Élie Okobo

# Élie Okobo

## Abstract

Élie-Franck Okobo (born 23 October 1997) is a French professional basketball player for AS Monaco Basket of the LNB Pro A and the EuroLeague. A 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) tall combo guard, the Bordeaux native began his club career at age 16. Okobo subsequently competed for the youth team of Élan Béarnais Pau-Lacq-Orthez, reaching the LNB Espoirs title game in 2016. In the 2016–17 season, he assumed a greater role with the senior team, and in the following year, he became a regular starter.

Okobo has represented France at international competition on multiple occasions. He was a key player for the under-20 team at the FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship, which he took part in twice, winning a bronze medal in 2017. Okobo has also suited up for the senior national team at FIBA World Cup qualification. He has been considered one of the top international prospects, and at one point was considered a potential first-round selection, for the 2018 NBA draft. However, he was taken as the 31st overall pick in the second round by the Phoenix Suns that year.

## Early life and career

Okobo was born in Bordeaux, France to a Congolese father and French mother. He has one sister and two brothers: his older brother plays handball and competes in track and field, while his younger brother also plays basketball. In addition, Okobo's father has basketball experience as well.

At age 16, Okobo joined JSA Bordeaux Basket of the Nationale Masculine 1 (NM1), the amateur level third-tier division of French basketball. He made his senior men's club debut on February 8, 2014, shooting 0-of-1 from the field in one minute of playing time against Basket Club Montbrison. He scored his only points of the season, on March 8 versus JA Vichy-Clermont Métropole, with 2 points. In four contests, he averaged 0.5 points and 0.3 steals per game, in 2.2 minutes per game.

In the 2014–15 season, Okobo began playing for Espoirs Pau-Lacq-Orthez in the LNB Espoirs youth league. In his debut on September 20, 2014, he chipped in 23 points and 4 steals as his team lost to Espoirs Châlons-Reims. On December 23, he scored a season-high 24 points, shooting 6-of-7 from the three-point line, in a 79–78 win over Espoirs Nancy. After 29 games, Okobo averaged 9.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.2 steals per game.

## Professional career

### Élan Béarnais (2015–present)

#### Youth success (2015–16)

On June 13, 2016, Okobo signed a three-year contract with Élan Béarnais Pau-Lacq-Orthez of the LNB Pro A, the highest professional division of France. Through the 2015–16 season, he primarily played with Espoirs Pau-Lacq-Orthez in the youth league, seeing limited minutes for the senior team in the Pro A. On October 6, 2016, Okobo opened his second LNB Espoirs campaign by recording 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists in a 102–56 victory against Espoirs Monaco. He made his Pro A debut for Pau-Orthez on October 24, 2015, grabbing one rebound in a minute versus Paris-Levallois. On March 25, 2016, Okobo erupted for 34 points and 10 rebounds, both season-bests, in a youth league win over Espoirs Le Havre. In the following week against AS Monaco Basket, he scored 5 points—his first and only of the Pro A season. By the end of the season, Espoirs Pau-Lacq-Orthez had the best record in its league, at 29–5, but lost in the championship game to Espoirs Paris-Levallois. In the youth league season, Okobo averaged 15.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 2.2 steals per game.

#### Increased role (2016–17)

In the 2016–17 season, Okobo played sparingly in LNB Espoirs, instead receiving significant minutes off the bench for Pau-Orthez in the Pro A. On September 24, 2016, he made his season debut in the Pro A, recording 5 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists against Cholet Basket. In his second appearance of the LNB Espoirs season, Okobo posted a double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds on October 15 versus Espoirs Gravelines-Dunkerque. On October 25, he debuted in the FIBA Europe Cup, the fourth-tier inter-continental European competition, notching 6 points and 2 rebounds in a win over Tartu. Later in the week, Okobo had another double-double in the LNB Espoirs, adding 18 points and 13 assists, along with 6 rebounds, against Espoirs Orleans. On November 28, he scored 11 points in a 96–76 loss for his first career double-digit scoring effort in the Pro A.

Okobo recorded a season-high 20 points, 6 rebounds, 10 assists, and 1 turnover in a 101–66 victory over JIP Pardubice in the second round of the FIBA Europe Cup on December 13. He had another notable performance on January 24, 2017 against Alba Fehérvár, scoring 10 points and hitting a game-winning three-pointer with under 10 seconds left to send his team to the FIBA Europe Cup Round of 16. He scored 8 points in the fourth quarter alone, with starting point guard D. J. Cooper being ejected in the final minutes of the game. On February 5, 2017, Okobo scored a season-best 15 points, with 5 rebounds and 4 assists, in a Pro A win over Élan Chalon. He closed the season averaging 4.6 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game in the Pro A, and 8.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game in the FIBA Europe Cup. Okobo was the runner-up for the LNB Pro A Best Young Player award, which was won by Frank Ntilikina of SIG Strasbourg.

#### Breakout season (2017–18)

In his first game of the 2017–18 season, Okobo made his starting lineup debut in the Pro A on September 23, 2017, chipping in 14 points and 8 assists to help defeat Élan Chalon. On October 7, he led all scorers with 21 points and 3 steals against HTV Basket. Okobo had another notable performance on December 10, posting a team-high 23 points in a win over Levallois Metropolitans. He once again eclipsed the 20-point barrier on February 3, 2018 versus ASVEL Basket, scoring 24 points to lead Pau-Orthez to victory. On February 10, Okobo scored a career-high 30 points, along with 8 assists and 4 rebounds, in a 105–93 win over Élan Chalon. The performance earned him Player of the Week honors from the website Eurobasket.com. He announced plans to enter the 2018 NBA draft on April 11, saying, "I'm progressing every day and I see how I'm continuing to improve. I am very happy with the training I have received at Pau-Lacq-Orthez, and I know I will improve even more with NBA conditions and NBA training." At the time, ESPN considered him to be a possible first-round selection, and three weeks later, analyst David Aldridge projected him as a late first-round or early second-round prospect. With Pau-Orthez, Okobo reached the playoffs as the eight-seed. On May 23, during Game 1 of the series against first-seeded Monaco, Okobo scored a career-high 44 points in a 99–97 loss. That game would help Okobo's draft stock rise from a likely second round pick to a potential mid-first round selection. At the June 11 international draft day deadline, Okobo would be one of only 11 truly international prospects to remain in the 2018 NBA Draft. Okobo would later be taken as the 31st pick by the Phoenix Suns ten days later.

### Phoenix Suns (2018–2020)

On June 21, 2018, Okobo was drafted with the 31st pick in the 2018 NBA draft by the Phoenix Suns. It was around this time that the franchise's general manager, Ryan McDonough, mentioned that Okobo would be playing with the official, 15-man roster for the team this season. Three days after the draft, it was reported the Okobo would agree to a four-year deal worth $6 million, with his third and fourth years being team options. Okobo would then be announced as a player for the Suns' 2018 NBA Summer League squad. He would officially sign the aforementioned deal on July 6. In his NBA debut on October 17, Okobo recorded two points and an assist in a 121–100 win over the Mavericks. On October 28, Okobo recorded 18 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists in a 117–110 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Three days later, Okobo made his first start in the NBA, recording eight points, four rebounds, and five assists in 28 minutes of action in a 120–90 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. On November 13, 2018, Okobo was assigned to the Northern Arizona Suns, playing for the team the same night in a loss against the Santa Cruz Warriors, and continued to play with both Phoenix and Northern Arizona throughout 2018. His highest scoring game in his rookie season occurred on November 28, scoring 19 points in a 115–99 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. On February 2, 2019, Okobo recorded a season-high 11 assists in a 118–112 loss against the Atlanta Hawks. Okobo was later assigned to Northern Arizona once again on March 14, returning to Phoenix just a day later. He was waived by the Suns on November 25, 2020.

On December 16, 2020, Okobo was signed by the Brooklyn Nets. He was waived at the conclusion of training camp.

### Long Island Nets (2021)

On January 27, 2021, Okobo was included in the roster of the Long Island Nets. Over 14 games with Long Island Nets, he averaged 8.9 points, 5 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game.

### ASVEL (2021–2022)

On July 10, 2021, Okobo signed a one-year deal with French powerhouse ASVEL of the LNB Pro A and the EuroLeague. On February 2, 2022, he was ruled out for six weeks after undergoing surgery on a shoulder cyst.

Okobo helped ASVEL win its 21st LNB Pro A championship and was named the Finals MVP, after helping the team defeat Monaco 3–2 in the league Finals. He scored 20 points, 7 rebounds and 9 assists in the decisive Game 5 overtime win.

### AS Monaco (2022–present)

On July 15, 2022, he signed with AS Monaco of the LNB Pro A. On April 22, 2023, Okobo won the French Basketball Cup with Monaco, the first in the team's history. He was named the Cup Final MVP after he had 20 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists in the final against his former team ASVEL.

## National team career

Okobo was a member of the French under-20 national basketball team, making his first international appearance at the 2016 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship in Finland. He had his best performance of the event on July 23, 2017, notching 23 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 steals in a 74–60 victory over Finland. He was the third-leading scorer at the tournament, averaging 18.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.9 steals per game, shooting.429 from the three-point line. He also played with France's Under-20 junior national team, at the 2017 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship, where he won a bronze medal. He averaged 12.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game at the tournament.

## Career statistics

### NBA


Jelenia Góra Valley

# Jelenia Góra Valley

## Abstract

Jelenia Góra Valley (Polish: Kotlina Jeleniogórska; Silesian: Kotlina Lelýniohorski; German: Hirschberger Tal; Literally "Deer Mountain Valley") in Poland is a big valley at the Silesian northern side of the Western Sudetes and next to Kłodzko Valley the largest intermontane basin of the Sudetes. It is situated at an altitude of 250–400 meters above sea level and covers an area of 273 km. In the 19th century, the lovely landscape attracted the Prussian high nobility, which built magnificent palaces, manors and parks. The enormous number of stately homes turned the valley into one of the most important garden landscapes in Middle Europe.

The palaces and landscape parks of the Jelenia Góra valley represent one of Poland's official national Historic Monuments (Pomnik historii), as designated on 20 September 2011. Its listing is maintained by the National Heritage Board of Poland.

## Geography

Jelenia Góra valley is surrounded by parts of the Sudetes mountains. It lies at the foot of the Karkonosze, which are also its southern limit. In the east it borders the Rudawy Janowickie, in the west the Jizera Mountains and in the north to the Kaczawskie Mountains. River Bóbr runs through the valley along its northern side, its tributaries Łomnica and Kamienna flow, from the southeast and south-west, along the eastern and western side of the valley and open out near since Jelenia Góra into the Bóbr. The name of the valley derives from Jelenia Góra, which is also the most important town of the Silesian Karkonosze.

The valley is characterised by ridges which are separated by smaller basins. Wzgórza Karpnickie near Karpniki is the easternmost ridge, followed by Obniżenie Mysłakowickie basin near Mysłakowice to the west, Wzgórza Łomnickie ridge to the southeast of Cieplice Śląskie-Zdrój (a spa district of Jelenia Góra), the wide basin Obniżenie Sobieszowa near Sobieszów, Wysoczyzna Rybnicy ridge north west of Piechowice and Starej Kamienicy basin near Stara Kamienica.

## History

Already in the 12th century the Polish kingdom built several strongholds against Bohemia near Jelenia Gora valley, such as Nowo Grodziec or Swiny. After Boleslaw I initiated the Ostsiedlung in Silesia, the valley was cleared of forests by German colonists beginning in the late 13th century, and several villages and towns were established, among them Hirschberg (Jelenia Góra). During that time the family Schaffgotsch appeared for the first time in the region, and later owned large parts of the valley as well as of the Giant Mountains until their expulsion in 1945. After the forests lost its significance as a natural border against Bohemia the Silesian Piasts of the independent duchy of Jawor-Świdnica built several castles in the valley to secure the border and to protect the new villages. Many fortifications were constructed, especially during the reign of Bolko II, who was in a constant feud with Bohemia. In the middle of the 15th century Matthias Corvinus, who ruled over Silesia, destroyed almost all Silesian castles. During the Renaissance and Baroque era many manors were expanded, sometimes to splendid palaces.

Since the Treaty of Berlin (1742) Silesia had become part of the Kingdom of Prussia. At the end of the 18th century artists and travellers attracted by the landscape discovered the valley. At first Bad Warmbrunn (Cieplice Śląskie Zdrój, now a district of Jelenia Góra) with its hot springs became a popular bath and tourist centre. In 1822 Wilhelm, a brother of Prussian king Frederick William III, was the first prince of the Hohenzollern dynasty who took his summer residence in the Hirschberg valley, at Fischbach (today Karpniki) castle. In 1831 the king himself bought Erdmannsdorf estate, which he had learned to appreciate when visiting his brother in Fischbach and the previous owner of Erdmannsdorf, field marshal August von Gneisenau. The valley became a princely hideaway, and in 1839 the king purchased nearby Schildau Castle (today Wojanów) for his daughter Princess Louise. Frederick William IV enlarged Erdmannsdorf Palace. Many new parks were created and manors and palaces rebuilt according to the newest architectural styles. Artificial ruins, small pavilions, cottages, romantic temples and viewpoints created a cultural landscape of international recognition.

At the end of the 19th century Hirschberg valley became one of the most favoured travel destinations in Germany. Tourism by car became popular after new streets, like the Sudetenstraße (Sudete road), were built in the first half of the 20th century. Many new hotels were constructed in Hirschberg, Krummhübel (Polish: Karpacz) and Schreiberhau (Polish: Szklarska Poręba), which also housed an artists' colony, and Bad Warmbrunn was one of the most popular spas in Eastern Germany. Palaces and parks became a tourist attraction and many art collections were opened for the public.

At the end of World War II Silesia was conquered by the Soviet Union and the valley became part of Poland. The new owners rarely maintained the cultural heritage. Important churches and the castles, testimonies of the early Polish culture before the German colonization in the 13th and 14th century, were preserved, palaces and manors however were neglected, vandalized and sometimes destroyed. Directly after the war the reactivation of tourism was tried, however as most holiday homes in the valley were occupied by new settlers and the touristic infrastructure was in a sorry state these attempts failed. The parks, the excellent hiking trail network and erstwhile viewpoints run to seed, while most of the art collections were either destroyed or dissolved and spread all over Poland.

After the collapse of communism in Poland a rediscovery of the cultural landscape began, which is increasingly accepted and appreciated by the descendants of the Polish settlers. Today many private and governmental initiatives, as well as German expellee organisations and family members of former owners, work together to revitalize the touristic infrastructure and cultural heritage, and academics work on the acceptance of the valley as a World Heritage Site.

## Parks

Enthusiastic contemporaries described the Hirschberg valley of the 19th century as one "big English garden". Already at the end of the 18th century Hirschbergs director of town planning, Schönau, created several gardens on the surrounding hills of the city. Around 1800 the first parks emerged in Ruhberg (Polish: Ciszyca) and Stonsdorf (Polish: Staniszów). These early parks were affected by Sentimentalism, as the art of garden design was especially suitable to stimulate deep feelings like melancholy, teariness, amazement or joy.

In the course of the 19th century horticulture became more and more influenced by romantic ideas and a new historical awareness. Instead of different scenes and architectural styles more reduced designs, only consisting of mere scenic elements like trees, groves, creeks, meadows and hills, became popular. Extensive path networks and long view shafts were a central element of these parks. A prominent example was the park of Fischbach.

"It is what in England is commonly called an ornamented farm, and the grounds are out altogether in the English taste. Nature is indeed here so extremely beautiful of herself that she will condescend to receive very little decoration from human ingenuity. Here are lawns and grottoes and cascades and running streams and parks which scarcely require anything more than enclosure to make English gardens."

John Quincy Adams describing the park of Buchwald

The landscape architecture in Hirschberg valley culminated during the 1840s with the work of Peter Joseph Lenné. New parks were created in Erdmannsdorf (Polish: Mysłakowice), Schildau (Polish: Wojanów) and Lomnitz (Polish: Łomnica). These parks followed the so-called zoned landscape garden, a principle which was adopted by Lenné and Pückler-Muskau from England. It was marked by richly decorated gardens around the house which were divided into small sections, followed by a pleasure ground as a transition zone and a landscape garden which faded into the proximity. The surrounding countryside was landscaped by Lenné with alleys, paths, lookout points and places to rest.

The large number of parks from different eras, the artistic reference of all these parks to the beautified surrounding countryside and the picturesque backdrop of the Giant Mountains created a unique landscape, which was regarded as a Silesian Elysium. Since a few years, the Polish conservation organization tries to preserve and recreate the cultural landscape, which slowly recovers its lost beauty.

## Sights

Jelenia Góra valley is the natural foreland of the Karkonosze Mountains. Many places in the valley offer unparalleled views of the mountains. An outstanding feature of the valley is the large number of country seats and locks, for example Mysłakowice, Staniszów and now to Jelenia Góra or Cieplice Śląskie-Zdrój with park and spa. Chojnik, a castle ruin on a foothill of the Karkonosze (Giant) Mountains, overlooks the entire Jelenia Góra valley. A lake district in the south of the Wzgórza Łomnickie at the foot of the mountains, created in the 1980s and 1990s, represents another distinctive feature. It consists of a series of dams, of which Zbiornik Sosnówka or Jezioro Sosnówka below Sosnówka and Podgórzyn, with a dam of 1.5 kilometres in length, 20 metres in height and an area of 170 hectares, is the largest.

## Important castles, palaces and manors

For a complete list see List of castles and palaces in Jelenia Góra valley

### Wojanów palace

Wojanów palace (German: Schloss Schildau), was one of three former royal Prussian summer residences in the valley. It was first mentioned in 1281. Since 1299 it was owned by family von Zedlitz. Between 1603 and 1607 Nikolaus Freiherr von Zedlitz und Nimmersatt erected a new building, which was destroyed during the Thirty Years' War and rebuilt in 1667 by Christoph von Zedlitz. Between 1832 and 1833 the interior of the palace was altered by a builder close to Karl Friedrich Schinkel. In 1839 Frederick William III of Prussia bought the building as a gift for his daughter Louise. In the following years, the park was newly designed by Peter Joseph Lenné. After World War II the palace was looted and the furniture removed. The new Polish owners used it as an administrative building and holiday home. Later it was abandoned and fell into ruin. In 1995 a Polish-Italian company restored the building and its surroundings, which now house a luxurious hotel, spa and a business centre. The park has been restored to its formal glory (Wojanów Palace home page).

### Mysłakowice palace

Mysłakowice palace (German: Schloss Erdmannsdorf) was the summer residence of the Prussian king and the most important palace in the valley. It was mentioned for the first time in 1305. Until the 16th century it was owned by the families of Zedlitz, Stange and Reibnitz. The core of today's building emanated from the 18th century, when Maximilian Leopold von Reibnitz expanded it to a Baroque palace. Later it was, among others, owned by the family von Richthofen and August Neidhardt von Gneisenau. Gneisenau expanded it in neo-classical style. After his death Frederick William III of Prussia bought the palace and appointed Schinkel and Lenné to remodel palace and the park, which became one of the most beautiful landscape gardens in Silesia. In 1837 Frederick William III left large parts of his estate to religious refugees from Tyrol, who built picturesque Alpine-style houses. After Frederick Williams death his successor, Frederick William IV of Prussia, reconvert the palace to plans by Friedrich August Stüler in neo-Gothic style. Until 1909 the stately home continued to be the summer residence of the Prussians kings and German emperors, afterwards it was sold for 1,7 million Mark.

After World War II the Communist Red Army occupied the palace. Since 1951 the Polish state used it as a school and largely destroyed the interior. Today parts of the exterior are renovated and most of the park is preserved, even though some important view shafts are overgrown.

### Karpniki palace

Karpniki palace (German: Schloss Fischbach), the summer palace of Prince Wilhelm of Prussia, is one of the best-known palaces in the valley. It was first mentioned in 1364 as a moated castle, which was expanded in the 15th century. Initially owned by the families Predel and Reichenbach, it was bought by Hans I. Schoff in 1476, who enlarged the castle with a two-storied mansion. After a fire in 1593, the building was again expanded with two new wings in Renaissance style. In 1822 prince Wilhelm acquired Fischbach, which became the first summer palace of the Hohenzollern dynasty in the valley. Beginning from 1844 it was reconstructed in neo-Gothic style according to plans in part by the prince himself. Wilhelm and his successors also equipped the palace with a remarkable art collection of medieval glass paintings and far eastern objects of art. At the end of World War II, it was used as a depository for important art treasures from Silesia and the national library in Berlin.

After the war, Russian and Polish soldiers plundered Karpniki, which became part of Poland. In the following years, the palace was used as a school and a mental hospital. Over time it fell into disrepair and had to be evacuated. In the following years, it was several times depredated and also willfully destroyed. After the fall of the Iron Curtain several initiatives tried to hold up the decline, until now however without success.

The large estate park was created after 1822 to instructions of princess Marianne. The arrangement referred to the family of the owners. A bench of marble showed medallions of the prince, the princess and its children, a neo-Gothic monument commemorated to a brother of princess Marianne and the Waldemarsturm housed a weapons collection of Prince Waldemar. But also cottages, a greenhouse, a cross on the summit by Christian Daniel Rauch and many other buildings and structures were erected.Today the park is barely visible and most of its buildings are destroyed.

### Bolcz Castle

Bolcz Castle was established in 1375. It has had a succession of owners and alterations and was briefly a hotel after WW2.

### Bukowiec palace

Bukowiec palace (German: Buchwald) – formerly Countess von Reden, now academy, with park und Belvedere

### Cieplice Śląskie-Zdrój palace

Cieplice Śląskie-Zdrój palace (German: Bad Warmbrunn) – palace Count of Schaffgotsch

## Literature


The Laughing Mask (film)

# The Laughing Mask (film)

## Abstract

The Laughing Mask is a 2014 American independent horror film written and directed by Michael Aguiar and is his feature film directorial debut. It was released on October 31, 2014, and stars John Hardy as a man who must face down the serial killer known only as "Laughing Mask", who murdered John's family.

## Plot

Jake Johnson is a man with a mission. His wife Jaycee was murdered by the brutal serial killer named the Laughing Mask years ago and he's determined to bring the man to justice. He's not the only one who wants to end the Laughing Mask's reign of terror, as the police have set Kate on the case. However, as the film progresses more and more people fall victim to the Laughing Mask, some of whom have been murdered in ways that resemble crimes that the victims purportedly committed.

## Cast

- John Hardy as Jake Johnson

- Jeffrey Gwyn Jenkins as The Laughing Mask

- Sheyenne Rivers as Kate

- Inge Uys as Jaycee Johnson

- Gabriel Lee as Detective Cordova

- Floyd Adams as Pig Man

- Arisia Aguiar as Barbara Johnson

- Jade Aguiar as Nancy Johnson

- Bill Asbury as Rancor Member

- Laura Bush as Planner

- Liz M. Day as Chief Maria Mendoza

- Manny Dortanieves as Groundskeeper

- Anthony Giovanni Elias as Wink

- Flavia Falquetti as Barista

- Matt Ganey as Lloyd Grant

- Brent 'Clutch' Gaubatz as Cole Masters

- Wayne Earle Kinney as Cash

- Trina Christine Mason as Mermaid Woman

## Release

### Home media

The Laughing Mask was released on DVD by Leomark Studios on July 16, 2016.

## Reception

Critical reception has been mostly positive, with many outlets praising Aguiar for the usage of vintage music and animation clips while also criticizing it for feeling disjointed. Starburst and HorrorNews.net both panned The Laughing Mask, as Starburst felt that it was "a film that doesn’t really do anything right. You may laugh but it won’t have been because of anything intentional." HorrorNews.net commented that they enjoyed the film's music, villain, and foundational story, but that "the way the film tells the story is uneven, including seemingly unnecessary scenes while at the same time, leaving out key plot information."

Dread Central gave the film a rating of 3.5/5 stars, writing "With a fantastic-looking presentation and even better instances of gratuitous violence, the movie treads back to the fun days of cut-em-up flicks, and Aguiar looks as if he paid some serious attention to detail with the crafting on this one." Bloody Disgusting gave The Laughing Mask three out of five skulls, saying "in spite of the minor technical missteps and the editing shortcomings, The Laughing Mask definitely deserves attention for the inventive melding of classic slashers and cop drama, as well as some brutal and inventive kills."


Micah Tyler

# Micah Tyler

## Abstract

Micah Tyler is an American Christian musician, who primarily plays Christian pop music. He has released four musical works: two studio albums, The Story I Tell (2013) and New Today (2020), and two extended plays, The Kitchen Sink (2014) and Different (2016) with Fair Trade Services. Both the Different album and the New Today album charted on one Billboard magazine chart.

## Early life and background

He became a youth pastor after graduating from high school at the age of eighteen. He also drove a food delivery truck for his father-in-law’s business before turning to music full time.

## Music career

His music recording career started in 2013, with the studio album, The Story I Tell, while he also independently released an extended play the following year, The Kitchen Sink. In 2015, he had his first viral video with his performance of an original satirical song, "You've Gotta Love Millennials." The video received tens of millions of views within days across Facebook and YouTube. Tyler released another extended play, Different, with Fair Trade Services, on November 4, 2016, while this peaked on the Billboard magazine Christian Albums chart at No. 38.

In 2020, Tyler released "New Today," a full length album which reached No. 25 on the Billboard Magazine Christian Albums chart.

## Personal life

Tyler is married to Casey Begnaud, and together they have three children. They reside in Buna, Texas.

## Discography


Iraklis F.C. (Thessaloniki)

# Iraklis F.C. (Thessaloniki)

## Abstract

Iraklis F.C. (Greek: Γ.Σ. Ηρακλής Θεσσαλονίκης) also known as Iraklis Veneti Bakery F.C. (Greek: Γ.Σ. Ηρακλής Φούρνος Βενέτη) for sponsorship reasons, is a Greek professional football club based in the city of Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece. As of 2021, the club competes in the Super League Greece 2. They play their home matches at Kaftanzoglio Stadium.

Founded in 1908 as "Macedonikos Gymnasticos Syllogos" (Macedonian Gymnastics Club), they are one of the oldest in Greek football and the oldest in Thessaloniki, hence the nickname Ghireos (meaning the Elder). A year later, the name "Iraklis" (Heracles) was added to the club's name as an honour to the ancient Greek hero Heracles (or Hercules as the Roman equivalent). The team's colours are cyan or blue and white, inspired by the Greek flag. Iraklis is a founding member of Macedonia Football Clubs Association, as well as the Hellenic Football Federation, as a part of G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki.

Before the formation of the nationwide league of Alpha Ethniki, Iraklis competed in the league that was run by the Macedonia Football Clubs Association, winning it on no less than five occasions. The club has also played in five Greek Cup finals, lifting the trophy once in the 1976 final, which is the club's only domestic trophy. They have also an international title, as they won the Balkans Cup in 1985.

## History

### Foundation and first years (1899–1914)

Iraklis traced its roots back in 1899 when Omilos Filomouson (meaning Friends of Music Club) was established. The club was established as a cultural union of the Greeks of Thessaloniki, but in 1902 it founded a sports department. Football was a new sport at the time, but rapidly increasing in popularity and thus the board of directors decided to line up a football team. The first match that was held by the Omilos Filomouson football team was on 23 April 1905, against a team of the Western European diaspora of the city called Union Sportive. Omilos Filomouson won the match by a 3–0 scoreline.

Later on, the club faced financial problems, but members of the club joined forces with another Greek athletic club of the city, called Olympia. The result of this union was the foundation of a new club on 29 November 1908, called Makedonikos Gymnastikos Syllogos (meaning Macedonian Gymnastics Club), that gained a permission to operate by the Ottoman authorities. The new club's first president was a Greek doctor, Alkiviadis Maltos. The name of the club had a direct reference to the ethnic tensions that took place in the area at that time.

Due to the Young Turks ' revolt of 1908 and their promises for ease of ethnic tensions in the area, the club was forced to change its name. Thus a new name was decided for the club, Ottomanikos Ellinikos Gymnastikos Syllogos Thessalonikis "Iraklis" (meaning Ottoman Greek Gymnastics Club of Thessaloniki "Iraklis"). The new name was approved, together with a new statute and a new board of directors, by a general assembly of the club on 13 April 1911. After the integration of Thessaloniki in the Kingdom of Greece, the operation of the club was accepted by the Greek courts in 1914 and on 11 January 1915 Iraklis became a fully registered sports club.

### National establishment and early success (1914–1959)

Shortly after the end of the Second Balkan War, Iraklis together with the three Jewish football clubs of the city, Progrès Sportive, Alliance and French-German School Alumni Union organised the first Thessaloniki Football Championship in January and February 1914. Iraklis won Alliance 3–1, Progrès Sportive 5–1 and after winning the French-German School Alumni Union, the club was proclaimed Champion of Thessaloniki. On 6 April 1914, Iraklis played a match against Athinaikos Syllogos Podosfairou, that ended as a draw. It was the club's first match against a club outside Thessaloniki. In 1914, Iraklis established the club's youth squad, so the students of the Greek Gymnasium of the city could train in football. A year later Iraklis won the second Thessaloniki Football Championship. The next championship was not held due to World War I.

In the years following World War I, several football clubs were established in Thessaloniki and that led to the establishment of the Macedonia Football Clubs Association in 1923. The first championship from the newly founded association was organised shortly afterwards and Iraklis lost in the tournament's final 4–1 from Aris. In 1924 Iraklis played its first match against a club from outside the borders of Greece. It was a match against Yugoslav club SSK Skopje, a contest that ended 2–1 in favour of Iraklis. It was in that same year that Iraklis played its first match abroad, a 3–0 friendly win against SK Bitola. In 1926 the club appointed Hungarian Joseph Sveg as manager, the first ever foreign manager in Greece. Under Sveg's guidance, Iraklis won the Championship organised by the Macedonia Football Clubs Association in 1926–27. By winning 6–0 against the reigning champion of West Macedonia Ermis Shorovich and the champion of East Macedonia and Thrace Rodopi, Iraklis was proclaimed Champion of Macedonia and Thrace. In the following years, Iraklis did not have any success finishing in runner up and even lower positions in the Macedonia Football Clubs Association Championship.

In the 1933–34 season Iraklis won the North Group of the National Championship qualifying for the championship final, where the club had to compete against the champion of the South group Olympiacos. The first leg was played in Iraklis Ground on 10 June 1934. Although Iraklis took a 2–0 lead at half time, Olympiacos managed to make a comeback in the second half, winning the game by a 2–3 scoreline. The second leg was played a week later in Piraeus and Olympiacos was proclaimed National champion by winning this match 2–1.

In the following years Iraklis faced mid table mediocrity, with the exception of the 1936–37 season, when the club was only one point short to Macedonia Football Clubs Association champions PAOK. The 1938–39 season was a successful one for Iraklis, as it won both the Macedonia Football Clubs Association championship and the North Group of the National Championship, the second resulting in the qualification of Iraklis in the National final. In the national final Iraklis lost to AEK Athens both away and at home (1–3 and 2–4 respectively), failing to win the silverware. In the following season Iraklis celebrated its consecutive win in the Macedonia Football Clubs Association Championship but failed to qualify for the National final.

All club football in Greece was suspended from 1941 to 1945 due to the German occupation of the country. After the war period, the club was constantly competing with Aris for the Thessaloniki championship, which gave upon its winner the right to participate in the Greek championship. Iraklis participated in the 1947 Greek Cup final, where was defeated 5–0 by the dominant Greek team of that era, Olympiacos. In the 1950s, the team solidified its position among the top teams in Greece along with Olympiacos, Panathinaikos, AEK Athens, PAOK, AEL Larisa and Aris. Nevertheless, the club struggled with financial difficulties in an ailing Greek economy. Thessaloniki (where many refugees from the Greco-Turkish War of 1919–1922 had settled) was particularly damaged by the economic downturn. The highlight of the decade was the 1957 Greek Cup final, in which Iraklis was once again defeated by Olympiacos, 2–0.

### Semi-professional Alpha Ethniki era (1959–1975)

Iraklis played in the inaugural season of A' Ethniki. The club secured the 10th position in the first season of national top tier of Greece. Iraklis football academy was founded during the same season after the suggestion of club manager Panos Markovic. In the 1960–61 season Iraklis finished 8th and achieved a record 4–0 win against Atromitos Piraeus. The club also reached the Greek Cup semi-finals that season, getting eliminated by Panionios. The following two seasons Iraklis played in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, getting eliminated both times, by F.K. Vojvodina and Real Zaragoza respectively. In the league, Iraklis secured the 6th position for the 1961–62 season, a club record at the time. The rest of the 1960s, Iraklis secured mid-table positions repeating the club record in the 1969–70 season. In 1965, Kostas Aidiniou, a player that together with fellow Greek international Zacharias Chaliabalias would lead the club for the following decade, debuted for Iraklis. During the 1968–69 season Iraklis matched its record win as it won AEL Limassol by a 4–0 margin.

In the 1970–71 season Iraklis, under the guidance of Yugoslav manager Ljubiša Spajić, finished 5th in the league, the club's best positioning since the establishment of Alpha Ethniki. In that season, Iraklis sold 45,634 tickets in a 1–0 home win against Panathinaikos, a club record since today and an Alpha Ethniki record at the time. The following for seasons, Iraklis achieved safe mid-table positions. In 1972, Iraklis signed Dimitris Gesios from Kozani, a player that would become the club's all-time league top-scorer. In the 1973–74 season Iraklis broke its biggest win record in Alpha Ethniki, by beating AEL 6–1. On 29 August 1974, Iraklis sold its star player Aidiniou to Olympiacos for 11,000,000 drachmas. In the next season Iraklis beat Kalamata 5–0 at home to match its record win and finished 8th in the league. The club also reached the semi-final of that season's Cup. Iraklis was eliminated 1–2 by Panathinaikos at home. After the match, three players of Iraklis, Chaliabalias, Rokidis and Nikoloudis revealed that there was an attempt from Panathinaikos officials to bribe them for the semi-final. The two first were driven out of the club while the latter was sent off the club for six months.

### The Absolute Star: Vassilis Hatzipanagis era (1975–1990)

On 22 November 1975, the club acquired Vassilis Hatzipanagis, a USSR national of Greek descent, who was late voted a Greece's Golden player for UEFA Jubilee Awards. In the 1975–76 Greek Cup competition Iraklis eliminated Veria, Pierikos, Trikala and Panetolikos to reach the semi-finals. In the semi-finals Iraklis beat Panathinaikos 3–2, at home. Panathinaikos appealed against the result claiming the Iraklis' winning goal came from an offside position. Finally the courts turned down Panathinaikos' appeal and Iraklis qualified to the final to face Olympiacos. On 9 June 1976 Iraklis won the Cup after a 6–5 penalty shootout. In the final Hatzipanagis scored twice, Kousoulakis and Gesios scored once each, in a match that ended 2–2 in full-time and 4–4 in extra-time. In the league Iraklis finished in the 8th position led by Gesios and Hatzipanagis, that scored 9 and 6 goals respectively.

In the next season Iraklis was eliminated from Cypriot club APOEL in the Cup Winners' Cup and struggled in the league finishing in the 12th position, gathering just one point more from relegated Panetolikos. Iraklis improved slightly in the next season ending up ninth in the league with Gesios achieving a personal best scoring 13 goals. The 1978–1979 season the club improved greatly under the guidance of Antoni Brzeżańczyk. Iraklis finished sixth in the league, had a positive goal aggregate for the first time since the 1973–74 season and achieved the club's biggest victory in Alpha Ethniki by beating Rodos by an 8–1 margin.

The 1979–80 season was the first season of fully professional football in Greece. Iraklis finished in the 8th position in the league having his best goal difference since the establishment of Alpha Ethniki with +11. The highlight of the season was a 6–0 against title perennial contenders Panathinaikos, which is Panathinaikos' biggest league defeat to date. In the Greek Cup competition of the season Iraklis eliminated Veria, Niki Volos, Almopos Aridaea and Panarkadikos to reach the semi-finals. In the semi-finals Iraklis eliminated PAOK, but the club's chairman was accused for a bribe attempt by PAOK's player Filotas Pellios. Iraklis proceeded to play in the Cup final, but as the players' morale was damaged the club was defeated by underdogs Kastoria by a 5–2 margin.

At the end of the season Iraklis was demoted to the Beta Ethniki, due to the alleged bribery scandal. Iraklis appealed against that decision, and the club was, later on, declared not guilty, but the club already played in the Second Division. In the 1980–81 season Iraklis had to compete in the Beta Ethniki without his star player Vasilis Hatzipanagis. The club won the championship in the North Group with Ilias Chatzieleftheriou being the top scorer with 24 goals. Iraklis scored a total of 99 goals, conceding 22, and achieved a club league record 12–0 win against Edessaikos. Upon its return to the top tier Iraklis managed to finish in the 6th position in the league and achieved the club's best goal difference at the time with +14. In 1983–84 Iraklis finished in third place overall, which remains to date the club's best positioning, since professional football was established in 1959. The club, led by Hatzipanagis that scored 12 goals in the season, also had its best goal difference since the establishment of Alpha Ethniki with +27 goals and its best defence record, conceding only 20 goals.

In the 1984–85 season Iraklis finished in the 5th position setting the club's offensive record scoring 59 goals. Major contributors to this record were Hatzipanagis, Lakis Papaioannou and Sigurður Grétarsson each contributing 10 goals throughout the campaign. In the same season Iraklis won its only international competition, the Balkans Cup. Iraklis had to eliminate Turkish giants Galatasaray by winning 5–2 on aggregate in the quarter-finals, and Ankaragücü through a penalty shoot-out in the semi-finals. In the final's second leg Iraklis won Argeș Pitești 4–1, thus winning the trophy 5–4 on aggregate. In the 1985–86 season Iraklis, led by Lakis Papaioannou that finished the season with 8 goals, finished in the fourth position, having the best defensive record in the league, conceding 22 goals. Two years later, 17,000 fans travelled to Athens to support Iraklis in the 1987 Greek Cup final, unfortunately to see their team lose 3–1 on penalties (1–1 regular time) to OFI Crete. On 9 November 1990, shortly after an UEFA Cup match against Valencia, Hatzipanagis announced his retirement from professional football.

### Reconstruction and change of ownership (1990–2007)

The 1990s were a period of reconstruction for the club, as aging players either left the club or retired. Hatzipanagis ' retirement in 1990 had a major negative impact on the team's success. Fans began calling for a change in the club's management, as club president Petros Theodoridis began selling the team's most talented players (Christos Kostis, Giorgos Anatolakis, Savvas Kofidis etc.). Iraklis competed in 1990 against Valencia in the UEFA Cup, being eliminated in overtime at Mestalla.

#### Evangelos Mytilineos period (2000–2004)

The team was sold in 2000 to prominent Greek businessman Evangelos Mytilineos for almost €3,500,000 (1.18 billion drachmas). Despite the acquisition of many promising players during the first summer, the 2000–2001 campaign didn't have the expected results, with the club finishing in 5th position, out of European qualification spots. However, Iraklis managed to progress to the 2nd round of UEFA Cup, where they achieved a memorable (although without any effect) win over 1. FC Kaiserslautern in Fritz-Walter-Stadion. Next summer, Mytilineos's first move was to sell the highly rated striker and fans' favorite Michalis Konstantinou to Panathinaikos, setting a new record for the highest fee received for a domestic transfer. That move worsened the relationship between the new owner and the fans, while it clearly weakened the club, since Konstantinou was not replaced. Manager Giannis Kyrastas, who was widely considered one of Greece's bests, was replaced by previous coach Angelos Anastasiadis who in his second tenure managed to qualified once again for the UEFA Cup on a very small budget.

In 2004, Mytilineos announced his desire to leave the team and therefore sell it to Giorgos Spanoudakis (a friend of his from their school years, who used to be first vice-president of the club), for just €1, since the team was heavily in debt. Spanoudakis initiated a series of expensive but unsuccessful deals like Polish international Cezary Kucharski and Serie A veteran Giuseppe Signori, driving the team close to bankruptcy. He later tried to get rid of the team by selling it to yet another unknown businessman named Dimitris Houlis, who had been a president of Akratitos F.C. After a 5-month period during which Houlis controlled the team, the Greek football commission finally annulled the transfer, raising questions in the media regarding its handling of the previous one between Mytilinaios and Spanoudakis, too.

In January 2004, Savvas Kofidis, famous as a player of the team in the 1980s, became the team's manager. During the 2005–06, he led Iraklis to an acclaimed 4th-place finish, playing effective and attractive football, creating a club record for 13 consecutive wins at home. However, with considerable debts to players, coaches and the state, Spanoudakis started the 2006–07 season attempting to reconcile Iraklis finances by selling Joël Epalle and Panagiotis Lagos, who were instrumental in the previous year's success. Next year Kofidis resigned as manager of a considerably weakened team after Iraklis lost 7 and drew 2 of his first nine games in Greek Super League and additionally was eliminated from the UEFA Cup in extra time by Wisła Kraków. Eventually the 2006–07 season ended in a hard breaking fashion as the team gained its survival to Greek Super League only in the last matchday, after breaking a 39 matches unbeaten home run of Skoda Xanthi.

### Financial collapse and relegations (2007–2011)

On 13 July 2007, Spanoudakis eventually resigned and the team passed to the hands of a consortium of local businessmen, with prominent Greek singer Antonis Remos (a lifelong fan of the team) as their leader. The new owners tried to stabilize the team financially having already paid the debts to Giuseppe Signori (almost $1,000,000) and to other players and lenders from the past.

However, on 4 May 2011 Iraklis was relegated back to Football League (Greece) after failing to obtain a license to participate in 2011–12 Super League. On 19 May 2011, the Disciplinary Committee of the competition found Iraklis guilty of forgery during the winter transfer window. Therefore, the club was automatically placed in the last position. That is a unique case as Iraklis has never finished in a relegation spot but has been relegated twice. Moreover, on 26 September the Professional Sports Committee stripped Iraklis from its professional licence and demoted it to Delta Ethniki. This situation spurred reactions from Iraklis fans, with demonstrations in Thessaloniki and Athens.

### A.E.P. Iraklis 1908 (2012–2019)

The team finally competed in the 2011–12 Delta Ethniki, which started late due to Koriopolis, without much success. Meanwhile, the club's board was discussing a possible merger with another club. There were discussions with local teams Agrotikos Asteras and Anagennisi Epanomi, but only the ones with Pontioi were successful, and a pre-agreement contract was signed between Iraklis and Pontioi on 3 January 2012. The resulting team was named AEP Iraklis F.C., but virtually Iraklis replaced Pontioi Katerinis, who ceased to exist. On 20 January 2012, the merger was approved by amateur Iraklis, and their football team was disbanded and withdrawn from the Delta Ethniki.

#### The merged club

On 3 January 2012, the two teams reached an agreement regarding the running of the new club, with further negotiations planned after six months. Pontioi Katerinis would change their name to AEP Iraklis, take the badge and colors of Iraklis, and move to Kaftanzoglio Stadium. The squad would consist of players from both teams and be trained in Katerini.

On 23 January 2012, the team played their first game at home against Tilikratis, while pending approval of the merger by the Greek Professional Sports Committee.

Ιn August 2012, AEP Iraklis was incorporated as AEP Iraklis 1908 FC. The new merged club has no legal connection to the original Iraklis Thessaloniki F.C., but is essentially considered as a direct continuation of it, as it uses the crest of Iraklis Thessaloniki FC, its colours, and incorporates players and people associated with the former Iraklis FC. Therefore, G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki has no shares of the new company, but instead still holds the 10% of the bankrupt original Iraklis FC company, which remains to be dissolved.

On 24 September 2012, the merged club was accepted in Greek Football League, as an acknowledgement of injustice against the old PAE Iraklis. In 2014 the company was renamed in PAE Iraklis 1908.

In the summer of 2014, and after several months of negotiations, Spyros Papathanasakis became the new major shareholder of the club.

#### Relegation (2017)

Iraklis was dissolved as a professional club in 2017, due to major financial issues the club had been facing for some years. They failed to participate in Football League (second tier) and were thus dissolved as a professional football club and begun the season in division 3 (Gamma Ethniki). The next season they promoted back.

### Iraklis 2015 (2019–2020)

Iraklis was relegated in 2019 from the professional second-tier Football League into the amateur fourth-tier Gamma Ethniki, due to the restructuring of the Greek national championships and its performance in conjunction to its financial state. This led the professional club into further insolvency and an inability to form a squad to participate in any championship in the 2019–20 season. Faced with this situation, a new football club, named Iraklis 2015 was formed through the volleyball club of the Iraklis sports club family, which started participating in the lowest regional championship of the Thessaloniki region, the Macedonia Football Clubs Association Gamma Amateur Championship, which is on the fourth tier regionally and on the eighth nationally. On 20 April 2020, amateur championships were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, therefore Iraklis won the championship winning all 15 games, scoring 88 goals and conceding 6.

### P.O.T. Iraklis (2021–)

In July 2021, an agreement between the club and Triglia F.C. was announced and Iraklis will officially be in Super League 2 for the 2021–2022 season and they finished seventh (7th).

In the season 2022–2023, Iraklis FC played in the Super League 2 again, the second tier of the Greek football league system. They finished fifth (5th) in the North group with 47 points. They scored 56 goals (1st in the league).

The season 2023–2024, start with legal problems plaguing the club during the summer, 15 players left the team. At the start of Super League 2, 16 new players were added to the team and the general captain of the team, Tasos Katsambis, left.

On September 27, 2023, the Arbitration Court of the E.P.O. rejected the request to withdraw the P.O.T. Heraklis P.A.E. against Ioan Bogdan Mara, consequently the team was at risk of relegation from the 2023–2024 Super League 2 championship. On the same day, the owner of P.O.T. Iraklis P.A.E., Stratos Evgeniou, announced that it could not meet the repayment of the former footballer and other old debts of Iraklis Thessaloniki P.A.E.. On October 2, 2023, N.G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki 1908 called on the members and fans of the sports club to help financially at the last moment so that by October 6, 2023, the required financial amount of 225,000 euros can be collected and the agreement with the former footballer can be completed. At the same time, the coach Sakis Tsiolis and the football players of the team asked Stratos Evgeniou to be paid with less money in order to collect the necessary financial amount. On October 6, 2023, the selflessness, determination and solidarity of the members and fans of Iraklis Thessaloniki was highlighted. This date is a milestone in the history of the sports club. Within 3 working days, the required financial amount was collected by the fans of Iraklis Thessaloniki and finally the repayment of the former football player of the team was achieved.

## Crest and colours

Iraklis's crest has changed through times. The original club logo was a capital Η (Eta), the first letter of the word Iraklis (Ηρακλής) in Greek, surrounded by a circle. After the 2000 takeover of the club by Evangelos Mytilinaios, the logo was changed once again to a more "modern" looking one. During the 2008–09 season the club used a special logo, created especially for its centenary. The crest that is now used depicts the demigod Heracles resting upon his club, a scene inspired by Farnese Hercules statue, itself a copy of a statue crafted by Lysippos in the fourth century BC.

Throughout the entire club's history its colours were blue or cyan and white, to resemble the colours of the Greek flag, given the fact that Iraklis was established while Thessaloniki was a part of the Ottoman Empire. The team is so known in Greece as Kianolefkoi (Greek: "Κυανόλευκοι"), meaning the Cyan-Whites. Iraklis' away colours were usually either white or orange. Traditionally, the Iraklis shirt was blue and white stripes, but through the years this was changed often to all blue, all white, chess-like, and hooped, among others.

## Kit evolution

## Sponsorships

- Great Shirt Sponsor: Venetis Bakery

- Official Sport Clothing Manufacturer: Lotto

- Official Sponsor: Venetis Bakery

## Facilities

### Stadium

The first ground of the team was placed in the centre of Thessaloniki, nearby the White Tower. Its construction was funded by the members of G.S. Iraklis, but, after Thessaloniki became a part of Greece, the club was ousted from its owned ground, so a park could be created in its place. In 1915, Iraklis rented an area in the centre of Thessaloniki for a ten years period, but the club was unable to use its facilities until 1919, due to World War I. In 1927 the club renewed the contract for the use of the area, but in 1930, the newly founded Aristotle University of Thessaloniki tried to take the ownership of the field. For almost two decades the ground was used by both the athletes of Iraklis and the students of the university, until in the 1950s the university managed to get the ownership of the ground, so it could demolish it to construct a square, that is nowadays known as Platia Chimiou.

On 6 November 1960 Iraklis played its first match in Kaftanzoglio Stadium, to record a 2–1 win against M.G.S.S. Thermaikos Thessalonikis. Kaftanzoglio has been the home ground of Iraklis ever since, including the 2011–12 season, when both the G.S. Iraklis and the A.E.P. Iraklis team used it as their home ground. In the 2002–03 and 2003–04 seasons Iraklis used Makedonikos Stadium as its home ground. That decision was made due to the renovation of Kaftanzoglio for the 2004 Summer Olympics. Iraklis also owns a football ground and training facilities in the, adjacent to Kaftanzoglio Stadium, Chortatzides area, where the juveniles of the club train. There were plans for Iraklis to construct a new 22,000-seat stadium, in a club owned area in the eastern extremities of the city, in Mikra.

### Training facility

Iraklis Sports Center locates in the area of Mikra and is the club-owned training ground of the team. The training facilities include three football fields, gym, sauna, water pool, such as the administration building of Iraklis FC. In the area, the club's new stadium also was planned to be built.

## Supporters

Iraklis was well supported right from the start of its establishment. Even though the football section wasn't the most popular among club loyals in the very first years, it soon became the "flagship" of the sports club, as football became more and more popular. In the '70s and '80s, the club attracted crowds of around 10.000 people, to reach a peak in the 1983–84 season with an average attendance of 16,559. In the '90s, following Hatzipanagis' retirement and the general fall in attendances in Greek football, crowds in Kaftanzoglio deteriorated to a modest average of 5,000. A record low attendance was recorded during the '90s, as in a match against Paniliakos there were only 384 tickets sold. A brief increase in attendance was recorded after the purchase of the club by Evangelos Mytilineos, reaching a peak in the 2001–02 season with an average of 6,790. On 24 January 1971 Iraklis set the highest attendance record for any football match in Alpha Ethniki, with 45,634 tickets sold in the club's contest against Panathinaikos. In the 1987 Greek Cup final a crowd of 17,000 Iraklis fans travelled to Athens, to watch Iraklis lose in penalties against OFI. In two recent opinion polls Iraklis was ranked as the 6th most popular football club in Greece, gathering 2.8%–3.7% of the participating football supporters.

The most prominent supporters' club of the team is Aftonomi Thira 10 (meaning Autonomous Gate 10), a fan club with a total of 15 branches in Northern Greece. The fan club is known for holding an antiracist stance, as it participates in the Ultras Antiracist Festival. Other activities of the fan club include the publication of a magazine and the conduct of an annual festival. Other minor supporters' clubs are SFISE, Blue Boys, A.P.A.T.S.I. and Iraklis Fan Club of Athens.

Iraklis' supporters hold ties with the supporters of FSV Mainz, Rayo Vallecano, Zemun and FK Buducnost Podgorica as those have shown their support during Iraklis' supporters rallies against Super League 's refusal to grant Iraklis a license to participate in the 2010–11 Super League season.

Also, the fans have sympathy for all the clubs named "Heracles" worldwide, most notably the Spanish Hércules CF. Since 2003, fans of both teams formed a friendship through the internet. There is even a Hércules CF supporters club that bears the name "Iraklis", in honor of their friendship.

## Ownership and financing

### Professional era

Until 1979 Greek football was semi-professional and each football club was run by a board and a president appointed by its respective multi-sport club, of which it was considered a branch. In the 1979–80 season the football branch of Iraklis became an SA owned by local businessmen Tertilinis and Pertsinidis. In the 1983–84 season Iraklis was bought by Petros Theodorides who remained at the helm of the club for almost 18 years. From the beginning of the 1999–2000 season there were demonstrations by the supporters of Iraklis, asking for the resignation of Theodoridis from his presidential seat and the sale of his stocks. On 11 February 2000 Greek business magnate Evangelos Mytilineos bought the stocks of Theodoridis for a reported 1.18 billion Greek drachmas. On 27 January 2003, two days after a 3–1 away defeat of Iraklis against OFI, Mytilineos gave a press conference in which he announced his withdrawal from Iraklis' affairs, due to his disgust with the establishment of Greek football.

Shortly afterwards the ownership of the club was passed to businessman Giorgos Spanoudakis for 1 euro and until 2006 the club had accumulated a debt of 8 million euros, partly because Mytilineos did not pay the taxes for the players' contracts and partly due to Spanoudakis handling of the club's affairs. After a takeover of the club, in 2005, by businessman Dimitris Khoulis failed, Spanoudakis continued having the ownership of Iraklis. In 2007 Spanoudakis declared the club's inability to repay its debts to the players and tried to hand Iraklis' stocks to Cypriot businessman Pheevos Morides. After the latter failed to fulfill his promises the deal was cancelled.

Greek singer Antonis Remos, a prominent supporter of Iraklis, expressed his interest to undertake the club's fortunes, but he moved back when Spanoudakis asked €500,000 to pass the club's ownership. On 10 July 2007 Iraklis' administration building was set on fire by supporters in an attempt to express their discontent for the cancellation of the club's takeover from Antonis Remos. A few days later a deal was reached and Remos took over Iraklis. In the summer of 2010, Ioannis Takis took charge as the new chairman.

#### Summers 2010 and 2011 authorisation issues and reactions

On 1 June 2010, the club was denied a license to compete in next season's Greek Super League. That summer, Iraklis's fans rallied in Thessaloniki for more than 10 days. Also there were 2 rallies in Athens and other important places in Greece like Malgara and Tempi. Finally, on 25 June, Iraklis received permission to play in Greek Super League for the 2010–11 season.

On 4 May 2011, Iraklis were relegated to Football League (Greece) after failing to obtain a license to participate in 2011–12 Super League. On 19 May 2011, the Disciplinary Committee of the competition found Iraklis guilty of forgery during the winter transfer window. Therefore, the club was automatically placed in the last position. That is a unique case as Iraklis have never finished in a relegation spot but have been relegated twice. On 26 September, however, the Professional Sports Committee stripped Iraklis from its professional licence and demoted it to Delta Ethniki. The team competed in Delta Ethniki under the ownership of G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki, until the G.S. Irakli's General Assembly decided to disband it in favour of a merging deal with Pontioi Katerini to form AEP Iraklis F.C. in 2012.

### The Club is named A.E.P. Iraklis 1908 (2012–2019)

Ιn August 2012, AEP Iraklis was incorporated as AEP Iraklis 2012 FC. The new merged club has no legal connection to the original Iraklis Thessaloniki F.C., but is essentially considered as a direct continuation of it. Therefore, G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki has no shares of the new company, but instead still holds the 10% of the bankrupt original Iraklis FC company, which remains to be dissolved. Currently, MAE Pontioi Katerini own 10% of the new merged club, as required by the Greek sports law, the club's chairman Theodoros Papadopoulos and team fans own the rest, with the chairman possessing a relative majority.

#### Spyros Papathanasakis era (2014–2017)

In the summer of 2014 and after several months of negotiations Spyros Papathanasakis became the new major shareholder of the club holds the 90% of shares. The same year the company was once again renamed in PAE Iraklis 1908. In 2014–15, Iraklis promoted easily from the second division (Football League) to the Super League (first tier) after finishing in the first place during the regular season and second in the playoffs only behind AEK FC. The next season Iraklis finished in the 12th position to secure Super League status for the next season.

Two years later, despite successfully retaining Super League status once again by finishing 12th the team was again relegated to gamma ethniki (third tier) while the financial situation of the club was again under severe deterioration. This urged Papathanasakis, on 7 September 2017, to declare Iraklis' inability to satisfy financial obligations, causing the club to be disbanded for the second time in five years. Papathanasakis stepped down as owner and chairman of Iraklis FC. For this reason, a brand new committee with Nikos Vafeiadis as its chairman was made by Iraklis's Legends and fans to save the club.

Despite starting the 2017–18 season with only 14 players Vafeiadis and the rest of the brand new committee brought lots of players who quickly helped Iraklis to climb the rankings and play high quality football during their first season back in Gamma Ethniki since 2011–12. After an amazing season, despite being an outsider Iraklis finished top of the table in group 2. This obtained the club a Play-offs place. In the Play-offs Iraklis managed to finish in the 1st place and gain promotion to Football League (2nd tier).

#### Tom Papadopoulos era (2018–2019)

In the summer, negotiations began on the purchase of the football section of Iraklis Thessaloniki by the Greek–American businessman Tom Papadopoulos, who is involved in the processing and marketing of marble in the United States of America. On 27 September 2018, Professional Sports Committee of Greece announced that Tom Papadopoulos is the new major shareholder of Iraklis Thessaloniki and today 90% of its shares are its own, since it has already given €300,000 for the share capital of the new company set up a few days ago. The professional club formed through the merger with Pontioi Katerini F.C., which is owned by Tom Papadopoulos, does not currently compete and appears to be insolvent.

## Players

### Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

## Board of Directors

## Honours and achievements

### Regional

- Thessaloniki Championship Winners (2): 1914, 1915

- Winners (2): 1914, 1915

- Macedonia FCA Championship Winners (5): 1926–27, 1938–39, 1939–40, 1950–51, 1951–52 Runners up (6): 1923–24, 1925–26, 1929–30, 1936–37, 1946–47, 1952–53

- Winners (5): 1926–27, 1938–39, 1939–40, 1950–51, 1951–52

- Runners up (6): 1923–24, 1925–26, 1929–30, 1936–37, 1946–47, 1952–53

- Macedonia FCA Championship Fourth Division Winners (1): 2019–20

- Winners (1): 2019–20

### National

- Super League (First Division) Runners up (3): 1933–34, 1938–39, 1946–47

- Runners up (3): 1933–34, 1938–39, 1946–47

- Super League 2 (Second Division) Champions (1): 1980–81 Runners up (1): 2014–15

- Champions (1): 1980–81

- Runners up (1): 2014–15

- Gamma Ethniki (Third Division) Champions (1): 2017–18

- Champions (1): 2017–18

- Greek Cup Winners (1): 1975–76 Runners up (4): 1946–47, 1956–57, 1979–80, 1986–87

- Winners (1): 1975–76

- Runners up (4): 1946–47, 1956–57, 1979–80, 1986–87

### Iraklis Thessaloniki in International competitions

- Balkans Cup Winners (1): 1984–85

- Winners (1): 1984–85

## Notable former players

### Greek Golden Player – UEFA Jubilee Awards

- Vasilis Hatzipanagis

## Records and statistics

### Records

- Biggest win: 14–1 v Enosi Charilaou, 1959–60 Greek Cup 13–0 v Odysseas Kordelio, 1955–56 Greek Cup

- 14–1 v Enosi Charilaou, 1959–60 Greek Cup

- 13–0 v Odysseas Kordelio, 1955–56 Greek Cup

- Biggest away win: 1–8 v Apollon Krya Vrysi, 1993–94 Greek Cup

- 1–8 v Apollon Krya Vrysi, 1993–94 Greek Cup

- Biggest league win: 12–0 v Edessaikos, 1980–81 Beta Ethniki

- 12–0 v Edessaikos, 1980–81 Beta Ethniki

- Biggest top tier win 8–1 v AEK, 1930–31 Panhellenic Championship 8–1 v Rodos, 1978–79 Alpha Ethniki

- 8–1 v AEK, 1930–31 Panhellenic Championship

- 8–1 v Rodos, 1978–79 Alpha Ethniki

### League statistics

#### Positioning in Greek league

Demoted to second division due to a match fixing scandal in a cup game against PAOK. Demoted to fourth division (amateur division) because the Professional Sports Committee stripped Iraklis from its professional licence. Demoted to fourth division (amateur division) due to restructuring of national championships and its financial state.

#### Total league record

GP:games played; W:games won; D:gamed drawn; GF:goals for; GA:goals against; GD:goal difference

#### Head to head record against city rivals

### Statistics in Europe

#### UEFA club competitions' record


The Lawnmower Man (film)

# The Lawnmower Man (film)

## Abstract

The Lawnmower Man is a 1992 science fiction horror film directed by Brett Leonard, written by Leonard and Gimel Everett, and starring Jeff Fahey as Jobe Smith, an intellectually disabled gardener, and Pierce Brosnan as Dr. Lawrence "Larry" Angelo, a scientist who decides to experiment on him in an effort to give him greater intelligence by stimulating his brain using nootropic drugs and virtual reality computer simulations. The experiments give Jobe superhuman abilities, but also increase his aggression, turning him into a man obsessed with evolving into a digital being.

The film was originally marketed as the adaptation of a 1975 short story by Stephen King, which featured a Pan -worshipping satyr using his mystical powers to operate a landscaping business and mow lawns. Allied Vision began developing the film after a planned adaptation of King's book Night Shift (1978), an anthology the story was published in. However, it struggled to expand King's original story into a feature film and instead rewrote an unrelated screenplay entitled CyberGod into an adaptation. The final film bears little resemblance to the original story beyond a single sequence of the antagonist telekinetically using a lawn mower to murder a character named “Harold Parkette.” Because of the deviation from his story, King successfully sued to have his name removed from the film, which was originally titled Stephen King's The Lawnmower Man. King won further damages when his name was included in the title of the home video release.

A sequel, Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace, was released in 1996, with Austin O'Brien as the only returning actor from the original film.

## Plot

Dr. Lawrence Angelo, a scientist at Virtual Space Industries (VSI), conducts experiments using psychoactive drugs and virtual reality to enhance cognitive performance in a program called "Project 5." Although Angelo's intentions are benevolent, VSI is funded by "The Shop," a clandestine organization seeking military applications for his research. One of his test subjects, a chimpanzee named Rosco, gains enhanced intelligence, warfare training, and increased aggression; he eventually escapes but is killed by the laboratory's security forces. In response, Angelo decides to recruit Jobe Smith, an intellectually disabled gardener, as a new test subject, promising him increased intelligence. Angelo redesigns the treatments to eliminate the "aggression factors" used in the chimpanzee experiments. Not only does Jobe's intelligence improve, but he also develops psychokinesis and telepathy. He continues his training at the lab until an accident forces Angelo to halt the experiment.

Sebastian Timms, the project director, monitors the progress and secretly replaces Angelo's new medications with the original Project 5 formula. When Jobe invites his new lover Marnie to the lab for cybersex, he accidentally lobotomizes her. Undeterred, Jobe continues the treatments on his own and begins killing those who mistreated him in the past, as well as the abusive father of his 10-year-old friend, Peter. Angelo discovers the drug switch and confronts Jobe, who captures him and reveals his plan to achieve the ultimate stage of evolution by transforming into a being of "pure energy" within the VSI computer mainframe, intending to connect to all the world's computer systems. Jobe vows that his "birth" will be signaled by every phone on Earth ringing simultaneously.

The Shop sends a team to capture Jobe, but he uses his newfound abilities to destroy them. Jobe then enters the VSI mainframe, abandoning his physical body and becoming a digital being. Angelo remotely accesses the VSI computer, encrypting its connections to the outside world, thereby trapping Jobe in the mainframe. As Jobe frantically searches for an unencrypted network, Angelo sets bombs to destroy the building. Feeling responsible for Jobe's fate, Angelo enters virtual reality, attempting to reason with him one last time, even if it means dying together. Jobe overpowers Angelo, crucifying his digital form. When Peter enters the building, Jobe realizes the boy is in danger from the bombs. Out of lingering care for Peter, Jobe allows Angelo to escape the mainframe to save the child. Jobe himself escapes through a maintenance line just before the building explodes.

Later, Angelo is at home with Peter and his mother, Carla, when the telephone rings. Soon, another phone rings, followed by phones ringing worldwide — Jobe's signal that he has succeeded.

## Cast

- Pierce Brosnan as Dr. Lawrence Angelo

- Jeff Fahey as Jobe Smith

- Jenny Wright as Marnie Burke

- Geoffrey Lewis as Terry McKeen

- Jeremy Slate as Father Francis McKeen

- Dean Norris as The Director

- Austin O'Brien as Peter Parkette

- Troy Evans as Lieutenant Goodwin

- Rosalee Mayeux as Carla Parkette

- Mark Bringelson as Sebastian Timms

- Ray Lykins as Harold Parkette

- Colleen Coffey as Caroline Angelo

## Production

The plot of Stephen King's 1975 short story " The Lawnmower Man " concerns Harold Parkette, who hires "Pastoral Greenery and Outdoor Services Inc." to cut his lawn. Parkette later spies on the serviceman, discovering his lawnmower mows the lawn by itself while he crawls after it, naked, eating the grass. The serviceman is actually a satyr who worships the Greek god Pan. When Parkette tries to call the police, the mower and its owner ritually kill him as a sacrifice to Pan.

Milton Subotsky and Andrew Donally first acquired the film rights to Night Shift (1978), the anthology the story appeared in, in 1978. Edward and Valerie Abraham wrote a screenplay for an anthology film adapting “The Lawnmower Man,” “ The Mangler,” and “ Trucks ” revolving around the theme of humanity's relationship with technology. Dino De Laurentiis purchased the rights to the screenplay in 1984 with the intention of making a series of King anthology films beginning with Cat's Eye (1985). However, it was later decided that the stories should be made into individual films, beginning with the adaptation of “Trucks” as Maximum Overdrive (1986). Allied Vision acquired the rights to adapt “The Lawnmower Man” but struggled to adapt the story into a feature-length film.

Meanwhile, director Brett Leonard and producer Gimel Everett wrote an original screenplay about virtual reality technology titled Cyber God. They were inspired by seeing Jaron Lanier and his VPL Research technology at a San Francisco event called "Cyberthon"; Brosnan later suggested using some Lanier's lines in the film, and both VPL's DataSuit and EyePhone appear in the film as props. Allied Vision decided to combine the two projects, and between May and August 1990 they rewrote their script into The Lawnmower Man. The new screenplay carried minor elements of King's original story, including the scene where Jobe kills Peter's father with the lawnmower "Big Red", and the aftermath in which the police state that they found some of his remains in the birdbath. The addition of a government agency known as "The Shop" was drawn from separate works of King's, such as Firestarter (1980) and The Tommyknockers (1987).

The film has several elements in common with the 1959 Daniel Keyes novel Flowers for Algernon, which also deals with a mentally disabled man whose intelligence is technologically boosted to genius levels. A similar parallel can be drawn with the Star Trek television series (second pilot) episode of 1966 titled " Where No Man Has Gone Before ".

Principal photography on the film began on May 28, 1991, in Los Angeles with a $10 million budget. The computer-generated imagery (CGI) was created for the film by Angel Studios. The scene where the priest is set on fire is an early use of motion capture, and was done by an Italian company who used the technology as a tool for golf training. A technique called the Gemini process was used to transfer CGI onto film by putting the digital images on a high-resolution cathode-ray tube screen, frame by frame, which were then shot with a motion picture camera. The supervising sound editor was Frank Serafine, who was hired as a result of his sound creation work in the 1982 film Tron. Fuji Creative 's Masao Takiyama is also credited as a co-producer.

## Release

The film was tested in Jacksonville, Florida, Fresno, California, and Providence, Rhode Island on February 14, 1992 and released in the United States on March 6, in 1,276 theatres.

The film was released in Japan under the title Virtual Wars.

## Reception

### Director's cut

The original theatrical release had a large element cut from it involving Rosco the chimpanzee. In the film's opening Rosco escapes the lab and is helped by Jobe, who then witnesses him getting shot dead. This then led to several other cuts throughout the film to remove call back to this plot element. Another major difference includes moments with Lawrence's wife. In the theatrical cut she just disappears, but in the director's cut, Jobe controls her later on, and still later she is killed by the agents. Along with those major additions, there are also several scenes with extra dialogue. The director's cut was initially released on VHS and laserdisc by New Line Cinema. The 1997 DVD however only included the theatrical cut with most of the director's cut scenes included as deleted scenes. In 2017, Shout! Factory released both cuts on blu-ray, both taken from 4K scans of the original elements.

### Critical reception

As of July 2024, the film held a 37% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 43 reviews with an average of 4.9 out of 10. The site's consensus states: " The Lawnmower Man suffers from a predictable, melodramatic script, and its once-groundbreaking visual effects look dated today". Metacritic gives the film a rating of 42 out of 100 based on 14 reviews.

### Box office

The movie debuted at number two at the box office with $7.7 million in its opening weekend behind Wayne's World. It went on to gross $32.1 million in the United States and Canada, making it the highest-grossing independent film for the calendar year and the second biggest released in 1992 after Miramax 's The Crying Game. It did better internationnaly and grossed £3,622,720 ($6 million) in the United Kingdom and $112 million in other markets for a worldwide total of $150 million.

## Stephen King lawsuit

The film, originally titled Stephen King's The Lawnmower Man, differed so much from the source material that King sued the filmmakers in May 1992 to remove his name from the title. King stated in court documents that the film "bore no meaningful resemblance" to his story.

A federal judge ruled in King's favor in July 1992, the first successful such ruling since James Oliver Curwood had his name removed from 1922's I Am the Law. On appeal, it was ruled in October that the on-screen credit could remain but that King's name should be removed from advertising. King received $2.5 million in settlement.

Despite the ruling, New Line still did not comply and initially released the home video version as Stephen King's The Lawnmower Man. In 1994, New Line was held in contempt of court.

## Home media

The theatrical version of the film was initially released on VHS and Laserdisc on August 26, 1992. Alongside the 108-minute theatrical version, New Line Home Video also released an unrated director's cut running 142 minutes on VHS and Laserdisc. The success of the unrated version alerted King to New Line's continued defiance of the order that his name be stricken from the film's credits and all marketing as the back covers stated "Based on a Story by Stephen King". A third court order was needed to force the studio's compliance. As before, the court upheld the two prior judgments, but it took the extra step of imposing a penalty of $10,000 directly payable to King for every day New Line remained in contempt by defying the order. Additionally, the studio would have to forfeit all profits earned on the film during that same period.

The film was released on VCD in 1996. The DVD, released in December 1997, contains only the theatrical cut, with scenes from the unrated edition being presented on the DVD as deleted scenes.

In February 1997, the director's cut was released in widescreen for the first time on double LaserDisc, featuring various special features on the C-side. The transfer used for the LaserDisc left King's name in the opening credits, but removed it from the title screen.

The director's cut was released on DVD with the inclusion of the sequel Lawnmower Man 2 on October 25, 2010, in the United Kingdom. However, it is a direct port of the earlier open matte NTSC LaserDisc release converted to PAL.

Prior to the US Shout! Factory release, Blu-ray versions of the film were only available in Italy through Minerva Pictures and in Germany under the Alive brand. The Italian release contains edited Italian credits at the beginning, which are taken from the DVD version as the difference in quality from the rest of the movie can be seen (interlaced framing notably).

Shout! Factory released The Lawnmower Man on Blu-ray for the first time in the United States in June 2017. The two-disc set includes new 4k digital restorations of the theatrical and director's cuts, audio commentary with director Brett Leonard and producer Gimel Everett, an all-new retrospective documentary featuring Leonard and star Jeff Fahey, and all of the bonus features from the original New Line DVD. For unknown reasons, a line of dialogue from the theatrical release related to the killing of a chimp (which makes no sense in the context of the plot of the director's cut - in that version, the chimp escaped from the VSI lab) was re-introduced to the director's cut.

In Australia, the only version of the film to be released was the theatrical cut - the director's cut was only available as a UK import. It was never released on DVD until 2008, when Force Entertainment released a budget DVD, containing the theatrical cut and the special features from the US DVD, on its own or as a two-pack with its sequel.

## Sequel and other media

A graphic novel adaptation of the film was announced by Innovation Comics for April 1992 release, but was never published.

A sequel, Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace, was released in 1996 with Austin O'Brien as the only returning actor from the original film. It was retitled Lawnmower Man 2: Jobe's War for its video release. The film received negative reviews from critics and fans of the first movie.

The film spawned two video games: The Lawnmower Man in 1993, and Cyberwar in 1994.

Comic book writer Grant Morrison said in an interview that they were contacted by the owners of the Lawnmower Man in 1995 and asked to write treatments for Lawnmower Man 2. Morrison claims they were asked to "bend the Lawnmower Man series in an X-Men superhero-type direction". Neither of Morrison's script treatments was used and Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace was produced without their involvement.

Some of the CGI footage of The Lawnmower Man was featured in the 1992 CG art film Beyond the Mind's Eye.

Jaunt VR, a virtual reality studio, attempted to adapt the feature into a virtual reality experience with the original rights holders but ultimately went out of business before realizing its efforts.

## Short film

An earlier short film, also titled The Lawnmower Man, was directed by Jim Gonis in 1987. That film was a direct adaptation of the short story by King.


2014 in Gabon

# 2014 in Gabon

## Abstract

Events in the year 2014 in Gabon.

## Incumbents

- President: Ali Bongo Ondimba

- Prime Minister: Raymond Ndong Sima (until 27 January), Daniel Ona Ondo (from 27 January)

## Events

- 16–28 August – The country competed at the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics, in Nanjing, China.


The Outsider (Rodney Crowell album)

# The Outsider (Rodney Crowell album)

## Abstract

The Outsider is the twelfth studio album by American country music singer Rodney Crowell. It was released on August 16, 2005 via Columbia Records. The album includes the singles "The Obscenity Prayer" and "Say You Love Me".

## Critical reception

Thom Jurek of Allmusic gave the album four stars out of five, calling it a "natural extension" of Crowell's last two albums, The Houston Kid and Fate's Right Hand. He also praised the album for "dig deep into social and political consciousness."

## Track listing

All songs written by Rodney Crowell, except "Shelter from the Storm", written by Bob Dylan.

## Personnel

Compiled from notes on digipak.

### Musicians

- Eddie Bayers – drums

- Richard Bennett – guitars, fuzzbox

- Pat Buchanan – guitars, harmonica, background vocals

- Beth Nielsen Chapman – background vocals

- J. T. Corenflos – guitars

- John Cowan – background vocals

- Chad Cromwell – drums

- Rodney Crowell – lead and background vocals, guitars

- Kim Fleming – background vocals

- Steve Fischell – steel guitar

- Shannon Forrest – drums

- Tony Harrell – organ, keyboards

- Emmylou Harris – background vocals, guitar

- John Hobbs – organ, keyboards

- Jim Horn – saxophone

- Jedd Hughes – guitars, mandolin, background vocals

- The Jenkins – background vocals

- Will Kimbrough – lead guitar, background vocals

- Trey Landry – drums

- Billy Livsey – organ

- Jerry McPherson – guitars

- Buddy Miller – background vocals

- Julie Miller – background vocals

- John Mock – concertina, tin whistle

- Greg Morrow – drums

- Will Owsley – background vocals

- Marcia Ramirez – background vocals

- Michael Rhodes – bass guitar

- Chris Rodriguez – background vocals

- Vince Santoro – background vocals

- Randy Scruggs – flamenco guitar

- Steuart Smith – lead guitar

- JD Souther – background vocals

- Crystal Taliefero – background vocals

- Randall Waller – background vocals

- Jonathan Yudkin – strings, fiddle

### Technical

- Tracy Baskette-Fleaner – art direction, design

- Peter Coleman – producer, recording, mixing

- Donivan Cowart – additional recording

- Rodney Crowell – producer

- Brandon Epps – recording assistant

- John Grady – executive producer

- Deb Haus – art director

- Dawn Nepp – production assistant

- Thomas Petillo – photography

- Jennifer Tsar – photography


2015 in Gabon

# 2015 in Gabon

## Abstract

Events in the year 2015 in Gabon.

## Incumbents

- President: Ali Bongo Ondimba

- Prime Minister: Daniel Ona Ondo

## Events

- 6 & 27 October – Legislative elections were held in the country, alongside municipal elections.


Stefan Mross

# Stefan Mross

## Abstract

Stefan Mross (born November 26, 1975 in Traunstein, Upper Bavaria) is a German trumpeter, singer,and television presenter. He is one of the most famous German folk musicians.

## Career

Mross completed his secondary education in his hometown. He took the entrance exam to the Mozarteum in Salzburg, but then concentrated on his musical career.

Since 2005, Mross has hosted the ARD (SWR) show Immer wieder sonntags live from Europa-Park in Rust. On August 10, 2014, Mross collapsed during a live broadcast of the show after eating a very hot currywurst and had to stop presenting. He was represented by Guido Cantz for the rest of the broadcast.

## Personal life

Mross was married to Stefanie Hertel from 2006 to 2012 and has a daughter with her in 2001. Three months after the couple announced their separation, Karl Moik claimed on December 6, 2011 on the ZDF show Markus Lanz that the partnership between his former Mross and Hertel had been arranged for the media.

Mross was married to production assistant Susanne Schmidt from 2013 to 2016. The marriage produced a daughter in 2013 and a son in 2015. The couple lived in Unterwössen, a municipality in the Traunstein district of Upper Bavaria, until their separation in autumn 2016.

Since December 2016, he has been in a relationship with singer Anna-Carina Woitschack, whom he met on his show Immer wieder sonntags in the summer of 2016. In the show Das Adventsfest der 100.000 Lichter he proposed to her on November 30, 2019. On June 6, 2020, the two got married live on television in the music show Schlagerlovestory.2020 with presenter Florian Silbereisen as witnesses. The couple lived in Windorf near Passau. In November 2022, they announced their separation. Mross has been in a relationship with Eva Luginger since March 2023.