If you're a sentient member of our society, you're undoubtedly aware of the truly fairytale story of Wrexham FC, the club from a down-on-its-luck Welsh* mining town that was purchased by a pair of American actors and subsequently went on a back-to-back-to-back run of promotions that's seen the club climb from the hinterlands of British football to the precipice of the world's most famous league. You're likely aware of all of it because the actors in question, Rob McIlhenny and Ryan Reynolds have parlayed their expertise in image-creation into a wildly successful documentary project that's followed Wrexham's rise.
* You will, undoubtedly, remember how fond the Welsh ladies are of your humble narrator.
You'd be forgiven if you were less familiar with the recent nightmare history of Sunderland AFC, a club based in a port city in the northeast of England. The Black Cats spent 2006-2017 in the Premier League, finishing a club-record 10th in 2011. They, too, were the subject of a well-made documentary, Sunderland 'Til I Die, which chronicled the club's relegation in 2017, and then again in 2018. The story arc took the team and the town from the lofty heights of the best league in Europe to England's third division, and introduced an increasingly sordid and incompetent band of owners and executives to the mix.
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| Future Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson came up through the Sunderland academy |
The first round of the Championship promotion tournament is played over two legs. Sunderland won its first match on the road, defeating Coventry, 2-1. On Tuesday, they returned home to the Stadium of Light needing only a draw to advance to the one-match final at Wembley. They played like a team in search of that draw, and finally gave up a goal in the 76th minute.
The match went to extra time, with two 15-minute sessions to determine a winner, or failing that, a penalty shootout. Sunderland earned a corner at the 120+2 minutes, and on the last kick of the game, did this (go to the 6:45 mark).
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That is one of the oddest headers I've ever seen in terms of form. Good on him for making the adjustment mid air though.
ReplyDeleteagreed. i initially thought it hit his shoulder.
ReplyDeleteUmmm, Sunderland is really Wearside vs. Tyneside. Gheordie out front should have told you.
ReplyDeleteyes, but the tyne-wear derby is a fightin' affair.
ReplyDeleteThese blokes Marls and Rob look like they're ready to have a good old anglophile smackdown.
ReplyDeletemarls has a lean and hungry look
ReplyDeleteI’m an idiot and thought Mark meant the title of this post.
ReplyDeleteAAA baseball in the daytime is splendid
ReplyDeletejust booked my next colonoscopy! happy to know that the prep process isn't as fucking awful as it was last time. still not great!
ReplyDeletewhat happened on rob's soccer front? a colonoscopy? that's not in the playbook
ReplyDeletewe play for first place on monday
ReplyDeletemy sister is a crossfit instructor in jax. we're headed that way next weekend (danimal, where we meeting up?). she's informed me that we're doing a murph on saturday morning. has anyone done such a thing? am i going to die?
ReplyDeleteYou aren’t going to die, but I’m not sure you complete one next weekend especially if you do it with the weighted vest. You are in pretty good shape, but maybe start with a quarter Murph?
ReplyDeleteoh, i won't be doing the hardest version. intermediate is fine with me.
ReplyDeleteYou seem like more of a Quimby than a Murph.
ReplyDeletewell that's not very nice
ReplyDeleteRob- try and get to the bearded pig whilst in Jax. There’s a couple locations. Top notch barbecue.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile this weekend there’s a huge rock festival happening at the Daytona Speedway called Welcome to Rockville. It’s an an absolutely absurd lineup. Look it up if you’re interested.
I am not at said festival but I am about to walk down to the beach and have a super lazy Saturday afternoon. Perfect way to spend my first free weekend in nearly a month.