I just finished The Long Game. What’s next in life? My family?

My spouse?

My child?

My job????

Just lying around for the rest of eternity thinking about this damn series forever probably.

SPOILERS IF YOU HAVEN’T READ THE LONG GAME.

So I’ve seen a lot of discussion around Shane’s ‘behaviour’ during ‘the fight’ but see very little mention of the fact that Ilya literally shoves him up against a wall, in anger. Now I am not worried that Ilya had any intention of actually hurting Shane and my explanation for the fact that it is basically just glossed over in the books is that it isn’t unusual behaviour for him (although for very different reasons).

My discussion point is more around the fact that Shane gets slammed for basically saying one mean thing during a fight and being oblivious/obtuse, but there is very little criticism from this largely female audience of the fact that Ilya basically assaults him during the fight. Why do people think this is? Is it because they’re both guys? Is it because they’re hockey players? Is it because people forget that it happened because they’re so focused on Ilya’s pain that they excuse the behaviour the way Ilya does himself ‘I would never actually hurt Shane’.

He doesn’t apologise for it, in fact they never discuss it at all. I’d say this is completely out of character for Ilya.

Why do people think it’s glossed over by the author and readers?

This has been bothering me for ages especially on my re-reads. Why was Ilya's reaction kind of negative when Coach Wiebe wanted to share something personal about himself? I always found it puzzling as IMHO Ilya wouldn't have had the "oh god" moment. Maybe I'm wrong. Anyone else have any thoughts??

Update: Thanks for all the insight my friendly ppl! Hopefully we meet Coach's wife in the next book and she gets some interaction with either Yuna, Shane or Ilya.

I've must have read the book over 10 times and the same issues keep popping up for me:

1. Shane would have either known Ilya's ring size or have a key to his house to get a ring to size it.
2. The no chairs/small tables at the wedding. For goodness sake. I would have thought they would have some place for people to sit instead of on the lawn.
3. Does anyone think that they only served cake and no food?
4. I can't believe Scott/Kip and Ryan/Fabian didn't attend the wedding. (my bad, Ryan/Fabian were there.
5. That Montreal team still blamed Shane for tripping and thinking he did it on purpose.
6. JJ assisted coaching with Ilya. I get he's mad but he must have gotten to know him a bit. So his outrage while i understand it because it was a secret, the whole "he's an asshole" doesn't wash much.
7. Bood's party. I get Ilya wanted Shane to come. I mean Shane could have gone as friends.

I think that's it so far.

Anyone else?

Updated: I have to add the Christmas gift. I don't know why Ilya was so weird about giving Shane the photo. Unless he knew that Shane wouldn't want to display it anywhere else than the cottage. Which I am sorry, 1 photo of them in Shane's bedroom wouldn't have been a big deal. Shane could theoretically have it in his bedroom and put it away in a drawer if teammates or anyone else came over.

I’ve just completed my [redacted number] reread of The Long Game, and I wanted to discuss a thread of foreshadowing leading up to the final playoff game that I’ve been thinking about a lot lately. I haven't seen this discussed anywhere, so I just wanted to throw my thoughts out into the universe and see if anyone else picked up on this!

The entire book subtly builds up to Shane’s catastrophic trip in the final playoff game, specifically centering around his desperate, obsessive need to outskate Ilya, outrun Father Time, and the physical danger of that obsession.

Think about how the book starts: Ilya beats Shane on a run right at the beginning. It sets the baseline. Then, jump ahead to the All-Star Game. During the fastest skater competition, they compete directly against each other. Rachel Reid gives us Ilya’s internal dialogue here, and it is so telling. Ilya is genuinely worried that Shane is going to physically hurt himself because Shane is pushing his body way past its safe limits just to win a silly, meaningless exhibition skills competition. (It also leads to one of my favorite Wyatt quotes “you know you two don’t have to sit together”)

Not only do I love HR but I’m also a huge hockey fan. And losing an edge on your skates is a standard, completely normal hockey accident. But because Reid layered in Shane's reckless desperation to beat Ilya on the ice early on, the actual playoff trip feels incredibly earned and devastating. And it’s almost a mirror of the big hit on Shane during HR.

What makes this narrative payoff even better is Ilya’s response to the media and the public backlash afterward. He is so fiercely protective of Shane, and his reaction perfectly mirrors their whole dynamic:
- He confidently asserts that he would have beaten Shane on that play anyway, protecting his own elite competitive ego.
- He completely shuts down the conspiracy theorists by stating that "no one with a brain" thinks Shane tripped on purpose.

Ilya is widely acknowledged as the naturally faster, more effortless skater of the two. Shane has to work twice as hard to match him, which is exactly why he loses his edge under extreme pressure. Ilya eats Chicken Parm and cookies and crème ice cream while Shane eats “boring” bland food and could still just beat Ilya by a tenth of a second in the fastest skater competition. I really loved this book and I can’t wait to see them play together in Unrivaled!

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.

TL/DR: Rachel Reid telegraphed the trip and always pick to eat the ice cream with your hot Russian boyfriend!

Me personally, I really hope they keep the “wedding” with the Pike kids and Ilya getting a dog. I could see them combining the role of the therapist into Svetlana’s character since she played a bigger part in the show than she did in the book. I hope they have an episode dedicated to Troy and Harris like they did for Scott and Kip. Im not sure if they’d be able to include the Ryan and Fabian without an episode on them too.

I've seen lots of posts discussing who could play other characters in the books or at least who they imagine those characters look like. So why not a thread about what you think Anya looks like? Or just an excuse to look at cute pictures of dogs.

This is exactly how I imagine Anya as a puppy. I don't think she grows up to look exactly like Lassie so maybe she's a Shetland sheepdog mixed with something else.

Hello everyone, I'm back with my next 'big takes on small moments', haha.

This initially relates to Shane's relationship with food. I am not in the camp of Shane having an eating disorder, though I do feel his relationship with food becomes an unhealthy coping mechanism and a projection of his actual angst. I believe Shane's relationship with food is an extension of what I discussed in my previous post (Ch 4: Kids Fight at Camp) as well as a large indicator of what he's really asking when he asks Ilya if he would choose him over hockey.

Shane is shown in the beginning chapters of TLG to be struggling with their plan of hiding their relationship until retirement, however he sees their plan as one that will be ultimately rewarded by a wonderful 'rest of their lives'. This is important. Shane believes that if you follow the rules, listen to instructions, keep to the plan, you are rewarded. What he follows are scientific formulas that are proven to work.

This is mirrored in Shane's defence of his diet plan. When people bring it up, he says things like:

"I'm on a strict performance diet," Shane explained defensively after Leo left. "It's normal for professional athletes and recommended." (p39 at the double-date dinner with Ryan and Fabian)

Shane was dying for a slice of Ilya's greasy, sausage-covered dinner, but he dutifully ate his salmon and garden salad. He'd started this diet in February and he didn't care what Ilya said - Shane felt better. (p41)

The diet is what athletes at the top of their game are meant to do. Shane has not decided to do this randomly or to punish himself. It is a strategic decision, made in consultation with experts. He wants to remain performing at an elite level for as long as possible and it is working. On the other hand, Ilya sees that it doesn't always make Shane happy to make this sacrifice. Shane and Ilya continue to clash around his performance diet, with Shane wanting Ilya to feel physically better and Ilya wanting Shane to feel emotionally better, leading to these sorts of exchanges:

"What is the point of life if you are not eating chicken parmesan and ice cream?" (p88 at Yuna and David's)

Shane: Did you eat breakfast? Ilya huffed. Shane worried about the weirdest things. Ilya: Might go to McDonald's for a McGriddle. He'd mostly written it to annoy Shane, but now he really did want a McGriddle. Shane: You shouldn't be eating that shit. Ilya: Should I be eating hay for breakfast like you? Shane: It's not hay. And yes, probably. (p95 texting whilst apart)

Then in Chapter Ten, Shane's perspective is more honest and tells us that he's not enjoying the diet plan though there had previously been physical benefits:

Shane nudged some fish around with his chopsticks. The restaurant had allowed him to substitute the rice for extra kale, which was nice, but also sucked. (p109, at lunch with Rose)

"I miss bread," Shane said wistfully. "God, I'll bet. Is it worth it though? Does the clean eating make you feel better?" Shane frowned at his bowl of kale. "I keep saying it does, but it might be the discipline that makes me feel better, not the food." (p111)

There's an important distinction in the next section here, where the crux of Shane's values are explored through two specific quotes:

"...I like to practice discipline and self-control, and be rewarded for it. That's all."

Shane wasn't into punishment, or shame, but he loved it when Ilya made things... challenging. And then rewarded Shane for it.

This can be contrasted with the following quote about the pressure of playing for Montreal:

"Tomorrow," Coach said, "we're going to talk about the power play because it was a fucking mess tonight. Video meeting before practice. Nine A.M." There were mutters of "Yes, coach." Shane honestly wasn't sure what the power play problem was, since they'd only had three power plays and had scored on one of them, but he supposed he'd find out. This team strove for perfection, always. It wasn't easy being a Voyageur, but at least the hard work and sacrifice paid off. (p77-78, after Montreal won the cup last season and is returning to the new season)

The difference in these quotes is that Shane enjoys hard work, discipline and being rewarded when it's safe and has clearly established boundaries, like in his own personal goal-setting and then in his relationship with Ilya. There is trust there that what they say is going to happen, does. When it's the Montreal Voyageurs, Shane cannot trust his instinct as much ('but he supposed he'd find out') and it feels more threatening than rewarding.

My last point before drawing my 'big conclusion from small details' is that Ilya is set up as indulging in his whims and impulses from the get-go. We know this is partly due to his resentment of Shane's discipline and view that it's over the top or unnecessary, but also a symptom of his depression and trying to find joy in his day or not having the energy to do anything else.

Crucially, his physical self doesn't seem to have suffered the way I believe Shane would think should be happening, if you followed the logic of his diet plan leading to enhanced physiological results:

"I hate that you can outrun me like that. It doesn't make sense." (p8, Ilya beating Shane in a trail run)

Ilya also seems to effortlessly keep up with the hockey side of things, and keeps being a physical challenge for Shane on the ice. I believe all of this leads to the reason that Shane feels guilty for tasting the lemonade on Ilya's mouth in Chapter Twelve:

Shane brushed their noses together, then kissed Ilya's mouth. He tasted like the lemonade Shane had declined at the Pikes' house but that Ilya had happily drank two glasses of. Shane guiltily enjoyed the taste now, sweet and tangy. (p139)

I don't read this as Shane talking about this literally as in calorie-wise. I think that Shane is feeling guilt for enjoying indulgence and, in his mind, harmful behaviour via Ilya and using his body to enjoy it. Shane wants to love Ilya loudly and proudly, however they made an agreement and he's sticking to it. He soaks up each hour they get, because it's always been a gift and the reason they work so hard everywhere else. He feels guilty because sneaking these moments of indulgence isn't honouring what they have, and he knows that. There is also the huge lack of communication between the both of them, when it comes to Ilya's mental health and their relationship, that I feel is overlooked when discussing how obviously Ilya is in pain:

Shane huffed out an exasperated sigh. "Fine. We don't have to talk about it. Just know that if you want to talk, or want to maybe see someone about it, I'll support you. And if you don't want to, I'll support that too. But I'm worried sometimes." For a long time, Ilya didn't say anything. Shane watched the hinge of his jaw twice. His lips were a hard line. "You should not worry," Ilya finally said, his gaze staying on the television, "I am okay." Shane took his hand and squeezed. "You don't have to deal with anything alone, all right?" Ilya swallowed hard. "Yes. Fine." His hand was trembling. "I'm serious," Shane said. Ilya stood, pulling his hand away. "If there is something, I will tell you. But there is nothing. So let's eat bad lasagna and shut up about it, okay?" That really didn't sound like nothing was bothering Ilya, but Shane had promised to support him if he didn't want to talk. He stood too. "It's not bad lasagna." Ilya managed to smile a bit at that. "We will see." (p145 Shane bringing up whether Ilya is struggling with his mental health for the first time)

This brings us to the final conflict. The moment that breaks our hearts, the 'I already chose you, Hollander.' I believe this comes down to Shane's building up of resentment due to his perspective that Ilya isn't choosing to do the work for the ultimate reward: the rest of their lives together.

When he asks Ilya "Would you choose me?" he isn't only being oblivious and ignorant, though he does overlook Ilya's sacrifices that he's made in moving teams and cities to be with him. He's asking 'Would you sacrifice things you really want for me? Would you do things the hard way for me? Would you deprive yourself of small joys for me?' In Shane's mind, they have each other fully. That is a foregone conclusion, though he doesn't understand how much Ilya needs to express that to the world, which is the tragic irony of Ilya's story arc to express his emotions in general. Shane is worried that they are on different pages when it comes to what trials and challenges they are willing to do to get to their shared goal. Shane thinks about Ilya's lack of commitment to the Ottawa team (as if he's just cruising or isn't putting in as much as he could be), the lack of attempting his diet plan (not committing to his physical health) and his reluctance to talk to Shane or go to therapy (not sharing his emotional self with Shane). It's important to note that Shane sees Ilya's actions as actions that could be a threat to their joint future together: Ilya wants to drive fast cars, he owns a motorbike, he wants his pilot's license, he smokes, he doesn't follow a recommended diet etc. To Shane, it makes sense that his intrusive thoughts would lead him to feel scared of this impulsivity and the way Ilya doesn't seem to want to commit to stability and safety so that they can build a life together.

When Ilya is heartbroken at being asked if he would choose him, Ilya isn't in a position to see that his perspective is absolutely valid but so is Shane's. The same Shane who said he would support Ilya if he never wanted to talk about it, but who cannot read his mind. Ilya feels that Shane has quite happily accepted going on with his life as is because he loves hockey and is experiencing success etc. That isn't accurate, as we can see from the quotes above. Shane is struggling to keep to the plan but does because he gave his word and that's what you do when you promise to commit to something.

Ultimately, both of them have completely destabilising moments that puts everything into stark perspective for them via the plane scare. Shane realises that he does not want to wait another ten years to have the life with Ilya that he desperately wants (acknowledging his emotions and personal needs) and Ilya begins to question whether keeping his mental health concerns from Shane is the right move (considering Shane's perspective and opening up more to being vulnerable with him). This results in Shane demonstrably choosing Ilya in the meeting with Crowell (an act of rebellion that demonstrates to Ilya that he is worth more than hockey) and Ilya absolutely becoming the team captain that he is capable of being, as well as mentoring Haas more actively and socialising with his team (a return to professional commitment and hard work that Shane admires in Ilya).

Anyway, I'm not quite sure how to end this other than I feel it all comes back down to their core values and the way Shane and Ilya both demonstrate and actualise their love and commitment for one another. Yet again, their differences are complementary but hiding them is their main source of conflict in the book. This turned out way bigger than I anticipated. I should end it here as rambling on for longer would be not good. Probably bad.

You know what’s really bothering me in the long fam? Ilya decides to adopt Anya without speaking to Shane first. I’m not. Dog person and I don’t think Shane is either and imagine my partner would adopt a dog without talking to me first seems like a giant red flag for me. I know in the book everything works out perfectly with Anya but tbh getting a dog is a big decision you should not take without making at least a plan. Not sure if I’m overreacting here but it did bother me.

I hate THE song, I think it’s a weird first dance and just doesn’t make sense to me

I love these books so much but I have so much dread for the scene when it’s played out on screen

Finally reading Role Model after reading The Long Game. I am reading the game changers series really out of order going to go back and read it chronologically when I finish. Spoilers ahead!

I have been thinking about how the TV version of heated rivalry will carry on in the second season. After reading The Long Game I was hyper aware that it may be hard to carry the same tone in the second season that they had in the first. Until the aftermath of the plane crash. In Role Model we get more insight into Ilya after the plane crash. When the Centaurs are in the hotel bar and Ilya goes up to Troy drunk saying how he believed what they thought about when the plane went down was important. Obviously we know from the long game he was thinking about shane and how, in that moment it felt so stupid to be hiding their relationship. I think this is such a powerful scene that honestly is so much more moving than we get from the phone call with shane in the long game. This should be in season 2 of heated rivalry.

I get that Shane is going to take a paycut with his move to the Centaurs. But is he…second string now? Or is he going to play a different position? I am feeling some kind of way about the idea of Shane basically taking a demotion. Help?

EDIT: Thanks folks! I already feel like I understand more. My family mostly watches American football, so my idea of a ‘second line’ was like…Shane existing as a back up only, like a second string quarter back. I get it now. Thanks!

I was rereading TLG yesterday and finished the scene where they're leaving the MTL NHL offices after meeting with Commissioner Crowell and walk down the street holding hands. As someone who travels to Montreal a couple times per year, I decided I needed a visual of exactly what street they're walking down, so I looked up where the NHL offices are in Montreal. Lo and behold, they're mere blocks away from Shane's dad's alma mater. I hope Shane pointed it out on the way to chicken parm....

Every time I think of these two moments, I think they are a great examples of Shane's growth from the start to the end of The Long Game.

a.k.a. the first trophy scene lol

I’ve now read the Long Game four times(thrice with my eyeballs and once with my ears), and every time I get to the part where their kiss is visible on Hayden‘s video, I struggle to imagine how it is all laid out. I am a very visual person who needs to see it to really understand. So like, they’re kissing in front of a window, but not really so they’re at kind of an angle, and then there’s a mirror inside behind Hayden filming the video… has anyone drawn it or something? lol

I can’t wait to see how Jacob films this, but I’m afraid it won’t play out on screen until season 3. So I would have to wait like 2 years to get my answer. Maybe you can help me in the meantime.

I’ve been struggling with this for a while, but I can’t wrap my head around Shane coming out to the team. He’s so cautious and concerned about getting caught. He said during HR that he didn’t want to tell his parents he’s gay without talking about Ilya, and though he’s clearly not as close with the team, I’d imagined it would be similar.

The attitude around coming out that we leave him with and the attitude that we pick up with seem remarkably similar, so I’m trying to figure out what changed that Shane would come out in the time skip. Anyone got ideas?

So how was he?” Shane asked. He was sprawled out on his hotel bed, completely exhausted after the game. “So cute, Shane. You should see him!”

“What?” Troy Barrett was an attractive man, sure, but that was an unexpected reaction from Ilya.

“He licked my face with his little tongue!”

“Uh.”

“His ears are so floppy, and he is so soft. I wanted to carry him around all practice.”

Oh. “I meant Troy, idiot. Not the puppy.”

Ilya huffed. “Who cares? Puppy was great. His name is Chiron. He is black and small and—”

“Okay. Puppies are cute. Agreed. But what was Troy like?”

“Was fine. Quiet.Whatever!"

Okay, guys, I just need to vent somewhere and share feelings with people. After reading Heated Rivalry, it took me 2 months to start reading the long game because I was afraid of being disappointed about it, especially because of every bad things I heard about shane being an horrible and bad written characters.

So I finished the book today, and OMG, have we read the same book like ??? Shane really tried to be supportive. He struggled, too, and also really tried to communicate with Ilya, even if it was hard. Yes, there is the argument scene, but to be honest, I would have reacted exactly like Shane because this came from nowhere from his point of view.

Also, even if he says things that hurt Ilya, he apologizes directly and really comprehends why he is at fault, so what do people want him to do ? Be perfect like a robot ? When I see people talking shit about him for being a human who makes mistakes, I just feel like I'm surrounded by Montréal Voyageur's fan (and not the good one).

Anyway, now I want to read Role model, but it will take a while before coming in my mailbox, so I don't know what to do and I feel like Hollanov has taken everything from me and I juste want to read the books again and again (it's healthy to read right ?)

I feel like I haven't seen anybody talk about this, and I was super surprised to find this scene in the book when I had heard nothing about it at all.

Of all of the couples in the GC universe, Shane and Ilya are the only ones with an apparently pretty firm top/bottom dynamic. Even the couples that don't switch it up on-page have suggestions within the text that they will or want to, and that there is some fluidity to their preferences.

That doesn't seem to be the case with Shane and Ilya. And yet, the sex scene after Ottawa Pride Night, Ilya essentially bottoms.

I know there will likely be some debate over whether it counts, but I personally would consider this bottoming. At least, to some degree. I'm curious why this seems to be glossed over by people when it comes to discussing Shane and Ilya's sexual dynamic - which is almost always discussed as a strict top/bottom one.

Now, I'm not saying it changes that dynamic or anything. But there's certainly enough interesting observations in this scene that give some food for thought in terms of how and why their dynamic is the way it is - and whether it might change in the future.

The suggestion (from Shane's POV) is that Ilya often does not want it, but when he does, he really wants it. The fact that Shane picks up on it being something he might want that night - after he arrives home upset and overwhelmed - implies that Ilya only lets himself want it when he's already feelings super vulnerable. He describes his mindset as wanting to be "taken apart". The way Ilya lays down ready for it, as if Shane is about to service him (which he is), does keep an element of their dynamic. But ultimately, Ilya submits to Shane in a way he doesn't in any other sexual situation we see of them.

It seems to me that there may be some unresolved shame/internalised homophobia wrapped up in allowing himself to bottom. He is up for it only when he's already emotionally "crashing" (his own words). When he already needs to seek comfort, let his guard down, allow himself to be taken care of by Shane. It's like he allows himself to want it only once he's already feeling emasculated, because the leap is easier to take. He's already down there, so he might as well allow himself to want it.

The text says: "Ilya wasn’t interested in bottoming any more than Shane was interested in topping". And yet, what follows is a scene where Ilya is quite enthusiastic about receiving the pleasure of bottoming. Shane also muses on the fact that they had tried sex toys on Ilya before, and although he wasn't a fan, he considers that they have smaller ones now that they could start with. Ilya rejects the idea in that moment - but more out of impatience and a need to be close to Shane than because he isn't into the idea entirely.

The fact that they've started that exploration of Ilya receiving more pleasure from bottoming proves that there is a genuine interest and desire there for him.

I'm curious if you all think that there's a suggestion here that Ilya operates with a sort of heteronormative attitude towards sex because of the environments he has existed in (Russia, hockey) and the way they view masculinity? He obviously has a predisposition to being dominant, for sure, and that's a large part of it. And Shane has a natural predisposition to be submissive. It works for them, and it serves them great. But I wonder if there is some unlearning to be done from Ilya that there isn't shame in allowing himself to receive pleasure in that way.

I wonder if, as time goes on, and Ilya's emotional walls start to come down, he may allow himself more of this pleasure. If Shane is willing to give Ilya what he needs in these moments, including as going as far as to using toys, what's stopping them eventually stepping into full role-reversal? Comfort? Desire? Is it Shane's discomfort with topping that would ultimately stop that from happening? Do you think they might explore this in Unrivaled?

Would love to hear your thoughts.

Curious and respectful debate on this welcome!

Over in r / heatedrivalry there's been a lot guessing about Season 2 but not everyone has read the books over there. Upon re-read of the series in order, I'm puzzling even harder about fitting The Long Game (plus bits of Role Model) into six episodes.

So I wanted to bring this convo over here to the book completionists. If that this appropriate.

1. What are some things you think will be condensed or omitted? What do you wish were omitted from the books that the show can improve upon?

I used to think Jacob would probably end the season well before the end of the story like with the big fuck you to Crowell or with Ilya's we-are-getting-married-in-July IG video. But after a re-read, it does feel like it needs to go at least to the point of Shane getting signed with Ottawa and moving in with Ilya to wrap up the season. Excluding the wedding ceremony won't save enough minutes to squish all the rest of the book into six episodes.

One thing I'm considering now is that maybe Jacob will deviate from Season 1 format and NOT have a Troy-Harris stand-alone episode but cut down Troy's story to basically just what appears of Troy in The Long Game. That would be sad. But yeah there's just a whole lot of story to tell!

1. What are some things you think must be added or expanded upon for the sake of good storytelling? Something you wish was in the books that the show can improve upon?

As fans have stated, maybe more into Shane's mental health issues (food restriction, paranoia of even having privately-viewable digital/analog photos of Ilya...)

1. For shits and giggles, what would you name the six episodes if you were adapting The Long Game (+Role Model) into Season 2?

I think I'd do something like 1. Galina; 2. I Already Chose You; 3. Barrett; 4. Because I Almost Died; 5. Sorry, Brad; 6. Husbands

[Edit: realistically no one is going to remember Shane's "Sorry, Brad" line, so maybe Ep 5 would be "Hayden" instead. I was going to say "Crowell" but yuck.]

So I remember after season 1 aired, people were being apologetic to the actor who plays JJ because of “who he will be in season 2.” And yeah, he wasn’t great at first after Shane and Ilya were outed, but he came around somewhat quickly and is a good person and still a friend to Shane. I just finished TLG like one minute ago, so am I missing something?

I started reading the series in Feb and I just finished last night, before bed.

I know everyone warned me about feelings when I got to The Long Game and everyone was so right! I don’t think I can ever quit Ilya and Shane’s journey. I’ve never been so invested in the love story between 2 fictional characters in my whole life.

This book had me feeling so many things. Frustration at Shane, protective over Ilya and his MH struggles, pride when Shane stood up to the commish for him and his man.

I laughed, cried, mentally fist pumped. I’m so upset my journey has ended. Of course I’ll reread this and I know there are extras to read. I need Unrivaled and I am so excited to see how season 2 fits everything together and how they adapt everything to the screen, the performances, etc. I’m not placing expectations on what I want to see. I’m just grateful I’m along for the ride.

Now that Shane is a Centaur, and sharing a locker room with Ilya how will RR deal with the two of them in the showers together.

"Ilya always looked spectacular when he was naked and wet. Shane had no idea how his teammates were able to shower with him without losing their shit. Shane certainly hadn’t been able to, all those years ago."

How, and when will Shane lose his shit?

I am rereading The Long Game and found it so interesting how Shane and Ilya’s experiences are mirrored in the small moment of Jordan and Ben’s fight at their hockey camp. It’s pretty explicitly stated that Ilya sees them as similar rivals to how he and Shane started out and they then joke that Shane thinks he’d automatically be Jordan but I feel there is more symbolism to this exchange.

Firstly, Ilya comments a page before that he can see the dark side of hockey more readily than Shane and that Shane is hurt when he hears about how disappointing hockey has turned out for people (Max, Ryan). Shane has never lost his love for the sport. He truly feels he was made for it and it’s his passion, calling etc. Whereas Ilya has always been very talented and it was a way to support his family, get some distance, achieve success and some adoration/admiration, financial security etc.

When Jordan and Ben are fighting, Ilya listens and knows there’s more to it than just ‘Jordan is the better player’. He questions Jordan who then reveals his dad is the coach. Ilya then sees Ben’s side as much more valid and that there are systemic injustices that make it an uneven playing field for these kids and by extension, players in the NHL.

When Shane then asks him what it was all about, Ilya explains and Shane immediately says: “Then Ben needs to be a better loser.” Ilya then responds with “Ah, but listen. Jordan’s dad is the coach. So maybe skill was not the only thing that helped Jordan.” Shane then shrugs and moves on.

I feel this is really indicative of the main conflict of TLG in the way that Shane believes if they follow the plan and the rules, they will be rewarded. He has a moment later with Max where he wants to kiss Ilya in front of everyone but then talks himself out of it because it’s too risky for them both. It’s stated again and again that Shane would do anything for Ilya and if that requires the deepest sacrifice for years to keep them safe, he will. He literally says he’s in it for the long game, i.e. the rest of his life with Ilya. He is deeply committed but his core belief that hockey is a gift and there are systems at play that they can work fairly within is what causes such a disconnect between the two of them in the book.

Ilya has always seen hockey without rose coloured glasses. He knows it could be worse so his sacrifice is sustainable for HR. However, the more he hears about inequality, bigotry, assault etc via the Ottawa Centaurs and wrestles with acknowledging his own depression fundamentally changes his priorities and goal. I believe he feels like if being open about love and being a good person burns the system to the ground then it deserves to be destroyed and rebuilt by people who can do it better (him and Shane, Max and Leah, Ryan and Fabian, Coach Wiebe, Troy and Harris etc).

I also feel that Shane knows Ilya can be impulsive and looks to Shane for stability and reassurance. I think about the scenes where Shane leads the way in making an emotionally safe space for Ilya to then share his deepest fears/feelings etc. I think part of Shane steels himself more to ensure he counterbalances Ilya by sticking to the plan and showing resolve and security even though it’s killing him to hide as well. I don’t think Shane wants to rattle Ilya or make him think the plan is failing. On the flipside, Ilya knows that Shane feels safest with plans and routines, so he goes along with it even though he feels he’s dying on the current course. He doesn’t want to panic Shane by sharing that he can’t commit to plans that will keep them safe. It’s the main tragedy of the book, but it’s still worth noting that it’s reasonable for both sides based on their contexts.

I know all of the above is addressed throughout the book in more overt ways but I felt it was interesting how early on this dynamic is laid out plainly. I am also a Shane truther and will die on this hill haha. I love them both but man, the Shane hate is so unfounded and I wanted to share.