Latest news with #StockholmSyndrome
USA Today
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Are the Falcons a gigantic Nathan Fielder social experiment?
Are the Falcons a gigantic Nathan Fielder social experiment? The Atlanta Falcons added yet another chapter to the Bloated Book of Bafflement on Tuesday when a photo from the team's first OTA session featured a devastating self-own. In what is absolutely an accident by a hard-working social media expert and not a covert attempt to continue a troubling social experiment, the team shared to social media a now-deleted photo (which you can see below) of safety Jessie Bates III and cornerback Mike Ford posing with each other in their practice jerseys. Where's the problem? Well, Bates is No. 3, and Ford is No. 28. 3, 28. ... You get where we're going with this. It's an obvious mistake by this admin. It's just a photo of two Falcons defensive backs during a day of May NFL offseason practice. There is nothing more to it than that. Right? ... Right? *flashbacks to 28-3... looks around nervously, whispers* Have... have the Falcons secretly a Nathan Fielder social experiment this whole time? For years, the only way to chalk up the many, many bizarre happenings in Flowery Branch has been to simply look to the football gods assigning them as one of their favorite torments. When the football gods pride themselves in your folly, you may then take Sisyphean joy in your eternal embarrassments. However, what if Fielder has been behind the Falcons this entire time, orchestrating each and every Atlanta misery as some sort of social experiment to study Stockholm Syndrome's effect on fans of a sports team? Posting two players in jerseys of "3" and "28" can absolutely be an honest mistake. That's what it is... an honest mistake. But what if it isn't? What if this is Fielder's latest attempt to study Falcons fans? Just think back on these huge Falcons blunders as a Fielder experiment from Nathan For You or The Rehearsal instead of just miserable developments for a seemingly cursed NFL franchise? Imagine these quotes in his voice, providing narration before unfolding a macabre social experiment for alt-comedy purposes? 'I then decided to call a pass play in a clear run play scenario, as I further explored the possibility that, even though we were ahead by a wide margin, it wasn't impossible for us to still lose this football game. Being up 28 points to three late in the third quarter of the Super Bowl usually projects a victory, but what if, this time, it doesn't?" "Our team has become known for blowing leads in the most shocking of scenarios because of the Super Bowl, but it would be absolutely implausible if we actually kept blowing even more leads? Could we make it our identity? Could we make even the simplest of leads, like one over the Jay Cutler-led Dolphins, feel likely to slip out of our grasps into painful oblivion? Maybe." "We just signed quarterback Kirk Cousins in the offseason to a massive contract, essentially locking him into a meaningful stint with our franchise for the next few years. Our pass-rush has been a historic disaster. Logic dictates in this year's NFL Draft that we'll finally address this lingering issue with our top pick. But what if we didn't focus on our defense with that pick and we took a quarterback, instead? Of course, this has never been done in the history of the NFL in this fashion and would send the fans into a spiral, but... what if we did it anyway?" "The opportunity presented itself for us to pump fake crowd noise into our stadium, to present the illusion of fans being in our building... even though there are plenty of people already there providing plenty of noise for our underperforming football team. What will the meaningless crowd noise provide? We wanted to find out." Think even closer to the fact that Fielder's second season of The Rehearsal premiered on April 20, the same week the Falcons both traded a 2026 first-round pick to move up in the 2025 NFL Draft to take Tennessee outside linebacker James Pearce Jr. *right after* the team finally did something widely praised by fans and analysts alike in drafting Georgia outside linebacker Jalon Walker. It's also the same week Atlanta defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich's son, Jax, stole quarterback Shedeur Sanders' NFL Draft telephone number off his dad's iPad and orchestrated a prank call that Friday. Is Fielder trying to tell us something? His latest season has been largely centered on aviation, and the Falcons' slogan is quite literally "Rise Up." Is season 3 his grand reveal, where he and a series of others have been running the operation in the shadows for a perpetually snakebitten NFL team to see just how loyal fans can be in the most shockingly impossible situations? This social media post was probably just a human error, a small drip of misery water in the pain bucket Falcons fans drink from to sustain themselves from year to year. But what if it's not? What if, this whole time, a man with a laptop has been plotting behind the scenes to conduct more and more experiments to see just how far he can push a fan base to leave its wretched football team behind, just to see those fans stay put? Are these fans just avoiding what they know deep down? That loyalty in sports is even more barbed and jaded than loyalty in life, and that we're more likely to leave people and jobs that cause us pain than literal sports teams we only have relation to in geography and happenstance? No, that would be nonsense. But what if it's not? At... at least Michael Penix Jr. looked good at quarterback last year, right?
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Opinion - Leland Vittert's War Notes: Colliding Forces
NewsNation Chief Washington Anchor and On Balance host Leland Vittert was a foreign correspondent for four years in Jerusalem. He gives you an early look at tonight's 9 pm ET show. Subscribe to War Notes here. 1 in 7: I am thoroughly convinced Rachel is among the 1 in 7 who would dump their partner to save their dog, according to a new study. It's an interesting question — staying with your partner vs. your dog dying? And are you among the 1 in 7? If so, why? If not, why not? We'll share some of the best responses on air Thursday! Hottest take: From our buddy Erick Erickson, who writes on X, 'I'm still not convinced this is anything other than a hostage situation with Stockholm Syndrome.' The news: Bill Belichick and his 24-year-old CAPTOR girlfriend are now engaged Once again, we're saying that the only people allowed for public shaming are old men dating young women. Why can't we all be happy for love?! Politics is pretty simple: What's bad for your enemy is good for you. The growing scandal around former President Biden's health is bad for Democrats and great for Trump — oh, the irony. The more the media focuses on Biden lying and those covering for him, the more maneuvering room Trump gets to pass his 'Big, Beautiful Bill.' The more Democrats answer for their constant assurances about Biden's health when he was president, the less credibility they have on anything. Let's start with the Biden cover-up and media redemption attempt. First off — many in the media haven't learned from their mistakes For example, a 'CBS Mornings' guest (and Biden lackey) explained without any anchor pushback that the White House doctors wouldn't have tested Biden's PSA numbers to save money. It was equally laughable when White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre answered age questions by saying the staff can't keep up with him Oh yes, like the time she was on with Jake Tapper. Wait – isn't Jake Tapper the guy who just wrote a book about the cover-up?! Right, now you are understanding. Watch tonight: We'll talk to Alex Thompson, the reporter who actually dug into Biden's health — and paid a real price — in his first NewsNation interview about his book with Jake Tapper, 'Original Sin.' Was it really a cover-up if nobody was questioning it? What else is Biden covering up with his cancer diagnosis? A Biden spokesperson tells NewsNation, 'President Biden's last known PSA was in 2014. Prior to Friday, President Biden had never been diagnosed with prostate cancer.' Why on Earth should we believe them? How many of their interviews are with public officials (now spilling beans on Biden's mental lapses) who openly lied to the American public during their time in office? Do they deserve protection? The Biden legacy issue could determine Trump's presidency. Here is how: Trump knows his 'Big, Beautiful Bill' is his first, last and best chance to enshrine his legacy in law. Because of the 60-vote supermajority in the Senate required for most bills, Republicans must pass everything in a bill through 'reconciliation.' Personal privilege: Much like the body positivity movement demanding acceptance of fat people as healthy and beautiful, MAGA wants us to believe massive spending bills and big (fat) government are beautiful. Neither is true. When it comes to the government, big is not beautiful — I am an unapologetic fiscal conservative — the old-fashioned kind. Precious few of us are left. Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill' is high risk, high reward — as are most things with Trump. He can afford to lose a couple of Republican votes … but that's it. Trump destroyed one of Democrats' biggest talking points by reportedly telling Republican congressmen don't 'f**k with Medicaid.' So now what? — Trump's political genius strikes again For moderate Democrats, it will be difficult to vote against the bill. They love big government. They think it's beautiful. There's no cuts to Medicare — and it includes a continuation of Trump tax cuts. The next three weeks combine the explosive (Biden's health) with the mundane (tax legislation on Capitol Hill). Who said summer in Washington can't be fun? Tune into 'On Balance with Leland Vittert' weeknights at 9/8 CT on NewsNation. Find your channel here. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily of NewsNation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Daily Mirror
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Woman 'cut off boyfriend's nipple and finger' after she looked through his phone
Saki Sato, 23, was said to have amputated her lover, 21, in a fit of jealous rage in their apartment in Osaka in October after finding an unfamiliar number in his phone contacts An obsessive girlfriend allegedly took brutal action to stop her boyfriend from leaving her - by cutting off his nipple and ring finger to keep him from marrying other women. Saki Sato, 23, was said to have flown into a jealous fit of rage after finding an unfamiliar number in her 21-year-old lover's phone. The cosplayer reportedly purchased an axe online and severed the joint of his ring finger in their apartment in Osaka in October. She then stashed the severed digit away in a glass jar in their refrigerator - and was only caught when her terrified partner called police to report her for assault in January. Police stormed the apartment in Kita City and found the man with a badly beaten face. He told officers Saki had placed his finger in an alcohol-filled container and stored it in the fridge. A search of the premises verified his claim. Police then found a series of disturbing photos on Saki's phone, including one of her humiliated boyfriend crying as he bled from his left nipple, and another of the severed finger. Saki was charged with three counts of assault and was formally indicted on April 21. Investigators said the boyfriend had been charmed by Saki's seemingly sweet and innocent looks in her online photos. They began dating in May and moved in together in July 2024. But as their relationship progressed, the man eventually learned of Saki's violent and controlling nature. While living together, the victim claimed Saki took total control - confiscating both his bankbook and phone, and forcing him to ask for permission to use them. Despite the alleged abuse, the boyfriend, afflicted with Stockholm Syndrome, said he chose to stay "because Saki was too beautiful to leave behind". He claimed he had agreed to having his nipple removed with scissors when she proposed that "a man's nipple will grow back if you cut it off". Saki, who has posted several photos of herself in various cosplaying costumes, reportedly works at a popular cabaret club in Osaka, known for its maid-themed cafes and anime culture. Her profile states that her ideal man was "someone who listens to everything she says". She has denied the charges, claiming her boyfriend had inflicted self-harm instead.
The Herald Scotland
13-05-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Time on his side but will Spieth's career grand slam time come?
In a sense, it's a bit like Stockholm Syndrome. You know, the theory that tries to explain why hostages can sometimes develop a psychological bond with their captors? To be honest, if I was ever held captive – and I'm sure the sports editor wouldn't mind if I was imprisoned in a cellar for a month or so – I'd probably drive my abductors round the twist with relentless mutterings asking them if they had any decent ideas for next week's bloody column? All this made-up talk of things being held in a confined space reminded me of the words of Bobby Jones after his retirement from the cut-and-thrust of the competitive game at the age of just 28 shortly after completing an historic grand slam in 1930. Championship golf, he reckoned, was 'something like a cage. First you are expected to get into it and then you are expected to stay there. But of course, nobody can stay there.' Having stormed what was known then as the impregnable quadrilateral – the majors in those days were the Open, the US Open, the US Amateur Championship and the Amateur Championship - there were no more hills for Jones to conquer. As we move into another men's major this week, with the US PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, all and sundry are asking if Rory McIlroy can conquer again after his blockbusting Masters victory a month ago. As for Jordan Spieth? Well, the Texan still has a notable hill to conquer as he seeks that elusive PGA Championship victory that would see him join McIlroy, as well as Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, as a member of the career grand slam club. It's such an elite, distinguished posse, their faces should be carved into the rock of Mount Rushmore. A Spieth success in North Carolina would be a terrific tale given all the trials, tribulations and injury-induced toil he's endured during his prolonged efforts to regain the powers of his earlier days. The time hurtles by, doesn't it? It's a decade now since Spieth whipped us all into a lather of excitement with his own rousing assault on the single season slam in that glory-laden campaign of 2015 He'd won the Masters in the April and plundered the US Open in June. That impregnable quadrilateral of the modern era was on as Spieth touched down at the home of golf in July looking to complete the third leg of his major odyssey at the Open. During a fraught, fascinating St Andrews showpiece, which was concluded on a manic Monday due to earlier weather disruptions, Spieth reared up just a shot shy of the three-man play-off for the title after an ultimately costly bogey on the Road Hole 17th. A few weeks later, he was beaten to the PGA Championship crown by the sublime Jason Day. Spieth's major record that thrilling season read first, first, tied fourth, second. It was a sterling effort. Spieth, of course, would plonk a Claret Jug onto his mantelpiece two years later with that epic Open win at Royal Birkdale in 2017. The quest to land the PGA Championship, the final piece of his career grand slam jigsaw, goes on, though. Since that runners-up finish 10 years ago, he's been in the top-10 just once at the PGA of America's flagship event. As my dear mam often says, 'what's for ee will no' gan by ee.' Then again? The likes of Arnold Palmer and Tom Watson won the Masters, the US Open and the Open during glittering careers. But they could never get their paws on the PGA Championship trophy. During a profitable purposeful period, Spieth racked up 14 tour titles between 2013 and 2017, but he's won just twice in the last eight years. It's tough at the top. Spieth has always been a captivating, and at times chaotic, performer. Remember that 2017 Open denouement? A compelling concoction of mayhem and magic, wasn't it? Listening to him, meanwhile, remains fascinating as he chunters, cajoles, coaxes and commands his ball to do this, that and the other as he thwacks it here, there and everywhere through the air. His meaty conversations with that little dimpled sphere can make the Frost and Nixon interviews look like a passing exchange in the pub doorway. Spieth will always be judged by those stirring conquests of his youth which propelled him into the pantheon of greats. As a result, his various stints in the doldrums tend to get magnified. There's no hiding place in professional golf. Through the ups, downs, twists and turns that are par for the course in this fickle game, he has confronted his struggles with honesty, heart and hard work. When he returned to action after wrist surgery earlier this season, he declared that patience would be the watchword as he attempts to rekindle the form that illuminated the majesty of his early-20s. At just 31, Spieth still has plenty of time on his side. It's time, meanwhile, for him to have another crack at the PGA Championship. And whatever comes out in the wash this week, at least it'll give me something to write about in this bloomin' column.
The 42
07-05-2025
- Sport
- The 42
'It's pure joy... unreal. Probably celebrated a bit too much' - Frayne gears up for final
YEAH, SURE, THERE'S a Leinster final to be played and the Delaney Cup still has a pair of red and white ribbons on one lug to go with the green and gold, but for now we just want to recline and relax in the warm bath of the Meath win over Dublin before the chill sets in. 'It was a bit surreal to be honest,' answers the Royals captain Eoghan Frayne at the press launch held at the Battle of the Boyne visitor's centre, perfectly located for this Sunday's upcoming joust between Meath and Louth. 'Before the game we had belief that we could win and then when it actually happens it's probably a different feeling. It's pure joy, it was unreal. Probably celebrated a bit too much at the end! 'It's hard to put into words. I'm only in the panel there three years but for the likes of Donal Keogan, Cillian and Mento (Bryan Menton) and a few older lads, they've been getting hammered nearly every year. I haven't felt that but I'd say that's tough going. I was more happy for them than for me.' Frayne and a few others kicking around weren't subject to the same Stockholm Syndrome. As a minor, Frayne's Meath side beat Dublin in both the Leinster championship and in group stages. While they lost twice at U20 level, there were enough players coming through later at minor and U20 that experienced beating Dublin. But to beat them in Portlaoise took nerves and daring. As captain, Frayne had it worked out with management that they would play with the wind in the first half if they won the coin toss. Once that happened, they were determined to be the aggressors. Advertisement 'Then you're trying to get shots off as much as possible,' said the Summerhill man. 'You just have to get a shot, squeeze the kick out, get a shot. Try to do that as much as possible. Try to rack up as many two-pointers or even goals if you can. 'I think you have to go after two-pointers if you have the wind. There's definitely something in that. Then just squeezing the kick out as well. When you're trying to get out of a kick out press and there's momentum against you with the new rules and there's a wind against you, it's extremely hard to get out. You need an unbelievable fielder of the ball or you just need luck as well. I think a few breaks fell our way as well, which was good.' The game being in Portlaoise definitely had an effect, he says. The same wind just doesn't blow like that in Croke Park. And of course, the different dimensions presents a new picture to Dublin veteran goalkeeper Stephen Cluxton. The new rules had already accelerated that process anyway. 'Cluxton would be real familiar with Croke Park. He'd probably know… He'd have his sweet spots of where he can get the ball off.' The high was high. So how long did it take for the comedown to arrive? Frayne in action against Louth in the league. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO 'Probably Monday. After the game on Sunday, Monday was hard,' said Frayne, a student of Business Management in Maynooth who is currently in a year's placement with ESB. 'Anyone you meet, people are still talking about it. I think once you get into training on Tuesday, that brings your feet back to the ground. You're brought back down there. It's going to be hard and there's going to be a lot of noise. It's just important that we stay in our little bubble and focus on the things that are important.' He himself clipped over two two-point scores, a serious weapon for Meath on the day. 'You'd back yourself all day.& If you're in the middle of the goals on the two-point arc, you'd back yourself four out of five times. You have to fancy yourself,' he says. Along with the ones they have profited from, the new rules are a success, Frayne believes. 'Even when I'm not playing, I like to see lads taking shots on from far out. Even lads taking shots on from the outside of the boot from long ranges. Like Diarmuid Connolly used to do with Dublin. You love seeing that. You'd be lying if you said that's not a good watch 'Even watching back some games from the old rules, you couldn't… Even playing club games, it's tough. It's going sideways the whole time. If you're forward there, you beat a fella, then there's another fella, then another fella, then another fella to try and beat. I think it's definitely helped the game.' Ok, ok. That's us now. It's onto Louth and the prospect of Meath's first Leinster title since 2010, when they beat Louth in what is the second most-famous Leinster decider – just behind the four-game marathon of 1991 – and certainly the most controversial one after Meath forward Joe Sheridan threw the ball over the line for an illegal goal, leading to referee Martin Sludden being chased off the pitch by angry Louth fans. There's a big difference now. For the last 15 years, Dublin used both sides as their plaything. Some days they would do just enough to beat them, other days they devoured them, some days swallowed them whole. It depended on their mood really, but the outcome was never in question. Now with just Louth left on the pitch, they are on that most GAA of positions; a hiding to nothing. Imagine beating Dublin and then losing to Louth? And yet lose to Louth they have extensive experience of in recent times. Most notably the final round of division 2 in this year's league, when Louth scuppered Meath's promotion hopes while also rescuing themselves from relegation. Related Reads Galway's All-Ireland title bid is now stronger after composed Connacht final finish The All-Ireland SFC state of play after Sunday's Connacht and Munster finals The key talking points after All-Ireland senior football group stage draw 'They obviously had our number the last two times in Iniskeen. Louth have some serious footballers and it's going to take an even better performance than we gave against Dublin to beat them,' said Frayne. 'I don't think they have a weakness all over the field. They're strong all around and they have obviously a few key lads like Sam (Mulroy) and a few others that will take minding. They've had our number and they've just been up for it.' ** Check out the latest episode of The42′s GAA Weekly podcast here
