Entry #6: Analyzing Chelsea Football Club

Entry #5: Mint

 Mint

    Welcome back to ENGrossing thoughts where today we'll be looking a small, refreshing treat. While it's not exactly a snack, it is still consumed by many people on a regular basis. Opening the container, it makes a popping sound as the lid is flipped back, revealing the contents inside. The container is round and blue, with a white trim around the top edge. The underside of the container is translucent, allowing the owner to view the items inside. Flipping it over, one item falls out. It's a unique design used to limit any contamination. The other half of the container when opened, exposes a little more than half the container, which is more convenient, but not as sanitary. The item in my hand is white, smooth, and round, with the exception of a few bumps from the blue cooling crystals on the surface. Popping it in your mouth, there is instantly a cooling sensation. The name on the container seems to be an apt description. The lid closes with a loud click, locking back into place. It's very smooth in the mouth as it glides back and forth, leaving a cold tingle wherever it touches the tongue. It tastes very refreshing, not like some of its compatriots that are comparable to toothpaste. The taste lingers in the mouth for a few minutes after being consumed, as it's intended to do. It reminds me of grade school, where these were very popular amongst the students. They were definitely an item that students would clamor over on an almost daily basis. 

          Until next week, this is ENGrossing thoughts! 

Entry #4: The Dark Side of the Chess World

 The Dark Side of the Chess World

Cheating in Chess

    With the rise of chess in recent years and the technology surrounding the industry, cheating was bound to increase. It's a problem perhaps more prominent in chess than it is in many other competitions. On a daily basis, people cheat at chess, especially online, by using computer engines. These supercomputers are programmed to find the ideal moves for a player in any given situation, and their abilities eclipse those of any player in the world. Sometimes this goes unnoticed, but many times, websites such as chess.com will flag these games and penalize the offending party, usually deactivating their account. The process is quick and effective, generally resolving any complaints that may arise. Rating points that are lost in these games are restored to the other user's account and a formal apology is sent to their inbox. However, the problem doesn't simply stop at online games.

Stockfish: The Strongest Chess Engine Available to the General Public

    Cheating may happen in person as well and is not uncommon at tournaments that occur over the board (in person).  Players may attempt to communicate with others or leave the tournament room to access their phone and analyze the game in a critical position. In most cases, immediate action is not taken without the proctors physically seeing the accused player cheating. They will monitor the player throughout the rest of the tournament, but many times, nothing will happen. However, in the world of the chess elites, cheating accusations hold more weight. In 2022, Hans Niemann was accused of cheating against the world champion of the time, Magnus Carlsen. While there was no concrete evidence that Niemann had cheated, the accusations by the former world champion were very strong. It was difficult for the chess world to overlook and many people believed Carlsen despite him presenting little to no evidence. Before this tournament, Neimann was one of the most popular up-and-coming grandmasters in the chess world. He had a popular Twitch channel and was heavily promoted by chess.com. However, during this scandal, he had his partnerships revoked and was shunned by the chess community. After a failed defamation lawsuit in 2023, he was eventually restored to all of his platforms but the damage was done. Despite being ranked #19 in the world at only 22 years of age, his popularity lulls far behind that of many similar players of similar age and skill. The chess world still sees him in a negative light, with his profile on chess.com displaying a picture of him scowling and his world ranking being hidden despite being one of the best players in the world. 

Daniel Naroditsky

 GM Daniel Naroditsky

    Cheating accusations can have far more negative effects than simply being shadow-banned from the chess community. Daniel Naroditsky, an American grandmaster, was one of the most proficient rapid and blitz players in the world. He was another highly popular streamer on Twitch, and was often a participant or commentator for major tournaments sponsored by chess.com, both online and over-the-board. In 2024, he was accused by former world champion Vladimir Kramnik of cheating in online matches. Kramnik stated that his play was too perfect for him to be thinking of these moves himself. Naroditsky was one of many players Kramnik has falsely accused of cheating over the years. Despite the wide support from many in the chess community, including world #1 Magnus Carlsen, Naroditsky's mental health declined over the past year. He believed that his image was ruined stating 

“Ever since the Kramnik stuff, I feel like if I start doing well, people assume the worst of intentions.”

    Daniel Naroditsky passed away on October 19th, 2025, at 29 year of age, approximately a year after the first accusations from Kramnik. While there has not been an official cause of death released, many believe that it was a suicide or drug overdose as a result of cyberbullying. As a former world champion, Kramnik has a large influence on the chess community, and the repeated unfounded harassment of Naroditsky led by him is believed to be the cause of his death. Kramnik is currently being investigated for his role in the death of Naroditsky. He was previously banned in 2023 from participating in chess.com prize tournaments after falsely accusing players of cheating. 

 

Narodistky and Kramnik after a match

    Cheating is a huge problem in the chess community and the results can be catastrophic. As the game continues to grow online, protecting the players is of the utmost importance. While eliminating cheating from the game is something everyone wants to see, the side effects of accusations, false or not, are something that needs to be addressed. Daniel Naroditsky's death was a tragic accident and a very dark day for the chess community. The chess world can only hope that this problem can be eliminated swiftly as all players should be able to enjoy the game in a safe and friendly environment.

 

Entry #3: Song Lyric Analysis

 The Birds Don't Sing

       Welcome back to ENGrossing Thoughts, where we'll be analyzing the lyrics from the song "The Birds Don't Sing" by Clipse ft. John Legend and Voices of Fire. I selected this song because I am a fan of Clipse, a hip-hop duo (members are Pusha T and Malice) from my home state of Virginia. The producer for this song is Pharrell, another native of Virginia. This song is also of interest to me because it highlights the depth of the hip-hop industry and shows that it goes beyond surface-level songs about "the street life", drugs, and other topics typically associated with rap. 

    

(Malice and Pusha T) 

    The primary speakers of this song are Pusha T and Malice, with John Legend accompanying, and Pharrell and Stevie Wonder also making contributions. The purpose of this song is for Clipse to share their grief from the loss of their parents with the world. The death of their parents is the context behind this song, as they passed away in 2021 and 2022. "The Birds Don't Sing" was released in 2024. The song is intended not only for people who have suffered losses like they have, but for anyone who listens. "The Birds Don't Sing" is intended to educate people on the values of familial bonds as well as the grief process. The exigence of this song lies in the fact that people lose family members and close friends every day. Many people deal with grief and loss, and this song provides a new perspective on it based on their personal experience.

    Repetition of the chorus, "The birds don't sing, they screech in pain," is the primary technique used to send the message in this song. This repetition highlights the fact that people may display their pain in ways that other people might not necessarily recognize. They compare themselves to birds, stating that while people recognize it as birdsong and typically associate it with positive thoughts and feelings, they're actually crying out in pain. They want this repetition to show people that how people cope isn't always going to display itself in an openly somber way. They purposely create a solemn atmosphere to highlight the depth of their emotions as they recall losing their parents and some of the moments throughout their lives that stood out to them. The outro by Stevie Wonder speaks directly to the listener, an intentional choice to truly grab their attention and leave them with a message to take with them. He said,

"Remember those who lost their mothers and fathers
And make sure that every single moment that you have with them
You show them love
You show them love
You'll see"

This is a direct call to the listener, asking them to cherish the moments they have with their friends and family who have lost their parents. He's asking them to show them love and support because it can help their mental health in unimaginable ways.

    The tone of the song is depressing and distressing. It's meant to capture the difficult subject of losing one's parents and how it negatively impacts the heart and mind. The tone embodies the topic and the message of being there for your friends and family. It is very serious and sad, and the tone is steady throughout the song.

    This concludes my analysis of "The Birds Don't Sing" by Clipse. I'll see you next time on ENGrossing Thoughts.

 

 

 

Entry #2: The Historic World of Chess

 The Rise of Chess

    Simply put, chess is a board game played between two players on an 8x8 checkered board, with the object of the game being to checkmate, or trap, the opponent's king. The general concept is simple, but there is much more to it than just the end result. It's a game of strategy, and a passion that has only grown with time, especially in the online world. It's a means of connecting people across the globe, both as competitors and fans of their favorite players.

History of Classical Chess

    When people think of chess, they usually imagine two players sitting across from each other, playing on a physical board. They might be playing with a clock, which would be set to one of the many time controls, including classical, rapid, and blitz. The origin of chess can be traced back to the 600s in India. Since then, it has grown in popularity with tournaments being held all across the world for players of all skill levels.

 

    The peak of this would be the World Chess Championship, typically held between the winner of the Candidates tournament, a tournament between some of the world's best chess players, and the reigning world champion. Over time, with any other skill, the players have only grown stronger, with the current peak being the world  #1, Magnus Carlsen with a current FIDE classical rating of 2839. He also holds the all-time peak with a rating of 2882 and he is the current world #1 in both rapid and blitz, the other two primary time controls. While he only holds the title of world champion in blitz, he is still regarded as the best chess player in the world, and by many, the greatest player ever. He won the classical world championship five times before vacating his title before the 2023 World Championship due to a lack of motivation. While he represents the culmination of all of the skills developed and acquired thus far in the chess world, there is a much larger casual world that blew up during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Online Chess

    The online chess community represents how many people play chess on a daily basis. It's much easier to play games on the go, and you can play against an opponent of your skill level in real time, or in a daily game, where you are only required to make a move a few times a week. The largest such place to play is chess.com, where there are currently almost 230 million registered accounts. During the pandemic, there was a large rise in the online chess community with people having more time on their hands, and fewer opportunities to play over the board. 

 

    This saw the rise of chess streamers such as GM Hikaru Nakamura, one of the world's top players, and IM Levy Rozman (pictured above).  They produced chess content in a way that was entertaining and easy for an audience of any level to comprehend. During the pandemic, they helped elevate chess to become one of the most popular streaming categories on Twitch. They invited streamers to play in a tournament called Pogchamps, which only saw the game continue to expand to a previously untapped market. It also highlighted the number of celebrities who play casually including athletes, such as Premier League star Eberechi Eze, and basketball phenom Victor Wembanyama. The narrative surrounding chess that it could only be enjoyed by "nerds" or "intellectuals" changed as more and more people were introduced to the game.

    Chess also featured in pop culture, including The Queen's Gambit on Netflix, a single-season show released during the pandemic. Another older example is the famed wizard chess game featured in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, in which the pieces moved at the commands of the players.

    Overall, chess is a simple game, with many complicated aspects to it. It is enjoyed by a large global audience in both competitve and casual atmospheres. It has been a common way for people to pass time for almost 1500 years and has only grown in popularity steadily since its invention.

 

Entry #1: The Art of the #8

 The Art of the #8

Controlling the Midfield

  

    One hobby that I enjoy in my free time is soccer. I have been playing since I was 5, and I find that it has many benefits that carry over into my daily life. It develops cooperation skills and teamwork, and teaches people to find the right balance between being self-fulfilling and sacrificing for the benefit of a larger group. Communication and leadership are also important skills that can be learned from playing a team sport such as soccer. It is particularly important for the position that I play, which is as a central midfielder, or a #8.

What is a #8?

    The #8 position is also known as the center midfield position. These are the players that sit in the heart of a team's formation, and link the defense (back line) to the attack. Depending on the formation, they may feature alongside a defensive midfielder or attacking midfielder, but they will always serve as a bridge between the attacking and defensive units. A couple of common formations that they'll feature in are the 4-3-3, and the 3-4-3.

     As we can see, the center midfielders can form a 2 or 3-man unit in the heart of the pitch, and this unit is sometimes referred to as the engine room. Communication is key, as they are the players who actively interact with everyone else on the pitch. They help to provide a layer of defense in front of the defenders, and when the team is in possession, they control the midfield in order to smoothly develop an attack that starts with the defenders and ends with the attackers. Teamwork and cooperation are essential because most of the game is played in the midfield. Decisions have to be quick and precise, and players have to work as a unit whether they're attacking or defending. 

    The #8 role isn't the flashiest and generally isn't one that gets as much of the spotlight compared to the attackers who score most of the goals, or the keeper and defenders who prevent goals at the other end. In this role, it's important to acknowledge that while the midfield isn't always going to be the star of the show, they still play an important part. They work to set up attackers in scoring positions and control the tempo of the game. There are moments, especially depending on the position, where the #8s will see themselves involved in goal-scoring opportunities; however, learning to sacrifice and pull the strings in ways that not everyone will acknowledge or appreciate is one of the most important assets for a successful player and team. 

    Overall, the #8 role in soccer is one that I enjoy. The skills I learn can translate to daily life, and when on the pitch, can help my team to pick up positive results. Communication is key, and can help the team work together as one unit, and not just a collection of individuals with different roles. Cooperation, teamwork, and selflessness all work to bring the best out of the team, and it is the heartbeat of the team, the #8, that brings this out, which is why I enjoy playing that role in soccer so much.

 

 

 

 Practice Blog

       This week, I looked into two different blogs in order to learn more about their layout, formatting, and how they appealed to their target audiences. The two that I selected were HipHopDX and Bleacher Report. These appealed to two of my interests, which are music and sports. While I use Bleacher Report on a weekly basis, HipHopDX was new to me, so I spent some more time getting familiar with it. In this week's post, I'll be discussing what I liked and disliked about each blog, as well as my thoughts on their styles.

HipHopDX 

    HipHopDX is a commercial blog that tries to keep the audience informed on the latest news regarding hip-hop artists. More than anything, the authors are aiming to provide an objective synopsis of the daily happenings in the hip-hop world. This blog uses a lot of quotes and even includes relevant links and social media posts. The language and imagery was also very neutral in an attempt to keep the readers unbiased. One example of this was in an article covering the film War of the Worlds, a wildly unpopular movie released earlier this year, which starred the hip-hop icon Ice Cube. 

     Despite it being unpopular, it chose to highlight how Ice Cube produced the movie during the COVID-19 pandemic, rather than being yet another opinion piece about how the movie flopped. This was one thing I enjoyed about the blog. The team of authors kept things very neutral and only stuck to the facts. Staying impartial made the blog feel more professional which I also appreciated.

    In addition to it being an objective blog, I also liked the variety in the topics. It covered both past and present topics and artists. The topics also ranged from feel-good stories to controversies which I enjoyed because it allowed me to explore many different rabbit holes all under the umbrella of hip-hop.

    However, I did not like the format of the blog very much. The home page had little organization, and the page in general wasn't blocked off in categories that were particularly easy to navigate. The home page had a few of the recently posted articles listed on the left, and popular articles on the right. However, there was no way to go to another page that was solely devoted to either category, which I found frustrating. When I wanted to find other recent articles beyond the 6 that were posted, I was unable to do so easily. Below those two categories were some of the monthly headlines, but below that was a block of uncategorized articles with no correlation that I also disliked. 

Bleacher Report

    Bleacher Report is also a corporate blog, but this one focuses on the world of sports. The articles actually have a lot of range in terms of their goals and the styles of language. Some posts are objective and simply report the facts. However, many of them are opinion-based pieces, which are modeled on statistics and trends. Depending on the type of post it is, the author might even use "I" language to clearly show the audience that this is their opinion. The purpose of the blog is largely to inform people about various sports, however, opinion pieces are also a common theme meant to spark discourse in the sports communities. One such example is their analysis of the NFL's biggest surprises through the first 3 weeks of the season.

  

    One thing I like about Bleacher Report is the layout of the blog. The home page has a very clear format, listing the most popular sports in the top bar with a drop-down menu for each one. There is also an expanded menu on the left side that covers the other major sports consumed by Americans. The home page is also divided nicely into different sports as you scroll down, mixing a combination of results and stats, with opinion pieces and sports betting information. The layout makes it very easy to find the exact content you're looking for in a matter of seconds.

    The one thing I don't like about Bleacher Report is that the opinion pieces can be a bit ridiculous at times because they're used for clickbait headlines on their social media platforms. The opinionated works, while based on facts at times, can come off as completely untrue and unfounded. However, I understand that not every article is meant for everyone.

     Overall, it was interesting looking into the stylistic choices of two different corporate blogs. Both appealed to my interests in sports and music, and one took an objective approach while the other one took a more mixed approach, mixing facts with opinions. The layouts of the two blogs were also different, with Bleacher Report having the cleaner, more professional of the two. Overall, both can serve as an inspiration for my blog over the course of this semester.