Y’know, I had wondered the same thing, though I was thinking more along the lines of competitive swimming…though drag is drag…unless it’s drag. Never mind.
And attack advantage. Suddenly I’m thinking primary weight directly under lift/wings (like helicopter). And if she goes full harpy, then while prey is focused on the obvious, they don’t see the tail feather drops and the huge talons below line of sight.
Weight shift is taken care of by the right bra. Monica has already directed her to Lydia, the one who engineered Monica’s Sports Bra. Given that it has already been designed and tested, the cost shouldn’t be too much to handle.
Again with the term “bevies” and again only being used by an aggressive (possibly predator) character. I really wish Paul would define the term within the strip.
This one also demonstrates why I dislike high school team sports. It really is a bunch of individuals, some who are jerks, some who are enabling, and some who are still too immature for whatever reason to contribute positively to “the team” and are actually disruptive.
Also, isn’t this the same coach who was so enthusiastically including Atsali in field hockey? Didn’t that coach, unrealistically, get chastised by the administration for including such a unfocused / aggressive predator on that team? There is NO WAY she would then say something like she does in the third panel. No coach would! Think about it for a second.
Again, this feels like the right words coming from the wrong character. The text is very appropriate for the context but it would not be from the coach unless she totally wants to foster division within the team, show marked favoritism, actually play into the obvious power struggle forming within the ranks, ignore the “scholarship” and thus future of one of the seniors on the team, and pay a compliment to the very student who due to their lack of athletic control got a coach in hot water with the school admin just days earlier.
This is either the dumbest and most undermining coach or she really is a glory hound simply putting the most extreme players together regardless of how well they actually play the game or get along as a team because she is caught up in the common delusion that high school team sports results matter and has lost the reason a team even exists.
Side Note: “Scholarship Chances” implies so much within the Wapsiverse. If it really is possible that Atsali’s being on the team could jeopardize Ellen’s chances then she is rather justified in her response, the coach is irresponsible for creating that possibility, and if persons at this school must “try out” and “get on the team” then where are those who tried out BUT DID NOT MAKE IT? Those would be the more interesting ones to focus on. Possible forming a rag-tag team of their own and in a Revenge of the Nerds style upset show up the school sponsored elite team providing that those marginalized by arbitrary or uncaring school administrators or the common assumptions of these underdogs are wrong and they actually have worth. But, that would be a different story and not Paul’s.
If, on the other hand, this is one of those situations where anyone who tries out gets on the team (whether or not they play is optional) then Atsali’s accomplishments in qualifying are meaningless and not worthy of praise and the coach pushing for top performance during the trials simply paints a target on the student’s back.
Wow. What a lot of carping. That isn’t Coach Adler. Adler is tall, fit, broad-shouldered, and cute. This chick is short, dumpy, round-shouldered, and regular looking.
Ellen, quite simply, is the spoilt little bitch: spoiling her scholarship chances? Load of monkey-flung bull-shit! Even if Sali did outfly her (which would just prove that she isn’t as good as she thought she was), she is graduating, not Sali, not to mention Sali isn’t even trying for a scholarship (she has at least two years before she graduates: this year and the next year) so no scholarship committee would give her one over Ellen
Ellen is the aggressive one, not the tall bird
Sali comes over, is all nice and offers a compliment (and obviously knows who Ellen is), and Ellen is so insecure she blows up, and you want to be on Ellen’s side? o_O
I’d think Ellen would want to get along with her teammates. Or at least not piss of a person she doesn’t know the potential of. Atsali is big enough to take Ellen out behind the barn.
It’s not a matter of competition with Atsali- if the team has to carry an unskilled newbie, Ellen has less chance to impress college scouts, and thus less chance at a scholarship.
Also, are there universities in the Wapsiverse who offer competitive flying scholarships?
Actually team sports like a relay means putting the wrong person in the mix can spoil how even the best athlete looks to scouts, and if the scouts aren’t looking specifically at you, you aren’t going to be in consideration for a full ride scholarship (which Ellen might need to get into a good college.) For both those reasons a glory-hound could make Ellen look bad and an untrained rookie could mess up the entire team’s states and thus cost Ellen her dream.
Ellen doesn’t want to be outshone in her senior year by a Freshman or at best Sophomore.
Ellen is used to being The Best and now there’s this upstart Astali whom she only knows by reputation and who is darn good. Now remember how siren prejudice works.
Now remember this is high school with so many hormones carbonating each day they have the hose down the sidewalks at night after the kids go home…
Oh right, forgot about the Moral Support Team, just only seen Dette in one panel so far, almost forgot she was there as well (wait, that’s Abbie and Devyn are there, isn’t it, to make these comments for us 😀 )
Everyone is snarling about Ellen, but try to imagine how it’d feel to suddenly have the most popular girl in school show up and join the squad you’re in? Suddenly pegging Ellen out to be this horrible person just as soon as she speaks, but maybe she has worked really hard to get here?
I mean, Atsali looks like she’s skating through everything super easy. She’s the most popular girl in school, she’s basically royalty among the Paras due to who she knows – do you think she’s going to need a scholarship in anything?
Atsali currently has a lot, a LOT of privilege going for her. We don’t know Ellen’s circumstances. Don’t judge her right away.
I didn’t realize that being a teenage girl with a whole lot on your mind automatically makes you an asshole. I’ll have to remember that, considering no one in this comic is mean or rude and everyone becomes best friends.
Zack Tilly: it’s like the clothes don’t make your arse look fat, Ellen’s attitude is what makes her an arsehole (but, remember how Jessie acted when Sali showed up, so there is still hope for Ellen, although it would be a change to have someone remain an ‘enemy’ for once)
What Hihi-oh said. And if you have any doubts as to the validity watch a movie called Brian’s Song when character Brian Piccolo explains how he was a great football play in High School, but happened to play on the same team with the All-State for his position. The scouts all came out to watch the other guy who got offered the great scholarships to the best colleges leaving Brian in the shadows rather than the spotlight through he college years.
Let’s hope this welcome don’t come back to bite Ellen in the rumpus…
Remember how it was with Jessie in the beginning?
Ill give Ellen a bite for being a lil jerk.
As much as we love Atsali it may be that she has a flight disadvantage due to her distinctive physique.
Hawks vs Condors, if you get my analogy.
Y’know, I had wondered the same thing, though I was thinking more along the lines of competitive swimming…though drag is drag…unless it’s drag. Never mind.
Well, the, ahem, shifty weight might help her change directions quickly.
And attack advantage. Suddenly I’m thinking primary weight directly under lift/wings (like helicopter). And if she goes full harpy, then while prey is focused on the obvious, they don’t see the tail feather drops and the huge talons below line of sight.
Weight shift is taken care of by the right bra. Monica has already directed her to Lydia, the one who engineered Monica’s Sports Bra. Given that it has already been designed and tested, the cost shouldn’t be too much to handle.
There might be misspelling in Ellen’s first speech. “Shaker” should be “shake.”
Again with the term “bevies” and again only being used by an aggressive (possibly predator) character. I really wish Paul would define the term within the strip.
This one also demonstrates why I dislike high school team sports. It really is a bunch of individuals, some who are jerks, some who are enabling, and some who are still too immature for whatever reason to contribute positively to “the team” and are actually disruptive.
Also, isn’t this the same coach who was so enthusiastically including Atsali in field hockey? Didn’t that coach, unrealistically, get chastised by the administration for including such a unfocused / aggressive predator on that team? There is NO WAY she would then say something like she does in the third panel. No coach would! Think about it for a second.
Again, this feels like the right words coming from the wrong character. The text is very appropriate for the context but it would not be from the coach unless she totally wants to foster division within the team, show marked favoritism, actually play into the obvious power struggle forming within the ranks, ignore the “scholarship” and thus future of one of the seniors on the team, and pay a compliment to the very student who due to their lack of athletic control got a coach in hot water with the school admin just days earlier.
This is either the dumbest and most undermining coach or she really is a glory hound simply putting the most extreme players together regardless of how well they actually play the game or get along as a team because she is caught up in the common delusion that high school team sports results matter and has lost the reason a team even exists.
Side Note: “Scholarship Chances” implies so much within the Wapsiverse. If it really is possible that Atsali’s being on the team could jeopardize Ellen’s chances then she is rather justified in her response, the coach is irresponsible for creating that possibility, and if persons at this school must “try out” and “get on the team” then where are those who tried out BUT DID NOT MAKE IT? Those would be the more interesting ones to focus on. Possible forming a rag-tag team of their own and in a Revenge of the Nerds style upset show up the school sponsored elite team providing that those marginalized by arbitrary or uncaring school administrators or the common assumptions of these underdogs are wrong and they actually have worth. But, that would be a different story and not Paul’s.
If, on the other hand, this is one of those situations where anyone who tries out gets on the team (whether or not they play is optional) then Atsali’s accomplishments in qualifying are meaningless and not worthy of praise and the coach pushing for top performance during the trials simply paints a target on the student’s back.
Sorry, but I am on Ellen’s side for this one.
Wow. What a lot of carping. That isn’t Coach Adler. Adler is tall, fit, broad-shouldered, and cute. This chick is short, dumpy, round-shouldered, and regular looking.
Ellen, quite simply, is the spoilt little bitch: spoiling her scholarship chances? Load of monkey-flung bull-shit! Even if Sali did outfly her (which would just prove that she isn’t as good as she thought she was), she is graduating, not Sali, not to mention Sali isn’t even trying for a scholarship (she has at least two years before she graduates: this year and the next year) so no scholarship committee would give her one over Ellen
Ellen is the aggressive one, not the tall bird
Sali comes over, is all nice and offers a compliment (and obviously knows who Ellen is), and Ellen is so insecure she blows up, and you want to be on Ellen’s side? o_O
I’d think Ellen would want to get along with her teammates. Or at least not piss of a person she doesn’t know the potential of. Atsali is big enough to take Ellen out behind the barn.
It’s not a matter of competition with Atsali- if the team has to carry an unskilled newbie, Ellen has less chance to impress college scouts, and thus less chance at a scholarship.
Also, are there universities in the Wapsiverse who offer competitive flying scholarships?
BarerMender: except, Sali already has a girlfriend, unless Dette is interested in a three-way 😉
Dean: or, if she is able to still perform well with a rookie, it would actually improve Ellen’s chances
Actually team sports like a relay means putting the wrong person in the mix can spoil how even the best athlete looks to scouts, and if the scouts aren’t looking specifically at you, you aren’t going to be in consideration for a full ride scholarship (which Ellen might need to get into a good college.) For both those reasons a glory-hound could make Ellen look bad and an untrained rookie could mess up the entire team’s states and thus cost Ellen her dream.
Ellen doesn’t want to be outshone in her senior year by a Freshman or at best Sophomore.
Ellen is used to being The Best and now there’s this upstart Astali whom she only knows by reputation and who is darn good. Now remember how siren prejudice works.
Now remember this is high school with so many hormones carbonating each day they have the hose down the sidewalks at night after the kids go home…
True.
“Bevies” are herbivores.
Okay?
As i remember, it was fairly obvious to me almost from the start. {Of course, five years later, i may be giving myself a bit too much credit…}
What exactly is Abbie and Devyn doing there? o_O
Did they just sneak along with the rest?
Go back three days.
Oh right, forgot about the Moral Support Team, just only seen Dette in one panel so far, almost forgot she was there as well (wait, that’s Abbie and Devyn are there, isn’t it, to make these comments for us 😀 )
Everyone is snarling about Ellen, but try to imagine how it’d feel to suddenly have the most popular girl in school show up and join the squad you’re in? Suddenly pegging Ellen out to be this horrible person just as soon as she speaks, but maybe she has worked really hard to get here?
I mean, Atsali looks like she’s skating through everything super easy. She’s the most popular girl in school, she’s basically royalty among the Paras due to who she knows – do you think she’s going to need a scholarship in anything?
Atsali currently has a lot, a LOT of privilege going for her. We don’t know Ellen’s circumstances. Don’t judge her right away.
Ellen can have her anxieties, but that doesn’t excuse for being an asshole.
I didn’t realize that being a teenage girl with a whole lot on your mind automatically makes you an asshole. I’ll have to remember that, considering no one in this comic is mean or rude and everyone becomes best friends.
It isn’t being a teenage girl or having stuff on her mind that makes her an asshole. It’s acting like an asshole that makes her an asshole.
Zack Tilly: it’s like the clothes don’t make your arse look fat, Ellen’s attitude is what makes her an arsehole (but, remember how Jessie acted when Sali showed up, so there is still hope for Ellen, although it would be a change to have someone remain an ‘enemy’ for once)
Heathers are Heathers.
What Hihi-oh said. And if you have any doubts as to the validity watch a movie called Brian’s Song when character Brian Piccolo explains how he was a great football play in High School, but happened to play on the same team with the All-State for his position. The scouts all came out to watch the other guy who got offered the great scholarships to the best colleges leaving Brian in the shadows rather than the spotlight through he college years.
How will Atsali get on Ellen’s good side? Can even she do it?
Simply by being herself would do it (it worked with Jessie remember), but, it would be interesting for Sali to have one person she can’t sway