Monday, March 04, 2019

Gheorghasbord: Sport(s) of the Future

Big doings in the mid-major sports world this week, with one regular season starting, another ending, a league getting off the ground, and me with lots of time on my hands.

My wife was in New Jersey this weekend at a cheerleading competition with my daughter, so I got to spend much of it watching all kinds of soccer, from Tottenham/Arsenal at 7:30 Saturday morning, to DC United's season-opener in the snow against Atlanta United last night at 6. Coulda gone to that one in person, had I desired, but 32 degrees and wet snow ain't exactly a great recipe for a good time.

The Return of Lucharoo!
Predicting results in the MLS is a bit of a fool's errand with as much variability as that league exhibits on a year to year basis, but that's not going to stop me. I think MLS Cup is going to be a battle between two of the league's most consistent franchises, both of whom have been a bit snakebitten in the postseason. Says here that Red Bull New York beats Sporting Kansas City in the final.

While MLS is just getting underway, our Tribe closed out a very up and down regular season with a 70-66 road win over James Madison. W&M started the year 3-1 in conference play, lost seven of nine, and finished with five consecutive wins to secure the 4th seed in the CAA Tournament. The Wrens face Delaware, with whom they split during the regular season. The winner will likely get Hofstra, the class of the league this season - though the Tribe did extend the Pride to triple overtime in Williamsburg in January and only lost by six in Hempstead a few weeks ago. And we all know what can happen when W&M and Hofstra meet in the semifinals of the CAA Tournament.

Nathan Knight averaged 34 points per game over the final six contests. Even with a 1-9 stinker against Towson thrown in, Matt Milon made 47.6% of his threes over the final five, averaging 17.2 points per game over that stretch. I think the winning streak is a bit misleading, as four of the five teams W&M beat were the dregs of the league, and I'm still of the mind that next year is our year, but hope does spring eternal. As does disappointment.

The best post I ever wrote* edges nearer and nearer to reality, as Major League Rugby just announced the addition of Old Glory D.C. Rugby Club for the 2020 season. Along with Boston and Atlanta, Old Glory will join the nine existing MLR franchises to give the league a total of 12 teams. NOLA Gold currently tops the league's table with a 4-1 record. For Whitney and Mr. KQ, tryouts for Old Glory are March 31 at Catholic University. Old Glory meets glory days.

(* One very intelligent commentator said, "This is fucking brilliant". I always liked that guy.)

Can't wait to catch Old Glory games live and in person. Hopefully they'll have a home game the same weekend as next year's CAA Tournament, to be held in D.C. I love it when a plan comes together.

22 comments:

  1. Pour some out for Prodigy’s Keith Flint. He passed right before electronica was about to break through.

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  2. Once again I liberated our cars, driveway and walkway from snow. When I came inside zwoman said "Thank you for taking care of all that snow in such a manly way, I really appreciate it." If you just read the transcript it sounds great but the tone of her voice made clear that this was a sly declaration of "Hey donkey, I know you and your friends have a blog and it's publicly available so I know you kvetch about how no one acknowledges your alleged manliness."

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  3. That's better than the "Wow, you were out there a long while" after being outside for 2 hours shoveling and snow-throwing the 14" of snow we got.

    And the zwoman lurks at G:TB? My wife could even find the blog given the name.

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  4. We need a Zlady guest post describing all your manly deeds

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  5. snow day for me and my wife! and a delay for the kids . . . this is the life. my younger son made fifty dollars shoveling before he went to school this morning . . . he may be shady as hell, but at least he likes to work.

    i don't think my wife ever visits here (aside from when i mistakenly post as her)

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  6. my daughter is an occasional visitor. last week, she found a post from several years ago in which i described her as 'compact'. she didn't find that flattering. but she is, in fact, compact.

    she also wants to write a guest post, which i'm encouraging.

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  7. I'm impressed by Dave's spawn. When I was a kid snow was money falling from the sky, I could get $10-$20 a driveway. There are absolutely zero kids in my neighborhood willing to shovel snow for money. They're all holed up in their teen suites using Facesnap and Chatstabook or whatever the hell they have on their iPhone XRs all of which were bought and paid for by their overly indulgent parents.

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  8. My daughters have no idea G:TB exists. Probably good.

    Both of my wives and a few significant others have known about this space, but they rarely ever ventured here. I never quite understood that; they could learn a little something about me, they could get to know my friends, and they could be amused daily (at least bi-monthly) by becoming regular readers. Hell, they could even read some of my true confessions and learn my whereabouts. But no. What gives?

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  9. Some things are best left unknown. Willful blindness.

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  10. we might be less interesting than we believe.

    my 8th grade son has been a snow shoveler for years. he has regular customers, makes phone calls to lock in client, etc. him and his buddy always go out and make cash. he's normally the quiet scheming one. my charming verbal son has no interest in making any cash. he knows we'll provide him with what he needs . . .

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  11. RIP Luke Perry. Massive stroke. Aged just 52.

    It’s a sad day in a certain zip code. Rock on, Dylan.

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  12. I'm trying not to care about Tribe hoops because they seem to play better when I'm *not* emotionally invested. My goal is to get through the next 10 days without starting to care, in order to give them the mojo they need for the CAA tourney. Because, of course, my emotional investment has an impact on the performance of the team...

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  13. One of Old Glory's owners is an old teammate of mine for years. Played for the USA in the '91 RWC. Got the game against the All Blacks in pool play and got to face the Haka. Paul Sheehy, would def know Hightower. Good dude, I've put in for seats in the owner's box. And to hold a clip board for the tryouts. We'll see.

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  14. doing my taxes. trump really fucked us in new jersey. yikes.

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  15. i wish i meant that joke. it's dave, of course

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  16. dave really fucked you guys in new jersey? i don't doubt that.

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  17. I hope you guys did the three things today. If so, that’s a full day. That’s a heck of a day.

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  18. Old Glory should get its own bar and call it The Old Glory Hole.

    I went to a Harp League rugby match when I was 22. I ended up on an email list. The intensity was something I wasn't ready for. Folks were emailing with questions like "I have a ringer from Wales. Can somebody get him a job in NY and an apartment?" I realized it was a little above my head. Make that a lot above my head. I decided to hang out and let my fractured clavicle continue to heal in the wrong position, necessitating surgery 15 yrs later.

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  19. There is a bar called Old Glory in DC, or at least there used to be.

    And no kickboxing tag?

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  20. Old Glory is gone, Squeak. RIP Old Luke Glory Perry.

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  21. Bobby Moynihan will be on Drunk History at 10 PM tmrw on Comedy Central.

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