diff --git a/components/stats.html b/components/stats.html
index 50df931..e2cdcd6 100644
--- a/components/stats.html
+++ b/components/stats.html
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
             <tbody class="text-gray-700">
                 {{range .}}
                 <tr>
-                    <td class="py-2 px-4 border">{{.PlayerUsername}}</td>
+                    <td class="py-2 px-4 border">{{.Username}}</td>
                     <td class="py-2 px-4 border">{{.GamesPlayed}}</td>
                     <td class="py-2 px-4 border">{{.GamesWon}}</td>
                     <td class="py-2 px-4 border">{{.GamesLost}}</td>
diff --git a/handlers/auth.go b/handlers/auth.go
index a57d92d..2f82578 100644
--- a/handlers/auth.go
+++ b/handlers/auth.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package handlers
 
 import (
-	"context"
 	"crypto/hmac"
 	"crypto/sha256"
 	"encoding/base64"
@@ -9,7 +8,6 @@ import (
 	"gralias/models"
 	"gralias/utils"
 	"html/template"
-	"log/slog"
 	"net/http"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
@@ -93,7 +91,7 @@ func HandleFrontLogin(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		}
 	}
 	// login user
-	cookie, err := makeCookie(cleanName, r.RemoteAddr)
+	cookie, session, err := makeCookie(cleanName, r.RemoteAddr)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Error("failed to login", "error", err)
 		abortWithError(w, err.Error())
@@ -136,10 +134,15 @@ func HandleFrontLogin(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 			}
 		}
 	}
+	if err := repo.SessionCreate(r.Context(), session); err != nil {
+		log.Error("failed to save session", "error", err)
+		abortWithError(w, err.Error())
+		return
+	}
 	http.Redirect(w, r, "/", 302)
 }
 
-func makeCookie(username string, remote string) (*http.Cookie, error) {
+func makeCookie(username string, remote string) (*http.Cookie, *models.Session, error) {
 	// secret
 	// Create a new random session token
 	// sessionToken := xid.New().String()
@@ -176,19 +179,19 @@ func makeCookie(username string, remote string) (*http.Cookie, error) {
 		cookie.Secure = false
 		log.Info("changing cookie domain", "domain", cookie.Domain)
 	}
-	player, err := repo.PlayerGetByName(context.Background(), username)
-	if err != nil || player == nil {
-		// make player first, since username is fk to players table
-		player = models.InitPlayer(username)
-		if err := repo.PlayerAdd(context.Background(), player); err != nil {
-			slog.Error("failed to create player", "username", username)
-			return nil, err
-		}
-	}
-	if err := repo.SessionCreate(context.Background(), session); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	return cookie, nil
+	// player, err := repo.PlayerGetByName(context.Background(), username)
+	// if err != nil || player == nil {
+	// 	// make player first, since username is fk to players table
+	// 	player = models.InitPlayer(username)
+	// 	if err := repo.PlayerAdd(context.Background(), player); err != nil {
+	// 		slog.Error("failed to create player", "username", username)
+	// 		return nil, err
+	// 	}
+	// }
+	// if err := repo.SessionCreate(context.Background(), session); err != nil {
+	// 	return nil, err
+	// }
+	return cookie, session, nil
 }
 
 func HandleSignout(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
diff --git a/handlers/handlers.go b/handlers/handlers.go
index 2a34edd..12a94a0 100644
--- a/handlers/handlers.go
+++ b/handlers/handlers.go
@@ -128,8 +128,10 @@ func HandleStats(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 	fi, err := getFullInfoByCtx(r.Context())
-	if err != nil {
+	if err != nil || fi == nil {
 		log.Error("failed to fetch fi", "error", err)
+		http.Redirect(w, r, "/", 302)
+		return
 	}
 	// there must be a better way
 	if fi != nil && fi.Room != nil && fi.Room.ID != "" && fi.State != nil {
diff --git a/handlers/middleware.go b/handlers/middleware.go
index 47242a9..ba34d0f 100644
--- a/handlers/middleware.go
+++ b/handlers/middleware.go
@@ -61,8 +61,6 @@ func GetSession(next http.Handler) http.Handler {
 			return
 		}
 		userSession, err := repo.SessionByToken(r.Context(), sessionToken)
-		// userSession, err := cacheGetSession(sessionToken)
-		// log.Debug("userSession from cache", "us", userSession)
 		if err != nil {
 			msg := "auth failed; session does not exists"
 			log.Debug(msg, "error", err, "key", sessionToken)
@@ -83,13 +81,6 @@ func GetSession(next http.Handler) http.Handler {
 			models.CtxUsernameKey, userSession.Username)
 		ctx = context.WithValue(ctx,
 			models.CtxSessionKey, userSession)
-		// if err := cacheSetSession(sessionToken,
-		// 	userSession); err != nil {
-		// 	msg := "failed to marshal user session"
-		// 	log.Warn(msg, "error", err)
-		// 	next.ServeHTTP(w, r)
-		// 	return
-		// }
 		next.ServeHTTP(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
 	})
 }
diff --git a/migrations/001_initial_schema.up.sql b/migrations/001_initial_schema.up.sql
index 6748d11..bae52bd 100644
--- a/migrations/001_initial_schema.up.sql
+++ b/migrations/001_initial_schema.up.sql
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ CREATE TABLE journal(
 
 CREATE TABLE player_stats (
     id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT,
-    player_username TEXT NOT NULL UNIQUE,
+    username TEXT NOT NULL UNIQUE,
     games_played INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
     games_won INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
     games_lost INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
@@ -101,6 +101,6 @@ CREATE TABLE player_stats (
     guesser_winrate REAL NOT NULL DEFAULT 0.0,
     played_as_mime INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
     played_as_guesser INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
-    FOREIGN KEY (player_username) REFERENCES players(username) ON DELETE CASCADE
+    FOREIGN KEY (username) REFERENCES players(username) ON DELETE CASCADE
 );
 
diff --git a/models/main.go b/models/main.go
index 2e6ccbe..42a3194 100644
--- a/models/main.go
+++ b/models/main.go
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ type Journal struct {
 
 type PlayerStats struct {
 	ID                  uint32  `db:"id"`
-	PlayerUsername      string  `db:"player_username"`
+	Username            string  `db:"username"`
 	GamesPlayed         int     `db:"games_played"`
 	GamesWon            int     `db:"games_won"`
 	GamesLost           int     `db:"games_lost"`
diff --git a/repos/player_stats.go b/repos/player_stats.go
index a4cab6d..fbb0495 100644
--- a/repos/player_stats.go
+++ b/repos/player_stats.go
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ type PlayerStatsRepo interface {
 
 func (p *RepoProvider) GetPlayerStats(ctx context.Context, username string) (*models.PlayerStats, error) {
 	stats := &models.PlayerStats{}
-	err := sqlx.GetContext(ctx, p.DB, stats, "SELECT * FROM player_stats WHERE player_username = ?", username)
+	err := sqlx.GetContext(ctx, p.DB, stats, "SELECT * FROM player_stats WHERE username = ?", username)
 	return stats, err
 }
 
@@ -38,12 +38,12 @@ func (p *RepoProvider) UpdatePlayerStats(ctx context.Context, stats *models.Play
 		guesser_winrate = :guesser_winrate,
 		played_as_mime = :played_as_mime,
 		played_as_guesser = :played_as_guesser
-	WHERE player_username = :player_username`, stats)
+	WHERE username = :username`, stats)
 	return err
 }
 
 func (p *RepoProvider) CreatePlayerStats(ctx context.Context, username string) error {
 	db := getDB(ctx, p.DB)
-	_, err := db.ExecContext(ctx, "INSERT INTO player_stats (player_username) VALUES (?)", username)
+	_, err := db.ExecContext(ctx, "INSERT INTO player_stats (username) VALUES (?)", username)
 	return err
 }