1. John Cena
2. Snoop Dogg
3. Adam Lambert
4. Mark Wahlberg
5. Pope John Paul II
6. Ludacris
7. Adam West
8. Bruce Willis
9. KISS (band)
10. Tony Robbins
11. David Arquette
12. Weezer (band)
13. Robert Duvall
14. And John McCain

Link to article

My dad's old PC is acting up, and I'm thinking of building him a new rig. I'm not thinking of anything crazy overpowered but more towards reliability.
He mostly uses it for day trading, the occasional netflix and marking essays (he's a uni lecturer).
He currently runs a 4 monitor setup with a mid tower with an Intel 6700k, a dying AMD graphics card and power supply, with 32gb of ddr4 ram (used to be my old video editing rig)
I'm not too sure where to start because I've never built a rig for day trading before or a 4-monitor setup. Was hoping this community could give me some tips or even suggest a more current build

Last updated: 06/09/23 11:05:05 EST

LEGEND

Note	Description
Italics	Pitched previous day or twice in last 3 days.
Strikethrough	Pitched back to back days.
Bold	Recent transaction.
L3:##	Number of pitches thrown in last 3 days.
***	SP first start.
**	SP yet to reach 5.0 innings in a game.
*	SP yet to surpass 6.0 innings in a game.

BULLPEN USAGE

Team	Opp	SP	CL	SU8	SU7	MID	LR
ARI	@DET	Merrill Kelly	Miguel Castro, Andrew ChafinL3:19		Scott McGoughL3:17	Austin AdamsL3:9, Kyle NelsonL3:15, José RuizL3:22, Kevin GinkelL3:10	Drey Jameson
ATL	WSN	AJ Smith-Shawver***	Raisel IglesiasL3:26	Nick AndersonL3:8	A.J. MinterL3:29	Jesse ChavezL3:41, Collin McHughL3:16, Joe JiménezL3:29, Kirby YatesL3:28	Michael TonkinL3:33
BAL	KCR	Tyler Wells	Félix BautistaL3:32	Yennier CanoL3:31	Bryan BakerL3:12	Danny CoulombeL3:22, Mike BaumannL3:17, Cionel Pérez, Keegan AkinL3:18, Austin VothL3:21	Bruce ZimmermannL3:61
BOS	@NYY	Garrett Whitlock	Kenley JansenL3:13	Chris MartinL3:25	Josh Winckowski	Justin GarzaL3:15, Brennan BernardinoL3:7, Nick Pivetta	Corey KluberL3:73
CHC	@SFG	Marcus Stroman	Mark Leiter Jr.L3:22, Adbert AlzolayL3:13	Michael FulmerL3:23	Julian MerryweatherL3:48	Brandon HughesL3:15, Michael RuckerL3:37, Jeremiah EstradaL3:23	Javier Assad
CHW	MIA	Dylan Cease	Liam HendriksL3:14, Kendall GravemanL3:40	Joe KellyL3:46	Reynaldo LópezL3:19	Keynan Middleton, Aaron BummerL3:22, Gregory SantosL3:7	Garrett CrochetL3:15
CIN	@STL	Ben Lively	Alexis DíazL3:11	Lucas SimsL3:9	Buck FarmerL3:16	Ian GibautL3:49, Alex YoungL3:46, Fernando CruzL3:41	Eduardo SalazarL3:53
CLE	HOU	Logan Allen	Emmanuel ClaseL3:16	James KarinchakL3:19	Trevor StephanL3:13	Eli MorganL3:39, Sam HentgesL3:31, Enyel De Los SantosL3:32, Nick SandlinL3:14	Xzavion CurryL3:31
COL	SDP	Austin Gomber	Justin LawrenceL3:31	Pierce JohnsonL3:46	Jake BirdL3:47	Brent SuterL3:9, Brad HandL3:33, Daniel BardL3:39, Matt CarasitiL3:26	Peter LambertL3:55
DET	ARI	Michael Lorenzen	Alex LangeL3:22	Jason FoleyL3:16	Will VestL3:27	José CisneroL3:19, Chasen ShreveL3:23, Tyler HoltonL3:46, Mason Englert, Tyler AlexanderL3:45	Garrett Hill
HOU	@CLE	Cristian Javier	Ryan Pressly	Bryan AbreuL3:25	Hector NerisL3:23	Rafael MonteroL3:35, Phil MatonL3:42, Ryne Stanek, Seth Martinez	Ronel BlancoL3:94
KCR	@BAL	Daniel Lynch*	Scott Barlow	Aroldis Chapman	Taylor Clarke	Carlos Hernández, Jose CuasL3:21, Nick WittgrenL3:15, Austin Cox, Jackson KowarL3:44	Mike Mayers
LAA	SEA	Shohei Ohtani	Carlos EstévezL3:29	Chris DevenskiL3:35	Jacob WebbL3:15	Ben JoyceL3:27, Aaron LoupL3:8, Sam BachmanL3:26, José SorianoL3:26	Tucker Davidson
LAD	@PHI	Michael Grove*	Evan PhillipsL3:22, Brusdar GraterolL3:34, Caleb FergusonL3:30			Yency AlmonteL3:33, Shelby MillerL3:2, Victor González, Alex VesiaL3:17, Nick RobertsonL3:22	Tayler ScottL3:28
MIA	@CHW	Eury Pérez*	A.J. PukL3:14	Dylan Floro	Tanner ScottL3:20	Huascar Brazoban, Steven OkertL3:16, JT Chargois, Andrew NardiL3:14	Bryan HoeingL3:24
MIL	OAK	Adrian Houser	Devin WilliamsL3:11	Peter StrzeleckiL3:37	Joel PayampsL3:32	Hoby Milner, Elvis PegueroL3:23, Trevor MegillL3:17, Bennett SousaL3:25, Jake Cousins	Bryse WilsonL3:20
MIN	@TOR	Sonny Gray	Jhoan DuranL3:2	Brock StewartL3:13	Jorge López	Caleb Thielbar, Emilio PagánL3:20, Jovani Moran, Griffin JaxL3:10	José De LeónL3:26
NYM	@PIT	Tylor Megill*	David RobertsonL3:33, Adam OttavinoL3:34		Brooks RaleyL3:34	Drew SmithL3:36, Jeff BrighamL3:31, Dominic LeoneL3:14, Tommy HunterL3:15, Stephen NogosekL3:30	Josh Walker
NYY	BOS	Gerrit Cole	Clay HolmesL3:16, Michael KingL3:26, Wandy PeraltaL3:1			Ron MarinaccioL3:31, Albert AbreuL3:12, Tommy KahnleL3:27, Jimmy CorderoL3:32, Nick Ramirez	Matt Krook
OAK	@MIL	Sam Moll***	Trevor MayL3:17	Shintaro Fujinami	Sam Moll	Richard LoveladyL3:3, Lucas ErcegL3:11, Austin Pruitt, Sam LongL3:26	Ken WaldichukL3:54
PHI	LAD	Ranger Suárez	Craig KimbrelL3:46	Seranthony DomínguezL3:23	Matt Strahm	Gregory Soto, Connor Brogdon, Jeff Hoffman, Andrew Vasquez, Yunior Marte	Dylan Covey
PIT	NYM	Rich Hill	David Bednar	Colin Holderman	Dauri MoretaL3:17	Jose HernandezL3:11, Yohan RamirezL3:7, Angel PerdomoL3:13, Chase De JongL3:53	Rob ZastryznyL3:32
SDP	@COL	Yu Darvish	Josh HaderL3:19	Nick Martinez	Steven WilsonL3:13	Tim HillL3:10, Tom CosgroveL3:23, Brent HoneywellL3:22, Domingo TapiaL3:13	Drew CarltonL3:26
SEA	@LAA	Luis Castillo	Paul SewaldL3:22	Andrés MuñozL3:16	Justin Topa	Matt BrashL3:19, Gabe Speier, Tayler SaucedoL3:15, Matt FestaL3:16	Chris FlexenL3:32
SFG	CHC	Anthony DeSclafani	Camilo DovalL3:24	Tyler RogersL3:29	John BrebbiaL3:26	Taylor RogersL3:34, Scott AlexanderL3:18, Ryan WalkerL3:15, Luke JacksonL3:21, Jakob Junis, Tristan BeckL3:11	Sean ManaeaL3:83
STL	CIN	Jordan Montgomery	Ryan HelsleyL3:11, Giovanny GallegosL3:11	Jordan HicksL3:16	Andre Pallante	Génesis Cabrera, Drew VerHagenL3:22, Chris StrattonL3:29	Steven MatzL3:19
TBR	TEX	Tyler Glasnow*	Jason AdamL3:38	Colin PocheL3:25	Robert StephensonL3:13	Jake DiekmanL3:33, Kevin KellyL3:13, Jalen BeeksL3:23, Shawn ArmstrongL3:24	Luis Patiño
TEX	@TBR	Andrew Heaney	Will SmithL3:15	Josh SborzL3:25	Grant Anderson	Brock Burke, José Leclerc, Cole RagansL3:10, John King	Spencer Howard
TOR	MIN	Yusei Kikuchi	Jordan RomanoL3:19	Erik SwansonL3:30	Nate Pearson	Tim Mayza, Trevor RichardsL3:13, Adam Cimber, Yimi GarcíaL3:15, Anthony Bass	Bowden Francis
WSN	@ATL	Josiah Gray	Kyle Finnegan, Hunter Harvey		Carl Edwards Jr.L3:13	Mason ThompsonL3:10, Chad KuhlL3:54, Jordan WeemsL3:16, Cory Abbott	Thaddeus WardL3:29

TRANSACTIONS

Date	Team	Player	Category	Description
6/9	PHI	José Alvarado	INJURIES	Will be activated from 15-Day IL
6/8	CHW	Tanner Banks	PROMOTION	Recalled from minors (27th man)
6/8	ATL	Michael Tonkin	INJURIES	Activated from 15-Day IL
6/8	LAD	Tayler Scott	PROMOTION	Recalled from minors

Hi folks, Formerly Blue back again. This week, we released two new videos -- a Top 15 list for the spells added by {{Arcanum - A new Age of Magic}}, and a review of a quest mod that you've likely never heard of: {{Strange Friendship I - Hagravens}}!
​
Arcanum Top 15: https://youtu.be/sVgicUtCrns
Strange Friendship Hagravens Review: https://youtu.be/Vp95ayHK2Hk
​
For my Arcanum Top 15 list, I've ranked the spells based on how well they're designed, how fun they are to use, and whether they contribute to new combat styles that you don't see explored much in the base game or other mods. I think that's a much more interesting discussion to have than to just talk about these spells' sheer power!
Thanks to your support, we've grown the channel to over 500 subscribers in only a couple weeks! Please, keep the support coming to help promote more quality Skyrim modding content on YouTube!
My Arcanum Top 15 is here in spoiler tags for those who'd rather read than watch the video (but who likes reading?):

• 15. >! Psalms of Retribution !<
• 14. >! Thought Reflection !<
• 13. >! Boiling Earth !<
• 12. >! Relentless Precision !<
• 11. >! Consecrated Blade !<
• 10. >! Trance of the Dovahzofaas !<
• 9. >! Soul of Winter !<
• 8. >! Atronach Binding !<
• 7. >! Conjure Howlpack Alpha !<
• 6. >! Mystic Marksmanship !<
• 5. >! Bound Dagon's Crescent !<
• 4. >! Blazing Soul !<
• 3. >! Tendrils of Agony !<
• 2. >! Ritualist's Circle !<
• 1. >! Spellshot Repeater !<

​
And my overall thoughts on Strange Friendship - Hagravens:
This mod is a mess. The premise is that you get to apprentice with a Hagraven, which is a great idea, but I got to do almost none of this when playing the mod. Instead, I got assigned a poorly-programmed fetch quest and then encountered a bizarre twist that was so unexpected that I had to check my quest journal to make sure I understood what was going on, and what I was supposed to do. This is probably an F-tier mod for me. There's basically no reason to play it, unless for some reason you're just obsessed with Hagravens and want every mod that adds a Hagraven in your mod list.
I discuss the specifics of this more in the video; happy to discuss in the comments section.
Thanks!
I won't be posting on the sub every time I release a mod review, so please consider subscribing on YouTube (it's free) if you want to keep up with the full series. Let's push for that 1000 subscriber mark!
Until next time!

The residents of Sordland have spoken and their voices have been heard in a momentous election that concluded yesterday on the 5th of November. After weeks of campaigning, debates, and tireless efforts by candidates and their supporters, we are proud to announce that the United Sordland Party (USP) Chairman Sebastian Rensen will be leading Sordland into a new era of governance as the 4th President of Sordland.
In a fiercely contested race, Sebastian Rensen, a medical doctor and life-long USP member who had won the 2nd USP Party Congress, emerged as the winner of the 1953 Presidential election. He has now been tasked with fulfilling the aspirations of the citizens and with the responsibility of addressing the critical issues facing the country such as the continuing economic crisis.
The election witnessed an impressive turnout, with 64% of eligible voters exercising their democratic right to vote. This robust participation reflects the continued dedication of the citizens to their local democracy and their commitment to shaping their own future. It is a testament to the vibrancy and engagement of our Sordish community.
Rensen acquired a mandate from the people due to securing 33% of the votes. While a far cry from the victories of Alphonso and Soll, Rensen has captured enough hearts and minds to secure the Presidency. The campaign focused on vital topics such as the promised democratic reforms to the 1929 Constitution and the current economic crisis.
Rensen promised to deliver
- a mixed economy
- a continued relaxed immigration policy
- a radically modernized healthcare system
We will see if Sebastian Rensen has additional plans once he makes his victory speech. The citizens eagerly anticipate the implementation of the plans and policies put forth by their new leader, hoping for a brighter future for themselves and their community.
The election results also mark a significant moment in Sordland’s history as for the first time since 1924, the Communist Party of Sordland (CPS) has returned to the Grand National Assembly. This could have been only achieved via a coalition agreement with the Worker’s Party of Bludia (WPB) which also historically will enter the assembly for the first time. Rumors are circulating that this People’s Front coalition will be seated next to the National Front Party (NFP) which will certainly be interesting considering their ‘ideological disparities’.
The election results may be considered disappointing for supporters of the People’s Freedom and Justice Party who were under the impression due to their strong showing in 1949 gaining around 30% of the vote, that they could truly challenge the crisis-ridden USP. However did not capitalize on the USP’s weaknesses as they were unable to close the gap regarding the seat allocation in the Grand National Assembly. It seems likely that Frens Ricter will step down or be pushed out from being Chairman PFJP which may seek to inject some new blood.
Sordland embarks on a fresh chapter of governance. The challenges ahead are considerable, but with a dedicated and capable Sebastian Rensen at the helm, there is optimism for positive change and progress in the years to come.
The inauguration has been set for two weeks from the announcement of the election results. Once the inauguration speech is given, the following day after all Assembly members are sworn in, the Speaker Election for the Grand National Assembly is scheduled. Gloria Tory’s weak performance during the 2nd USP Congress has revealed that it is unlikely she will be backed by her own party for the 2nd term. This Speaker election seems to be one of the most important ones in Sordish history as it will show if the opposition is able to maintain pressure on the USP and show that the weak electoral victory was not just a fluke but the start of the USP’s collapse. For the USP, this Speaker election must be a show of strength and is a must-win if the President and the USP wishes to legitimize their political hold over the country.
Regardless, congratulations to Sebastian Rensen and his USP on their victory and may their term be marked by achievement, collaboration, and the betterment of our great nation!
1953 Presidential Election
Voter Turnout: 64% Voting Population: 23,264,264
Sebastian Rensen: 7,705,124 votes (33,12%)
Frens Ricter: 5,695,092 votes (24,48%)
Dr. Arthon W. Mangriff: 3,182,551 votes (13,68%)
Denis Stahler: 1,842,529 votes (7,92%)
Fetih Ejall: 1,688,985 (7,26%)
Other: 3,149,981 (13,54%)
1953 General Election
USP: 7,705,124 votes (33,12%) = 92/250 Seats in Grand National Assembly
PFJP: 5,695,092 votes (24,48%) = 68/250 Seats in Grand National Assembly
People’s Front Coalition [CPS & WPB]: 3,531,514 votes (15,18%) = 42/250 Seats in Grand National Assembly
NFP: 3,182,551 votes (13,68%) = 38/250 Seats in Grand National Assembly
Independents (threshold bypass) 846,819 votes (3,64%) = 10/250 Seats in Grand National Assembly
Below 10% Threshold (0 Seats in Grand National Assembly)
Nature Preservation Federation: 1,109,705 votes (4,77%)
Imperial Restoration Bloc: 716,539 votes (3,08%)
Independents (Not enough votes despite bypassing threshold rule): 476,917 votes (2,05%)
​
​
​

Hi everyone! Lurker and occasional commenter here. I wanted to share some thoughts because every day I log on to here I see essentially the same swing from a lot of posters. I love the sport of golf and teach on the weekends because I care about seeing everyone have the most fun and growing the game (not to mention I get free tee times). Anyhow:

• Fix your grip. Ditch the baseball grip, it sucks and leads to bad habits, like having the club in your trail palm. I don’t care if you overlap or interlock but pick one and practice it until you get it right. I think there is no sense in fixing anything until you can grip the club. grip video
  
• Record your swing properly, either directly down the line or face on, preferably without the phone on the floor. The golf swing already has enough illusions but it’s impossible to see swing plane from behind and to the left on the floor. Get your video angles right.
  
• swing at an actual ball, on a course or the range, or into a net. How the heck can anyone help anything if your just taking practice swings at nothing in your backyard in flip flops? Hit golf balls.
  
• be honest with yourself. Stop inflating your handicap and exaggerating your distances. I am so tired of coming on and seeing some steep OTT arm swing claim they drive the ball 300 and are a 10 handicap. Unless you have tiger slam short game, it is not possible. For fun, at the end of the day I walk around the driving range at the 300y mark. I can count the balls past it on one hand. Also you need to stop taking mulligans breakfast balls and foot wedges. You’re robbing yourself of one of the great joys of golf- improvement.
  
• if you want to improve take it seriously. Be a student and listen. Take lessons. Stop taking hacks at balls at top golf. Accept that other people may know more than you.
  
• fix your feet and alignment. If your alignment is bad, then your swing is just one big compensation.
  
• you are over the top and swinging all with your arms. Watch your swing and if the club comes back to the ball on a steeper line than your backswing, you are most likely over the top. This is why you slice. Absolutely textbook. There are thousands of videos on this. Learn how to swing the club.
  
• stop blaming your bad swing or bad habits on playing baseball. I’m starting to think some of y’all were bad at baseball too. I didn’t play baseball but I’m not sure why and baseball player would hit home runs by slapping at a ball with their hands instead of driving the ball into deep center field using their core and legs.
  
• it’s not the clubs. Stop buying players blades. Game improvement is okay. If your fundamentals are good your should reasonably be able to hit any club from a ladies flex Cleveland halo iron to a muscle back blade.
  

That is all. Hit ‘em straight and HAVE FUN.
One more: if you post, put some effort in and ask a specific question. Just posting “any tips” or “help” is low effort, which reflects the effort you are putting into improving. You are expecting us to figure everything out for you. Instead, say “I tend to pull the ball with my short irons - anything stand out to you?”

Phd candidate. Humanities. Oldish. Mid-life crisis stage. Been a uni lecturer for 10 years making pennis and im sick of it. Im stressed with my phd (but love her shes my baby) and the lack of time.
I have just accpeted a job that, career wise, is a major step in the right direction. Nearly doubled my salary but its in a larger city (noise sensitive) and the workload i think will be double what i do now. My current position is a dream for study. Easiest job ill ever have.
I kind of hate myself for this but im at the stage in my life where its time to think about the benjamins. Any of you done something similar? I don't really want the job but...it could be my ticket to greener pastures.
I just wanted to vent. The shit we do for money. For our career. Brushing our mental health aside. I hate myself right now.

Hello to you, fellow ingrates.
Year 6 of DABR Defends the New York Giants from Criticism has arrived.

Season Recap

tl;dr: The Giants had their most successful season since 2016, and arguably since winning the Super Bowl in 2012 (if the draft spot/playoff success is the measurement) and went into draft night with the latest selection they've had since 2012, the first outside the top 11 since 2016.
Giants fans didn't really expect to win that many games this year. There were still some hopefuls for Daniel Jones but most people had come to terms with new GM Joe Schoen and new HC Brian Daboll pretty much setting up to replace him, declining his 5th year option.
It was the first year of this regime, they hadn't really been able to fix up the roster fully, etc. Most Giants fans I know were expecting a 4-7 win season, not sniffing the playoff race. Ha.
It all started week 1 vs Tennessee. It was honestly a story Giants fans have gotten familiar with. Look absolutely horrible in the first half of the game, but somehow struggle back into it in the second half, only to be dramatically disappointed at the end of the game. After Daniel Jones threw a red zone interception with just under 9 minutes to go, we thought that was pretty much it.
But then with 4 minutes left, Saquon Barkley rips off a 33 yard run, Daniel Jones converts a 4th and 1, and the Giants score a TD to pull them to just a 1 point deficit. Most Giants fans are thinking "okay he's gonna kick it, play for overtime, I respect that, we didn't think it would be that close anyways."
And then we see the offense staying on the field...uh oh. The offense wasn't exactly clicking on all cylinders to that point in the game, having been shut out in the first half. If we don't get it, the game is pretty much lost. Daboll calls a shovel pass, Saquon gets it, it looks like it's completely doomed...I'm thinking "here we go again, his first game and the media is already going to be all over him for going for it"...but Saquon fights his way in! Giants take the lead for the first time in the game. We're feeling good, Daboll's huge balls in that situation giving us some confidence.
Then the Titans methodically work the ball down the field (along with a couple of assists from Austin Calitro and Darnay Holmes), setting up a 47 yard field goal for Randy Bullock to win the game.
Now, I'm thinking, "of course this is what happened, they gave us some hope, now it's going to get ripped away from us, just like always. Story of the last few years at times."
...and then Bullock missed the kick. That was the start of what turned into a magical first half of the season, the Giants getting off to a 7-2 start, all 7 wins coming by a 1 score margin (though the Bears and Texans games were a bit cleaner than the final scoreline suggests), and 5 of them really coming down to big time plays in the last 5 minutes of the game.
The Titans story, taking the lead with 3:38 left in the 4th quarter and Julian Love sacking Baker Mayfield to force 4th and 15 the next drive against Carolina, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Xavier McKinney batting down Aaron Rodgers' passes in London, Love intercepting Lamar Jackson to set up the game winning score against Baltimore, McKinney and Love stopping Christian Kirk at the 1 yard line on the last play against Jacksonville.
All of those games are games that go against us in previous years. But this year was just different. And somehow through it all, there were Saquon Barkley and Daniel Jones as well. Saquon was the focal point of the offense early in the season, Jones being efficient in a heavy, limited, play action focused passing attack.
All thoughts of the Giants earning a top pick and replacing Daniel Jones pretty much went out the window by week 4, and hope for Jones maybe finally becoming the QB he was drafted to be started to blossom in some parts of the Giants fanbase.
Things came crashing down a bit the next 4 weeks. Awful losses to Detroit, Dallas, and Philly, with a tie against Washington in there too that many Giants fans felt they deserved to win capped off a 1-4-1 stretch where the Giants simply did not look good. They looked more like what we expected the team to look like coming into the year. The playoff spot was no longer guaranteed, at 7-5-1. But a flexed SNF game against Washington would pretty much decide the season.
And the Giants took that win against Washington and ran with it. A close loss against the Vikings that was probably the best passing attack game of the season to that point, a dominating win against the hapless Colts that locked the Giants into the playoffs, and a surprisingly tight and scrappy game between the Eagles starters and the Giants backups gave Giants fans some hope headed into the playoffs. We didn't expect to win a Super Bowl, but the matchup against the Vikings seemed winnable.
And winnable it was, as in classic 2023 Giants fashion, they took a lead about halfway through the 4th quarter, and a couple of clutch plays on defense by Cordale Flott and Xavier McKinney ended the game.
Then we went to Philly and got absolutely ass blasted, ending our season.
That left the Giants with the 25th pick in the class, entering an offseason with a lot of business to take care of.

Free Agency Recap

The Giants had a lot more room to operate in free agency this year than last year, and Schoen was relatively creative in how he wanted to go about it.
The first step in that process though was figuring out the status of his pending free agents; most notably, the two who led the way on offense most of the year: Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley. The Jones negotiations were tense, Jones asked for the moon and the team was not having it. Eventually (literally right before the tag deadline) they settled on a 4 yr, 160m extension with 82m fully guaranteed and a boatload of incentives that could push the value up to almost 200m. That allowed the team to tag Saquon Barkley, whose extension talks are reportedly still stalled, as Barkley declined an offer worth almost 14m during the Giants' bye week, and continues to find the Giants' offer(s) unpalatable.
Speculation is that Barkley is seeking more guaranteed money from the Giants (greater than the sum of 2 franchise tags), but Barkley's camp is not leaking much (reportedly because Saquon doesn't want them to). And according to most reporters, Saquon is too competitive to actually sit out the season, removing his last bit of leverage.
Possibly the biggest addition of the Giants' free agency period was actually a trade: The Giants traded the Chiefs' 3rd rounder (acquired for Kadarius Toney) for TE Darren Waller. This is a huge move because the Giants were dead last in explosive pass play rate by a WIDE margin. Only like 6 individual team seasons since 2010 had fewer explosive passing plays than the 2022 Giants. That's something that Schoen and Daboll immediately set out to fix, and Darren Waller is one of the best explosive pass weapons in the league, leading all TEs in explosive pass plays this season despite playing just 9 games this year. Reports out of OTAs are that the Giants are expecting Waller to basically fill a "WR1" role for them; not necessarily in alignment but being the focal point of the offense, high target share, etc.
Schoen and Daboll followed that addition up with two more explosive pass play options: retaining Darius Slayton, and adding Parris Campbell to the room. Slayton is a solid WR, he's good for 600-700 yards when he gets run. His hands are inconsistent, but he makes up for it often. Campbell finally broke out having a healthy season for the Colts this season. I think Campbell is mostly insurance for Wan'Dale Robinson, who is coming off of a torn ACL, but if healthy should get primary run in the slot.
The Giants' other two main moves came on the defensive side of the ball, adding LB Bobby Okereke to a LB room that comprised of: Jarrad Davis, Micah McFadden, and Darrian Beavers (coming off a torn ACL). Much needed improvement in that room. The Giants also added Rakeen Nunez-Roches and A'Shawn Robinson to the DL room to improve the depth there; Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams were playing too many snaps, and the Giants were really bad against the run last year.
In the process though, the Giants lost both of their starting centers from 2022, Nick Gates and Jon Feliciano, as well as S Julian Love, who had been a consistent staple of the defense the last few years.

Draft Needs

The Giants roster was in much better shape this year than last year, but the team still had a number of problems:

1. CB was still a HUGE need for the Giants, and one that had not been properly addressed yet. Adoree' Jackson had another very good year in 2022, but the spot across from him had been a mishmosh of misfit toys: Fabian Moreau had a nice little run, but struggled down the stretch. Nick McCloud got a lot of run at CB2 after being claimed on waivers from the Bills. Cordale Flott had been drafted as a nickel defender but got some run there. And the slot position wasn't much better, as Darnay Holmes continued to be a liability there. This position needed reinforcements. I've been a relatively vocal minority in the Giants fandom saying this has been the BIGGEST need the team had for a couple of years now (basically aside from the one year that we had Bradberry and Jackson both on the team).
2. Despite adding Slayton, Campbell, and Waller, WR was still something the team needed. Specifically someone who could develop into a WR1 type player. The Giants WR room is relatively deep, but just adding Campbell and Waller and running back last year's group didn't feel sufficient. The team clearly was putting an emphasis on speed, separation, and yards after the catch ability.
3. Center was a massive need. The Giants basically didn't have a center on the roster who had played meaningful NFL snaps. Ben Bredeson could move to center if needed, but it wasn't that solid of a plan. And in what seemed like a good center class, this seemed like a good way to solve that problem.
4. LB. The LB2 spot currently will be either Jarrad Davis, Micah McFadden (who basically lost the job last year to Jarrad Davis), or Darrian Beavers (who tore his ACL last year). I think that says it all.
5. RB: Saquon is on the tag, so you feel okay here, but the team has been seeking a solid compliment for him for a while. They were in on a few of the RBs last year and the value never lined up, and Matt Breida and Gary Brightwell didn't really cut it last year. They don't want to run Saquon into the ground early in the year like they did last year, so having a compliment for him is big.
6. S: Losing Julian Love is a tough one. He played a lot of snaps and wore a lot of hats for this defense last year, especially with McKinney missing time with a hand injury. The team likes Jason Pinnock, and drafted Dane Belton in the early 4th last year, but more depth and competition here would be very welcome.

So let's get into the picks:

1.24: Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland

Seems like maybe Schoen agreed with me!
It was a lot harder to try to predict what the Giants would do this year, just by virtue of having a later pick. But the general consensus among the beat seemed to be that the team wanted to get a CB or an offensive playmaker with that first pick. I was a little skeptical of CB being an option, seeing how many mocks had all 5 of the top CBs off the board, but that often left WRs available.
So right after the Jets took Will McDonald at 15, if you looked at the board, only 1 CB had been taken and no WRs had been taken. That felt pretty good for the Giants.
Then Forbes and Gonzalez come off the board, and the top 4 WRs come off the board from 20-23.
That left the Giants feeling a little antsy. They had one guy they really wanted left, and negotiated a trade up one spot with the Jaguars to secure their guy: Deonte Banks.
This pick is perfect for what the Giants want to do on defense. Wink Martindale's reaction should say it all, if you go watch the Giants' behind the scenes videos on the draft process.
Banks is a tall, long, and athletic corner, which are all important traits for Wink's press man heavy defense. He's super fluid and smooth in his hips. He tested absolutely crazy. He also plays with a swag that I think Wink and Giants fans will come to really appreciate. He plays confident, he plays fast in terms of processing, and he plays physical.
He still has some development to go, I'm not saying he's going to be a top CB in the league from day 1. He wasn't a super ball productive corner, but that's not something Wink necessarily needs. It will take some time for him to get comfortable with the complexity of route runners in the NFL. But the tools are all there, and the Giants get a perfect scheme fit.
Banks will come in and immediately be the starter at CB across from Adoree' Jackson, and the trickle down effect that will have on the Giants depth chart at CB will be tangible.

2.57: John Michael Schmitz, OC, Minnesota

As this pick was coming up, Schoen and Daboll were discussing who to pick, and basically said "okay we're either going with Schmitz or (we'll get to that later ;) )".
Then the Bears traded up to the pick before the Giants pick. And Joe Schoen said "oh fuck." Daboll tried to calm him down and said "well I guess we're getting ."
Then the Bears took Tyrique Stevenson (good pick!), leaving the Giants the choice between the two players. And the Giants went with Schmitz.
Full disclosure: I was not a huge JMS fan in the draft process. I thought he was super solid all around, but he wasn't really impressive to me, there weren't a lot of overwhelmingly positive reps or traits in my eyes. I thought he was maybe a little heavy footed, especially in pass pro, and his testing kind of backed that up, and I didn't really see full unlocked power either.
I was probably a bit harsh on him in terms of the grade though. Like I said, he's a super solid player. There's relatively little to really complain about. He's smart, he's experienced, and he made few mental mistakes. His snaps were consistent. He is pretty strong though not crazy so. His anchor is really good, and he plays nasty and competitive, which is something the Giants are definitely looking for. It helps he had a really good Senior Bowl week too.
Was Schmitz my favorite center in this class? No. But he was for many people, and for some good reasons. Schmitz will come in and immediately start at center for the Giants, bringing the dead snap with him. If he can be the 3rd best player on this unit (behind Andrew Thomas and hopefully Evan Neal taking a step forward this year and being healthy), it'll be an immensely calming and steadying presence that should raise the OL play of the whole unit.

3.73: Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee

So you may be wondering: Who was Player X?
Well immediately after drafting Schmitz, Schoen looked around the room and pretty much said "what if we can still get ?" He decided that the price he was willing to pay was the Giants 4th round pick. And he and everybody else in the room started calling.
That included Brian Daboll, who leaned over and said "hey should I text [Rams HC Sean] McVay?" Schoen said "yeah sure go for it." And Daboll officially negotiated the Giants trading up from 89 to 73 to select Player X: Tennessee WR Jalin Hyatt
Hyatt is a really fun player to watch. The speed blows you away on tape. It's the kind of speed that even if you're not throwing it to him all the time, defenses have to take note when he comes on the field and play him differently. He's not necessarily slippery or elusive after the catch but (and I'm scared to frame it this way but I'm doing it anyway) the speed and acceleration gives him credibility there, the way that Odell was such a YAC threat on slants just getting to full speed and outrunning everyone.
He's a little high cut I think, and that leads to a little bit of trouble with crisper routes. He wasn't asked to run a very complex route tree at Tennessee, though I do think he has the skills to improve in that sense. The biggest concern for me is just how quickly we can get him up to speed beating press and playing through physicality. When he has room to work, he can beat CBs in a few ways, but NFL DBs will knock even very good WRs off their routes at times. And that follows through to contested catches.
The Giants' WR room is so crowded it's hard for me to say exactly what Hyatt's role will be starting out. The Giants started last year trying to use different WRs in different ways on a game to game basis. Then the wheels fell off obviously, with Shep, Wan'Dale, and Toney being hurt and Golladay stinking and all that. So I wonder if we see a return to that.
Hyatt can be a threat in a lot of ways, end arounds, screens, etc in addition to the obvious "go long" situations. Just how many reps he can carve out will be fun to track in training camp.

So the Giants come out of the first 3 rounds with 3 players who were commonly mocked to them at 25. Pretty good business! But let's get into day 3:

5.172: Eric Gray, RB, Oklahoma

The Giants traded away their 4th round pick to get Hyatt so they went 99 picks without making a selection.
Like I said earlier, the team has been looking for a compliment to Saquon Barkley for a long time, and they find it here with Eric Gray.
Schoen said he sees Eric Gray as a 3 down back. And you can definitely see why. He caught 88 passes over the last 3 years at Oklahoma and only dropped 2. He's also strong and physical, willing to pass protect. That physicality carries over into his running style, he runs hard and is willing to run through guys. He's bursty in short areas and has pretty solid vision in my opinion.
He's a compact guy, just 5'9 207. He's not super slippery or elusive, and he's not really a home run hitter. But in terms of finding a backup RB on day 3 to feed some of those tough yardage carries to and keep Saquon fresh, you could do worse than Eric Gray for sure.
The Giants ran a fair bit of "Pony" type formations in 2022, using 2 or even 3 RBs at times. The competition between Gray and Matt Breida for the true RB2 spot will be fun to see. Breida brings a little more explosiveness to the table, but Gray will certainly give him a run for his money. And depending on what happens with Saquon Barkley's contract situation, we may see even more of Gray down the line.

6.209: Tre Hawkins, CB, Old Dominion

When asked about what is different this year from last year, what improvements or what has gotten easier now that he's been in the chair for a full year, Joe Schoen talked a lot about really getting a good handle on what his coaches look for in players. And he singled out Wink in that respect because him and Daboll have worked together so much.
The Giants selection of Tre Hawkins really highlights that. Like with Deonte Banks, Hawkins brings a ton of physical traits. He tested through the roof. He has the length that the Giants look for. He's also super physical in both phases, run and pass, which Wink loves. ODU let him just play press man, so he's comfortable doing that.
He's a little slim still, so his frame needs some reworking, but that's common with CBs and especially ones from outside the P5 schools. He also has a lot of technique and FBIQ stuff to clean up. His footwork is messy, he's not always patient enough with his punch. His ball skills still leave something to be desired. He's still learning to read routes and manage space both in man and zone.
I figure Hawkins will come in and be a depth player and core STer for the Giants. If his play strength holds up against NFL scrutiny, he can definitely be a day 1 punt gunner. Wink has started calling Jerome Henderson the best DB coach in the league, so it'll be fun to see what Henderson can do with a ball of clay like Hawkins. Even if he ends up just being a STer and CB5 type guy, that's still a pretty good pick in the 6th round like this.
Also, sorry Patriots writer :)

7.243: Jordon Riley, DL, Oregon

Beating a dead horse at this point, but this is another pick Schoen highlighted as an example of his understanding of what Wink is looking for.
Obviously Riley is a flawed prospect, it's the 7th round. He was a 6th year senior who spent time at 4 different schools, starting at UNC, then going to JUCO for a year, then Nebraska for 2 years where he barely played, and finishing his college career at Oregon. PFF lists him as having just 534 career snaps in college despite the 5 years he spent at the P5 level. He wasn't very productive, partly because he barely played and partly because he's just not very good. He's not a good athlete.
What Riley does have, though, is size, strength, and knockback power. And that's what Wink is looking for in a depth NT. He eats blocks, stuffs up lanes, and just is hard to move.
Schoen put it this way:
"It’s hard to find these guys. When you get into the seventh round, you are looking for guys that maybe it will be hard to get at different areas. And another guy we spent time with, big run stopper in there, 6-foot-5, 330.
You walk out to practice, and there’s this 6-5, 330-pound guy, who piques your interest right there. Again, some of these guys in different schemes may not have the production, the tackles, the sacks. But for what Wink looks for in terms of size, length, knock-back — he possesses those traits.”

7.254: Gervarrius Owens, DB, Houston

Last pick in the draft and the Giants go back to the DB room. They took two CBs already, but some depth/developmental guys at safety would help. Enter: Gervarrius Owens.
Owens is a former CB turned S from Houston. The CB in him flashes to me on tape, I thought his ball skills as a safety were good. He's athletic enough to play pretty much any safety spot, including that single high spot that teams find difficult to fill. He's super physical and willing to play downhill and tackle. He's super experienced, he was a team captain and 4 year starter for Houston.
He makes a lot of mistakes, however. The angles he takes to the ball in both phases are super inconsistent. He missed a ton of tackles in college, so that technique needs to be worked on. The ball skills turned into PBUs rather than INTs; Wink won't mind that but some of them were like "he really should have just caught that."
Owens is another guy like Hawkins who looks primed to earn his roster spot on special teams and provide solid depth for the team's DB room. Wink likes to play 3+ safety sets, especially when he feels like he has a good group there. And the Giants' S room right now is basically Xavier McKinney and a bunch of question marks, so it's entirely feasible that Owens can come in and beat Dane Belton, Jason Pinnock, and Bobby McCain to earn playing time early on.

UDFAs

The Giants UDFA class included a few notable names. 5 total players who got 100k+ in guarantees:

1. Bryce Ford-Wheaton, WR, WVU: The Giants gave Bryce Ford-Wheaton a LOT of guaranteed money for a UDFA: 236k, which is the full season PS salary plus 20k. BFW was one of "my guys" this year I was hoping for the Giants to get. He's got the size and athleticism to be really good, but he's a little one note right now. In a crowded WR room, I kind of doubt he'll make the roster without some injuries (or Wan'Dale/Shep being on PUP) but like other late rounders/UDFAs, if he can find some value on special teams, he's a fun upside swing.
2. Dyontae Johnson, LB, Toledo: Another guy who got a lot of guaranteed money. The Giants needed some reinforcements at LB and clearly didn't find them in the draft. Super productive in college, very instinctive player, but I'm not sure if he can run with the league. He'll compete with the Giants mishmosh of LBs to play on special teams.
3. Ryan Jones, TE/FB, East Carolina: The Giants have been searching for a kind of H-Back type for a while now. Last year they brought in Jeremiah Hall from Oklahoma, that didn't stick. Andre Miller, who was a WR at Maine, seemed like he was getting run at that spot in camp last year, but a broken arm ended his season. Chris Myarick ended up taking some of those reps. Ryan Jones kind of fits that mold as well.
4. Habakkuk Baldonado, EDGE, Pittsburgh: The Giants' pass rusher depth is...not great. Behind Kayvon Thibodeaux and Azeez Ojulari, it's Jihad Ward, Oshane Ximines, and Tomon Fox. And Ojulari missed a lot of time last year. Baldonado could potentially come in and earn a spot over Ximines/Fox. He's got good play strength and power and fits what the Giants would need as more of an edge setter and run defender to give Thibodeaux/Ojulari a rest rep before letting them loose to rush the passer.
5. Gemon Green, CB, Michigan: Another tough and physical corner. I don't think there's really a spot for him on this roster with the additions of Banks and Hawkins, and I think he's not quite the athlete the Giants look for at CB, but as a last resort/STer he can potentially get somewhere.

Final Takeaways

I did this last year because it was Schoen's first year here, but I like the idea of doing it every year. What can we learn from the way Schoen drafted this year that we can file away and learn for the future? What can mockers learn from this to inform them of who makes sense for the Giants.
And it's pretty similar to last year:

1. Athleticism. Once again, pretty much every player the Giants drafted, and the UDFAs generally, were excellent athletes who tested well. The main exceptions being JMS (who was still a solid athlete) and Jordon Riley this year; where the exception last year basically was just DJ Davidson. This team has faith in its coaching staff and wants to give them players they can work with.
2. Scheme/Roster Fits. I talked about it a lot with the defensive picks, but every single one is a "Wink Martindale" guy. What does Wink want for his system? This can be a little dangerous considering Wink was in the running for a HC gig last year, and another strong year might finally get him the HC job he has been looking for. If he leaves and the scheme changes, these players need to be able to match the new scheme too. But it's clear that the FO values the input of the coaching staff and there's really clear communication there. This also applies to the offensive side of the ball, where it's super clear that the team wanted more speed on offense, which pointed to Hyatt a little bit.
3. Youth. This one is a little less applicable this year as they did draft a few older players, like JMS and Riley, even Eric Gray who turns 24 in November or Tre Hawkins who turns 23 over the summer. But Banks just turned 22, Jalin Hyatt will turn 22 in late September. It feels like maybe they felt more attached to the age stuff when they thought this was a full on rebuild, but now that they're hoping to be a playoff team again, they need some more instant contributors.
4. Aggressiveness/willingness to trade. This is a newer one, as last year the Giants only traded back. But this year the Giants traded up twice, giving up 3 day 3 picks in the process. Schoen is not afraid to make trades in either direction. Up to secure guys he really wants (Banks/Hyatt), or down if there's nothing there. Schoen talked about having trades lined up in both directions with the first round pick, he had a trade down ready if there was no one he wanted left.

The Giants went into the 2022 draft clearly rebuilding, 5 picks in the top 81 and making 11 selections. This year, the team came into the draft with 10 picks and came out with just 7. Clearly the team thinks the depth is improving and wants to focus on building the championship contender they are looking to be.

We have a 8.5 month old who is EBF, and eating solids very well. No dummy/paci. Untill recently she has been in our room and coming into bed with us in the early hours as she wouldn't settle back into her cot.
We have started sleep training with checks ins after 2,3,4 mins and then at 5 min intervals. We don't pick up, only shh and stroke. These do seem to sooth her.
My husband works away during the week and so I am doing all the checks ins for now untill we have 'cracked it' then will introduce him.
1st night: 1hr 10 crying and slept well through the night. 2nd night: (this night was a mess as she wouldn't wake up after bedtime feed) cried for 2 hours after waking in the middle of the night. We have now moved the feed to the start of the bedtime routine and this is working well. We also decided after this night to only sleep train at bedtime and not in the middle of the night. 3rd night: 1hr crying 4th night : 20 min crying 5th night: 45 min crying 6th night: 40 mins crying.
I was just wondering if anyone could advise on the following things:
1: I was expecting the bedtime crying to have reduced more by now- Is this normal and should we continue to stick it out?
2: I only feed her if it is past 1 am, and really try and make sure it's only once a night , but she is waking more regularly than she was before, sometimes 4 times. We don't do the timed check ins in the middle of the night because it seems like she has too much rest to go back to sleep and has hit the 2 hour mark of crying when we have done this (night 2). Is this an ok approch, it's worked for other I know, when can we expect night wakings to smooth out?
3: when she wakes in the night I pick her up and feed if it's time and then rock to sleep, if I really really can't get her into her cot (an hour of trying) then she comes into bed with me. There seem to be split options on if this is ok or not online, can anyone advise if I am 'ruining' things with this? If the advice is to stick it out how do you balance the likelyhood that she will get so little sleep so the next day will be a nightmare and a bit of a cycle of doom?
I think I was more tired than I was before! I'm fully invested in the process and realise I need to ride it out but really don't want to be making a silly mistake and causing her more stress than needed.
All naps are either on me or in the pram and are far too short, often 60/90 mins in the WHOLE day sometimes! I am massively trying to work on this and increase the length by any means so I am not yet trying to get her in the cot for these. Today is amazing and we will probably have 2.5 hours of naps by the end of the day!
I was really hoping that we would have a success story to go with the many others and I know it's early days I just wanted to check that there are no red flags here for anyone?
Thanks so much for anyone who has read this far or has any advice! I'm quite nervous about sleep training and know I will be a better parent for it as I am really struggling with the lack of sleep but I want to make sure I'm doing it the right way.

This is concluding thoughts for both WoR and WoK so its going to be a long one.
Epilogue
That is so true, but when something gets popular, how does one balance expectations?
There she is. Jasnah is alive.
Initially I thought that Wit was in Warbreaker as the god kings wit. Then i couldnt find him. Then I thought i must just misremembering Way Of Kings with Warbreaker. Now I’ve found Ch 32, I get why.
Skim-Thoughts.
10 comes up a lot. Pg 475 (Part II) “10 kingdoms, 10 orders, ten people” and i thought Mistborn had 10 powers as well. And isnt there planned to be 10 books? Is that 5 split into 2, or 10 split into 2?
Rereading the prologues and interludes, I still dont understand a word. I’ve completely forgotten them but catching up before Edgedancer
“The ten of them had decided upon it before the battle.” Kalak: “You’re broken too” Syl referred to the Stormfather as broken as well. Hmm Yeah Ten Hearlds. Opening of WoK. One missing. Forgot this entirely.
Moments that stuck out to me (Both Way Of Kings And Words Of Radiance) Kaladin changing tactics only to get everyone killed. When he finally miraculously saves everyone. The way the storm hanging was described. Just epic how he survived it. Hard to pull off wirhout just feeling convinient. I’m probably just listing the the ends of each Act, but I notice that although theres a lot of good character interactions in between, Brando Sando’s biggest strength is his anticipation. His books can be as long as they are because he spends a lot of time baiting, teasing, developing, and ENSURING that the payoffs really really payoff. So when those moments hit, I’ve spent chapters upon chapters that I’ll forget individually looking forward to them and then getting this memorable merge of “oh finally” and “OH thats what he meant!” Surprising yet inevitable, but memorable for how much my brain has built it up in my head and then been thrown off so positively that I really have to pay attention
Shallan honestly didnt grab me at first. Her arc was still fine, but I think her main conflict being ‘eventually steal a thing’ made it a slow burn and although they made it clear she was doing it because her family was poor, I don’t remember any chapters delving into just how bad it was. (Though apparently a lot of them blatantly did.) Book 2 was when they suddenly started revealing in droves a) how abusive it was, b) how Shallan finally resolved it, and c) that her father never actually did the initial thing he was accused of and so she blames herself for that abuse. As interesting as that was to unfold over time, for me that created a distance where until then I didnt fully invest in why she was doing it; she was trying to do something slightly dodgy for a slightly difficult externally Third Party sitauation and once she was out of the passive shadow (she was active in interacting with Jasnah, but being almost poisoned and having to steal the fabrial felt externally forced upon her) in book 2, it was like the story really started going “oh theres more to it, heres what shes Actually wrestling with” as well as “here’s what Shallan can be when she lets loose.” In a way, book 2 implies Veil is the real Shallan and I like the conflict between Shallan and Veil much more than I liked Shallan on the surface. Its not bad, more like, good to great. And yeah she was good when she was dealing with Jasnah, but she was great once she was more directly interacting with the main plot around her.
The moment where Sadeas betrays everyone, and Dalinar charges in or goes back or something that made Kaladin go “oh. I think he’s one of the good ones... alright, time to save a lighteyes I guess.” And Dalinar pays that back by rescuong everyone from Sadeas.
Its possibly also just that I didnt know what was going on and Way Of Kings hits you with a lot where as Words Of Radiance can hit the ground running with people I’m already familiar with, which is telling when I skim over Way Of Kings and cant remember a whole bunch of smaller details, or entire character chunks like the opening prologue, but its also probably that it was info overloard book 1 and book 2 i started taking notes. Either way, Words Of Radiance is my favourite by far, with Way Of Kings being just as good just more setup and confusion whereas by Words Of Radiance I was able to trust the stuff I liked in Way Of Kings to advance what I liked and update me on things I’d forgotten. (I.e. I’d forgotten that Sadeas Shardblade was the one Dalinar gave him, but the book recalls freeing the slaves and Adolin telling Dalinar to give the blade back and I went “oh yeah” so Way Of Kings I get a some great moments of surprise, but in Words Of Radiance, I get surprise development on those surprises, familiarity as I already know what theyre referring to, and I get to relive the initial book all at once, theres just more triple whammy in a sequel that is just as good. In a way I’m worried I’ve got a 1-2 punch where the third will be disappointing just because of the weird threequelitis problem. 1 is good, 2 is great, 3 is unreasonable expectations that can't be met (which the book ends in warning me against, ironically).
Over time they’ll naturally blend together and I’ll forget which was which, but some arcs:
Kaladin: Book 1, he thinks he is purposeless, but accepts that he has the power to save people and even some lighteyes are worth saving. Book 2, he thinks becoming a radiant is repulsive but eventually accepts that protecting everyone, even the people he hates, is the right thing to do and only becoming a radiant can achieve that. (Weirdly I cant see where Kaladins arc goes next, I assume something to do with someone dying and the radient powers not being enough, or Moash coming back and making things difficult, but Kalladin seems to have accepted his core potential and overcome his core wound so ... I dunno, unless Tien comes back to life or something I dunno what his next stage is.)
Shallan: Book 1, Shallan accepts... see I forget, I was a bit confused by it, she ended up in 2D world and it was very abstract and I didnt entirely understand it. I feel like I was just overwhelmed and it wasn't the books fault, I didnt know what to look for and I accidentally skim when I get close to the end. Book 2, she believes she is still the weak girl who lived in an abusive home, but starts to accept what she has done to escape it and what she is capable of when changing her image of herself (though she is yet to fully accept that image or integrate it so I figure thats where its going, she needs to either become Veil entirely, realize she was Veil all along, or realize Veil is a double edged sword and integrate the good while shedding the bad.)
Adolin ... He’s an interesting one. I really really REALLY thought Sadeas would be a big part of book 3, given its named after his blade, but Adolin very abruptly saw book 2's pages running out and put an end to it. So ... I mean, I figure this is exactly what Sando said in his lecture “In RomComs, They’re going to get together, you KNOW they’re going to get together, but they’re going in the wrong direction and oops the other person they’re with has now done something that makes it harder to root for.”
I’m massively paraphrasing but I watched it earlier today and he described the rom com thing verbatim how I see Shallan/Adolin and Kaladin playing out, where Shallan and Adolin work well enough but everything I know about Adolin and everything Sando’s telling us increasingly blatantly about how Kaladin and Shallan see each other, that at some point “Adolin = good enough” is going to break and “person I didnt consider before” is the inevitable direction secretly promised underneath. Adolin hated Sadeas to begin with, so the tradjectory of Dalinar saying he cant convince Adolin he needs to trust Sadeas, Sadeas betraying Dalinar and confirming Adolins worst impulses, Adolin being a womanizer but trying to reign it in for Shallan though Adolin himself insisting "it never lasts", its all there as little red flags and killing Sadeas (although justified in terms of character plot, I don’t blame him one bit, someone had to do it) is the final camel straw. SO illegal and unjustifiable that Adolin knew he had to hide it. So dark that he’ll likely start derailing and pushing Shallan away as a result. Works, meet spanner.
But interestingly it wont necessarily be the thing that breaks them, Secrecy shouldnt necessarily bother Shallan, she functions on lies. And the murder itself; Shallan killed both her parents, and Tyn, she’s actually the most likely to understand his situation. But the deception it will require, the damage it might do to Adolin internally in pulling that off, getting away with it or potentially being caught, and the complications when Kaladin finds out who did it, its more of a question of what will it take for Adolin to confess or go blaze of glory to never get caught, under what state and circumstance, and will Kaladin be towards Adolin how he was towards Moash when the king was threatened?
Theres a lot of factors to keep it unpredictable but Kaladin in Book 1 would have leapt to help Adolin kill Sadeas or Amaram, but how he defended the king, against his own friend, on pure 'golden rule morality' might indicate a refusal to let Adolin do anything of the sort – which will then drive a wedge between both of them and Shallan. Would Adolin try to kill Kaladin if he found out? Would Shallan side with Kaladin if Kaladin had to take Adolin down? What would Dalinar do? Adolins one rash choice is entirely in line with everything I assumed would go wrong with him, but the TIMING of it and the sudden impulse has really, I think, fundamentally sabotaged him in the process. It'll be a really hard thing to come back from.
Comparing him to Moash of all people, Moash at least had it planned out, honestly discussed it with Kaladin before hand, and even seemed regretful when he punched Kaladin “too hard.” Yeah it was out of revenge and he was ultimately willing to kill and betray Kaladin with his own blade – so in a way, Moash was as bad as Amaram, but Adolin was so mad at Sadeas betraying Dalinar, so mad at Sadeas for outsmarting him then dodging their duel, that he had no plan, no discussion, no consideration, just killed him in cold blood and instantly hid the evidence. Like I get Adolin wanting Sadeas dead, but he couldn’t even own it. He’s Moash without the regret (at least within that moment) and it was AFTER it was clear Kaladin was fundamentally against taking life of any kind, not before when Moash still thought it was 50/50.
Its not to say Adolin is corrupt as a person, but that in that moment he showed less restraint, more brutality, and more cowardice than Amaram, Sadeas or Moash, and that decision may begin a spiral that makes him Kaladins... no EVERYONE'S no.1 target, and arc wise to me it seems a narratively natural way to start distancing him from Shallan and Kaladin in a way that pushes them together.
Now, they narratively dont HAVE to get together although I personally feel the story started pushing that pretty blatantly while always having an air of denial about it down to Shall saying “Adolin didnt HAVE to be brilliant...or whatever Kaladin was. So there.” Like shes trying to prove something to us and defend a position Sando knew we would take, ironically protesting in a very wink wink nudge nudge way. But for me the question isnt “Will Shallan and Kaladin get together?” so much as IF thats the plan, then will they survive the journey and how will they develop from triangle to couple? Adolin killing Sadeas really seems to trigger exactly that journey, but for me its now a big question of What Becomes Of Adolin when its all said and done?
Especially if Adolin kept losing to Sadeas then to Szeth and then he watches two radiants go on without him together, he’s really at risk of being left behind and I dont know where he would draw the line Because Of His Choice To Kill Sadeas if he gets desperate enough to prevent that or catch up. Oh hell, even RENARIN is a radiant now, the weakest link, who sat doing nothing during their duel, now has more honour and power than him. Like Adolin is in the WORST narrative place anyone could be, I feel so bad for him. In DBZ terms, he’s kind of Yamcha. Loses the girl, once was a strong fighter but now gets constantly owned. Renarin is I guess Krillin in that sense (odd theres literally already a Tien in the story) but when you’re giving more power and screen time and skill to Krillin over Yamcha... yeesh.
Dalinar is an interesting one. All signs pointed to the king dying; Moash was going to assassinate him, Kaladin was officially out of options for the first time ever, everyone else was gone, and that comment from Sando about a war hero having to be king made me think Dalinar was garunteed kinglyhood just to end up going “oh no wait, im just a soldier, i dont know how to king” in the next book (maybe I misremember the context and he was referencing Game Of Thrones or something) so the king surviving, Sadeas NOT surviving, and Dalinar going “hey god, so... all the main characters got to be radiant. Even Renarin for storms sakes. I’m the leader here, I think I deserve to be one!” “Okay! But im not really god so good luck with that!" was not at all the ending I was expecting. Pretty much all the Kaladin / Moash / Shallan / Adolin feels right on course character wise, but the implications are very hard towards Has To Get Darker Before It Gets Lighter and Adolins one decision is like a house of cards for the rest of them. That blatant flip where they all actually won and then Sadeas just abruptly doesnt get to make any sort of comeback completely threw me. If not for how Oh God Adolin No! It felt, techincally everyone succeeded and nothing went wrong in that final battle. It was a complete victory if not for the slippery slope feeling about it. I was not at all predicting a complete victory, I figured the god would continue to be a threat and Sadeas would come back in a big way to sabotage them and the king would be the cost expense of surviving the rest of it. Like it would be bitter sweet if anything. And its far better for it; this way its like “theyre all radiants now... but at what cost?” For Adolin, he’s left out and now in hiding. For Dalinar, I figure him not being allowed a blade and the god not being a useful god thing is gonna... even the start of Way Of Kings mentions how its strange the parshendi are all acting the way they do. We dont fully understand the real threat, Dalinar still doesnt understand the vision and so I feel like the next dread is ... what did he really sign up to? Whats the cost of having such a storm deity who “wont come when callled” as a spren, especially when Dalinar humiliated Amaram, but he didnt suffer much consequence, and now Dalinar wont be able to defend himself.
Amaram ... dunno what he’s up to, but he was keen to find Urithiru and Dalinar stopped him so ... all I know is where I thought Sadeas was a key threat, I now think Amaram is.
Elhokar... He went from Kaladin wanting him dead to Kaladin defending him in front of Moash. While Drunk. Its weird cause I know they're fictional but also narratively... Elhokar better clean up his act and start being a good king or I may start feeling like Moash was in the right and Moash/Kaladin broke up for nothing. I know morally its more that Moash purely wanted revenge and Kaladin is saving life for life’s sake, so they're fundamentally at conflict no matter what Elhokar is doing, but if Elhokar turns around and imprisons kaladin again or starts being petty and making things difficult, it’ll be hard to respect him as a character: it'll rob his apology, his self-aware weakness, of any sincerity and render him useless and annoying, and useless annoying characters who actively ignore their own useless and annoying traits often create unfun contrived conflict “oh no, Elhokar was an idiot again, whatever shall we do?” "How about not write him that way". So yeah I hope something is paid off with Elhokar at least wanting to TRY being a more useful king.
Lopen developing radiant powers. Looking forward to that.
Rock, just keep being you buddy.
It's another example of how with Way Of Kings I was still taking everything in, so I didnt really keep track of the bridge crew beyond Moash cause I knew the name. But with Words Of Radiance, I was more familiar and so learned who the bridgecrew were a bit more this time around.
Rlain knows far more than he’s letting on. He knew what the song meant, he knows about the rhythms, he noticed a difference in whatshername. I feel like the Parshendi was being foreshadowed as completely innocent and something is controlling them and Rlain has gone from “i wont betray my people” to “well theyre already doomed then, please stop them even if it means murdering them” but really needs to share what he knows so that the Radiants dont just wipe them out assuming they’re all evil – which seems to be what Shallan currently thinks they should do.
God I cant stop thinking about Adolin stabbing Sadeas in the eye, that has really stuck with me. What a horrible thing that I was rooting for plot wise but horrified by as if it actually happened and I wish I hadnt seen it. The way Sanderson described it put a vivid image in my mind and I can't unsee that.
Can't wait to get to Oathbringer, but I'm on to Arcanum, slipped on reading (helps my sleep routine but sleep routine is also priority if i dont get time) and so I think the plan is to read but take a break posting in case theres not much to say, read up to the mistborn section, read Era 2 between arcanum, finish arcanum, and then read Oathbringer.
Also, how did Sanderson go from whatever he was on before, to 50% finished with stormlight 5. I need to write more. And what happened to his hair.