Jaguars: Urban Meyer is looking to be yet another example of a CFB not being able to transition to the NFL. You attract more bees with honey or something like that. Cardinals roll the Jags.
WFT at Bills: Show-me-something game for the Bills and Josh Allen. He has not been accurate and the defense was not to blame for last week's loss [EDIT] WEEK 1 LOSS. What if Heinecke is the real deal, can you imagine? Bills win by a touchdown.
Saints at Patriots: Pats are 2-0 and at home, but the Saints are coming off a loss and Sean Payton simply finds ways to wins after those. This game means a lot to both teams for different reasons. I'm going to flip a coin and say that the Saints win due to a defensive effort.
Falcons at Giants: Another coin flip here but I'm going with the G-men just because I think this is Saquon's official return. Daniel Jones isn't bad either and there seems to be some passion coming from the locker room.
Bengals at Steelers: Big Ben is hurt. Didn't take long but I bet he plays. It would be awesome if Haskins played, threw some pick 6s, and then Ben came in at the beginning of the 3rd just to throw 35 passes from the shotgun in a comeback win. Steelers win narrowly.
Ravens at Lions: The Ravens can run on anyone, it's insane. I do think they should stop running Lamar up the middle, regardless of the production. It's just not smart. Ravens steamroll the poor Lions at home.
Jets at Broncos: Jets are averaging 10 points a game. Broncos by a lot.
Dolphins at Raiders: Sea mammals are averaging 8.5 points a game. Raiders by a lot.
Bucs at Rams: NFC Championship preview. This one is going to be a barn-burner. I can see this one hitting over 70 points. Donald is looking as disruptive as ever but I just think Tom will find a way to move the ball down the field. He's struggled against this team, I just think he's at demigod levels this year. I'm also excited to see what Stafford brings. I think he's relishing the opportunity to really duel Tom while being well supported with talent and coaching.
Seahawks at Vikings: Russell Wilson raises all boats. That offense looks scary. Kirk, on the other hand, has been throwing a lot. He's had to because of his defense and let me just say...I kinda like that. He's been alright. This is going to be a high-scoring game as well. Vikings somehow pull out the win.
Packers at 49ers: I don't think any team has worse luck with injuries on offense than the 49ers in the last 4 years. It's sad because they have great coaching. Still, I think they score a lot of points on this Packers defense which means that Mr. Rodgers will have to perform. There's a lot to be answered by him as far as we're all concerned. Just because he beat the Lions doesn't mean he's back. I think the marriage is the final nail in his competitive coffin. 49ers win by a tuddy.
Reggie closed the door, took a moment, and decided to spare Megan of the details concerning his conversation with the security guard. It didn’t completely kill his libido, so it was better to not rehash the whole event. Later in the night, as the couple looked at Airbnbs in France, Reggie contemplated how it was these sorts of interactions that had so quickly changed the couple’s mind on not staying in Las Vegas past the weekend. Whether it’s vagrants with mangled feet or prostitutes disguised as financial analysts from the Chesapeake Bay in order to target couples, the place always has the opportunity to cause a severe feeling of nausea at any instant. As much as they pump fragrances into the major casinos and blind you with bright lights, the gut punch is always there. Although the now very rich couple comes from a simple, humble background, through social media and The Bachelor and downtown pub crawls they’ve learned to recognize what’s trendy, what’s cool. Las Vegas is not it. The 30 complimentary nights extended by the Aria seems like a joke now. Who could possibly find 30 days in a year to be around this sort of energy? Let alone in one month, as the couple originally planned. They first felt this sense of mutual embarrassment after realizing that they were completely conned into a night’s worth of conversation by a man feigning to be a talent scout or someone high up in HR at Warner. Megan had always wanted to work on films, so the couple was naturally drawn to conversing with him. He called himself Alan Apple, said he had most recently started work in music with Mana, Dua Lipa, and Usher. He bought them drinks, told them stories about how he played free safety at UCLA, even suggested that he could get Megan on a film set the next day. The night went on when a man with a big mustache approached the three and said, “Rich, why don’t you answer your phone?” “My phone is dead and I went on a heater in blackjack.” Alan stuffed the man’s suit pocket full of some tickets and chips then turned to the couple and said, “you have my number, send me some of your stuff and we will talk.” He walked away with his friend just as Reggie was getting ready to interrogate him on the truth behind his identity. Alan, sensing the eyes on the back of his head, turned and said, “you’ve done a lot for yourselves tonight. Better you call it a night. You’ve done all the impressing you could possibly do.” It established some sort of relationship in power which influenced the couple to reach out the next day. They sent him her film, the message bounced back. They looked up Alan Apple on social media, even LinkedIn, nothing. The code was finally cracked when Megan put the number into google only to find out that it was the number for the Burbank police department. Oh, the embarrassment...[TO BE CONTINUED]
The couple decided halfway through their meal at Nobu that they wanted to use their time in Vegas wisely. The couple agrees that this is not their type of crowd, so it’s best to rest and, most importantly, plan for the future. Megan is easily overwhelmed and Reggie is oddly critical of the appearance of the mid-summer Vegas crowd. Two nights in Vegas totaling $10,000 worth of spending and entertainment will do that to these sorts of people (it will do it to most people). As they’re walking back towards Aria, Megan pulls Reggie off into a corner and begins to kiss his neck. She asks him, “are you ready to walk me back to my big suite, Mr. Security Guard?” She giggles, “Sorry, I forgot to catch your name.” Reggie immediately straightens himself up and replies, “Ha- don’t worry about it, Ms.Tyra Banks. The name is Archer. Let’s get you into bed safely.” He looks down then whispers into her ear, “this is my last detail of the night...I’ve been looking forward to it all day.” They both stare into each other’s eyes, she walks in front of him as they wave off the actual security detail they’ve been appointed by Caesar’s rewards. When your guests are worth $250,000, you make sure that they make sure you know where they’re sleeping. "Tyra Banks" is flipping her hair and swinging her hips everywhere as they pass the roulette wheel. "Archer" is making sure that the perimeter is secure while analyzing any points of threat. As the elevator doors open, Reggie makes sure that Megan gets into an empty elevator, then proceeds to rope off any strangers from getting in. Two overweight bachelors in Minnesota Vikings jerseys look sort of confused but mostly just annoyed by Reggie’s rejection of their presence in the elevator. Then, they catch a glimpse of Megan, and you can see it all make sense in their faces as the elevator door closes. Megan looks over to catch a look at what Reggie’s thinking and to subtly express her disproval of almost causing a scene, but he’s locked in, it’s his last detail of the night. Once Megan opens the suite room door, she throws the act out of the window. Reggie wants to keep it going a little bit longer so he acts confused and resists a bit. Tyra Banks won’t let go, she wants Archer bad. She tries to push him onto an ottoman but he sits straight up, preventing himself from laying out completely. Tyra begins to straddle Archer’s lap while telling him, “you better straighten up, don’t you want to be America’s next top model?” Reggie grabs Megan’s hair and turns her over on the Ottoman. The act has truly flown out the window now. Suddenly, right as Reggie is lifting Megan’s black pencil skirt, they hear a loud knock at the door. Reggie rushes over to the peephole and see’s one of the regular security guards that they’ve been walked home by the last couple of nights. He’s looking at the ground, pacing in place, moving his hands around like he’s flicking fireflies. Reggie opens the door and asks the guard what’s wrong. The guard can’t unglue his eyes off the floor. He begins to mutter what sounds like Italian to Reggie. Reggie tries to duck down and see the guard’s face but he keeps turning away hiding it all while muttering louder. At this point, Reggie assumes the guard is just drunk and that it’s best to close the door. Tyra Banks is sitting inside and there’s no time to waste. Just as he’s getting ready to close the door, the guard’s head shoots up. The guard’s eyes are completely blacked out, there’s a quarter-sized dollop of spit running out the right corner of his mouth, and his face is much, much younger than Reggie remembered it being. Just as Reggie is processing it all, the guard whispers in an angelic voice, “you should ask about your additional Caesar’s rewards points. More value has been embedded into your package. For more questions please be sure to stick around.” The guard drops his head and walks off taking long, skipping strides with his arms flinging out to the side…[TO BE CONTINUED]