Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for January 25, 2022

Oxford, the OX two sacks trumps Cheerleading!

YAY OX!!

Oh, the delightful, unexpected twist. Best twist from Greg in ages! Oh, the humiliation for Stef.

Jealous much, Stef? Can’t two boys who knew each other get reacquainted?

The game lights don’t just make the players shine brighter. They also make everyone else invisible.

Stef looks angry?

Is that TDS or STD that Steffi help Kippy score?

Kip Lee’s ticket for a NFL career?

Enter TJ to cheer the cheerleader.

Kip finally looks alive.

K: Oxford, what are you doing here? O: I came to save you.

Stef looks like she was caught with her pants down, and no one noticed.

Is Kip going to try to get Oxford into Mooney U?

I’m surprised Stefi didn’t fall over, the way she’s always draped across Kippy.

I like Ox better and better…

I should have commented on this way sooner, but I’m really pleased with how Greg Evans has improved his depiction of the Asiatic face! I’d been looking mainly at Stef and hardly even noticing Kip Lee, but suddenly it dawned on me what an artistic leap forward he is. Maybe now we can bring back a better version of Sun.

Delightful misdirection in what appeared to be a dreadful week coming up.

Ox always struck me as an O lineman.

Stef you are not part of the boys club.

It would be great is if Jack were to walk in, making it a trio for gridiron talk.

Well that was an unexpected turn.

If Ox was so good why didn’t he get a scholarship somewhere?

Yay!

Hell hath no fury like a

I had a feeling they knew each other, Ox and Kip, and wondered how that meeting would happen, and I think it’s totally hilarious that Stephi got completely scored on to her despair, and Tiffany’s delight. Football is important to Kip and== Ox Macho thing —Stephi doesn’t realize it but she is a masturbatory toy basically. Which is sad actually, and we could have all kinds of discussions, but clearly, she is not coming out to well in this interplay. Is she the stereotype, or is she drawn as one, or both?

So Ox rescues Kip from a potential nasty cat fight.

Ha – Steffi is getting a look at Kip actually putting his arm around someone he enjoys being with.

.

Meanwhile, Tiff takes Steffi to her table and says, “Well, some got it, and some ain’t…”

You deserve it, Stefi. You gave yourself credit for Kip’s prowess on the gridiron and no guy likes it. HE makes his own prowess, thank you. He has skills all on his own and you have nothing to do with it. He is just using you because you are all too willing to offer yourself to him and are too stupid to realize it. So enjoy your solo dinner experience.

So Ox was a top defensive tackle in high school? If Tiff was the cheerleader at Pitt High School, I wonder why this did not register with her as she must have cheered at all the high school football games? I guess the big line men on the team did not get her attention like Aaron Hill. Anyhow this tidbit of info gives Ox something common with Kip! How about Kip suggests to Tiff that the 4 of them go hang out together, may lead to some double dating and bring out the worst in Stef all at once.

Oh-My-Gawd, a budding “Bromance!”

Nice Move, Ox! Way to run interference and “tackle” the QB for Tiff! You’re like a “nice” version of Tampa’s Ndamukong Suh!

Looks like Stef will be splitting the insults between Ox and Tiff this week. ;-)

Am I the only one surprised at this turn of events? Did not see this one coming

Oxford’s jersey number was 77.

I frequently complain about Greg’s disjointed ploting and jumps in continuity but this time he has showed some solid plot management. Last week’s lectures on waitering wasn’t to show how talented Tiffany was but to firmly place Ox in the Fuse so that today’s twist comes across as natural.

Years ago, not quite a half-century ago but close. I had something of a reputation as a comic book letter hack, with about 50 published letters, though being regarded as “The Human Cloudburst” probably wasn’t the most desirable appellation. Anyway, I was at a science fiction convention, talking to Fred Pohl when this other guy in the room hears my name and exclaims, “xxxxxx, I always wanted to meet you!” kinda rudely interrupting things. Turns out he was another comics letterhack, For just that one moment I thought “I’m more important than Frederick Pohl?!!” But only for that moment and I quickly came down to reality I’m reminded of this because of the Ox totally diverted Kip for her conversation.

No privacy hut for Kip Lee?

Not sure about the TDs but no doubt kip and stef scored a lot. But why are you so angry, stef? The boys are catching up as football players do.

PS. anyone else notice you can’t see kips right hand. where do y’all think it is?

Stef was outflanked.

Wow, that was out of left field!

I’m happy to see that Ox and Kip are friends. This shows that Kip is (probably) a good guy and that Ox is no longer a player for Mooney U. But why isn’t he on the football team anymore? Being a pro was his dream! Did he go through the same phase as Jack and realized he wasn’t skilled enough or is there something different? I’d love to know it! But probably the next strip will be about Stef getting angrier and angrier and Tiffany having to serve her with a smile, which is a good scene too.

This is a loaded strip today. Several little diversions and inuendos and surprises here. Might the 3rd frame lead a heart-to-heart talk between Stef n Tiff? About cheerleading?

I generally don’t like Stef’s character design, but I am loving her face in the last panel.

This is great!!

Kip finally has a good excuse to extricate himself from that b!

Also—great comeback, Tiff!!

I don’t know. The footballers might need a cheerleader.

Alright, this is out of topic but I’ve been on this site for 3 years now, and I want to make a confession. I’m a part of the lgbtq+ community. I identify as pansexual and genderfae (as of now) and I hope you all will accept me! If anyone else is a part of the community please let me know that I’m not alone, and it’s not a sin. I’m having a hard time accepting it. I’m still a minor so I can’t come out to my parents, they might hurt me. If anyone has any tips, please do share them with me :) Peace out!

To me the best part of this is they have a character more unlikable than Tiff and at the same time are making Tiff more likeable.

I’ll dispute that cheer is a ‘real’ sport and kips scoring with her isn’t running up any points on the field.

Actually cheer has a higher rate of serious injuries than football.

Love it.

I like this. College football is in a period of rapid transformation. Conversations among the elite HS players do happen, and that’s how super teams get built. National Signing Day comes in mid-Feb, so this is good timing. It’s also where we get a little more background on Kip.

It’s also where we can see Stef being second fiddle to Kip’s bigger dreams on the gridiron. Tiff gets the zinger. I do like this.

Stef is such a jerk. The narcissism is off the scale. Why would anybody get angry because her boyfriend ran into an old friend?

Don’t worry, Stef. Ox can’t replace you in EVERY department.

Looks like Ox just sacked Stef.

Bros before hoes. Kip and Ox know that code by heart.

Bros before hos.

Didn’t see that coming.

Kinda gives a whole new meaning to Bring It On……

la lalala lala laaa

Once again, I seem to be agreeing with a lot of the commenters. I’m not sure that “Divide and Conquer” is quite the right phrase for this situation. But Stef may not have much support for that self-arranged pity party after “Shoog” has had enough of that taunting nick name and slaps that smarmy smile off of her face.

I, too, played football in high school. Left bench.

Go OX!

Make that three Sacks!

Bromance…it’s a wonderful thing.

I guess Oxford no longer plays football?

Why do people feel sorry for Kip? It’s his choice and he has to live with it (Stef) or he can tell her to take a hike.

Ox has his day!

A few things to notice. 1) Kip abandoning his escort may tell us something about his relationship with Stefi. 2) Tiff maintains her professional demeanor. 3) Good old Ox has, or once had, an outlet for a violence streak. 8^ )

Looks like he picked a friend over Ms. Easy

sports trumps sex?

Now if Kip and Ox become buddies, Steph is going to be the one left out!

After a couple of beers, they’ll forget all about that wench

Isn’t Ox supposed to be working? Maybe at the Fuse it’s okay for the wait staff to go sit down and talk football with a customer for awhile. Must be nice.

You all appear skeptical. I have no doubt Tiff is responsible for Kip scoring a lot.

She’s not helping Kip by depleting his testosterone levels!

So much for the cheer leader…Pooh, Pooh!

Alright…Let’s talk about football….Go Team! ٩(˘◡˘)۶

She “helps him score.” Yeah right.

Don’t glare at him, Steff. It’s impossible to hate Ox. Only the blackest of hearts could hate that giant teddy bear.

Tiffany didn’t disparage cheerleading, dummy. She dissed you wearing the uniform all the time.

I think Steph has had more “sacks” with Kip

Hard on a girl’s ego to be dumped for Oxford.

Okay,a surprise.Nobody expected to see the two pretty girls left standing at the curb.

Call a cab,girls,what’s your hurry?

I scored 4 touchdowns in one game.

Kip looks happy for a change. It is because he found someone more intelligent to talk to. Good for him and Ox.

Stef says she helps get Kip lots of TDS. More like she gets him lots of STDs.

Cafe Kablooie willl get two Yelp reviews tonight. One a five star, the other, one. Poor Stef, it didn’t take much to turn Kippy’s head. Tiff gets to sip sweet tears.

Some boys never grow up. They would rather talk football than spend time with a hot chick. Stunted mental growth.

If Ox was top tackle in the high school division I wonder why he’s not playing college ball? Maybe Kip will recruit him? Because of Covid I had to retire. The one thing I miss most is Monday mornings “talking gridiron”. How about those Niners??

This will be one fun week….. Steff is stewing, Kip is finally smiling, Ox is enthused. No Pagada of Peace or anything will help those two. ;-)

Hey Stef – Maybe it’s time you use that half a brain cell and get a life

Ah, well, male bonding is quim-proof.

Football talk will do it everytime….especially if both guys played…Hahaha

You know Tiff really is an actress. Didn’t even crack a smile.

Defensive linemen for the win!!!!

I’m sure she helps him score all the time.

Tiffany didn’t ask about “cheer”. She asked about the costume. Steffi just doesn’t want to talk about why she’s forced to wear it 24/7.

Today is “ Robert Burns Day”. Serve ‘‘em Haggis!

Oxford seems like a good guy…

Kip couldn’t wait to find someone else to be with.

Stef’s a brat, so yay!

Kip chose the better conversationist. Ox would be way more entertaining than Staph-infected-Pooh-Pooh-Cheer-Airhead with the fake smile, teeth, lips, and who know what or where else! She seems to be a younger version of Evil Anne, Witch of Shenanigans!

Kippy was the bottom.

Gridiron? I remember American football being called that here in Australia back when I was a kid but haven’t heard/seen the word used in decades. What is he saying that instead of football?

Can take the boy out of high school, but you can’t take high school out of the boy.

Only twice?

Stef’s expression in the third panel is priceless.

Oxford “the Ox”! Top h.s. tackle! Sacked Kip Lee twice! Let’s talk.

Enjoy your solo luncheon, Ms. Cheer Queen Stef….

“Pooh-Pooh-Be-Doo!”

“Ox-cidental Meeting”

“Tiffany’s Table For Two, Er, One!”

“Hitting The Sacked”

“A Tackle-ish Situation”

Terry Bradshaw: You sacked me once…Dick Butkus: I sacked you twice.Terry: in pouring rain…Dick: No, it was nice!Terry: Ah yes, I remember it well…