(It was birthday week, and rehearsal Friday, concert Saturday, gig Sunday, gig Monday. At some point we will go back to our regularly scheduled musings and Marble League reviews. Like HOLY SHIT THE PINKIES ARE STILL IN 1ST THROUGH 6 EVENTS. The Pinkies. The Pauls of the Marble League. Also, sorry. SEVEN.)
Anyway, A Night in Tunisia. How many octaves? Yes.
Anyway, to the team itself.
Country: Tunisia
Where is that? Northern Africa. As in the most northern, bordered by Algeria to the west/southwest, Libya to the east, and the Mediterranean to the north.
Capital: Tunis (country is derived from the name)
Nickname: Eagles of Carthage, which as Horatio mentioned, is badass.
Current FIFA ranking: 30th (3rd in CAF)
Notable accomplishments: 6th World Cup appearance (2 straight); 3 straight World Cup appearances (’98, ’02, ’06) first African nation to win a World Cup match (defeating Mexico in 1978); 1 African Cup of Nations championship (2004, as hosts).
Not-so-fun colonialism fact, prior to the 1958 World Cup they were part of France.
Best World Cup result: Group stage
So, can the Eagles for the first time get out of the group stage? Well, do I know any of these players or was this entire article written specifically for that one YouTube clip?
Come on, this is me, you know the answer. I don’t know footy, and I do kinda know jazz. But they’re in Group D with Denmark, France, and Australia. The Danes are pretty good and the French are the defending champions, so this could prove to be a challenge, considering you’re dealing with two top-ten teams. In the group, they’re ranked behind the two European teams and ahead of the Aussies, so that’s less than ideal for upset-minded folks. I can say they’re a veteran team, as the Eagles have one under-23 player (19yo MF Hannibal Mejbri, who plays for Birmingham).
Prediction: 0-1-2 (L vs. Denmark, D vs. Australia, L vs. France)
Back to our regularly scheduled open thread:
News
-University of Virginia cancels home finale vs. Coastal Carolina, after the events of earlier this week.
-To the IR: Bears RB Khalil Herbert and Rams WR Cooper Kupp. Potentially to IR: Eagles TE Dallas Goedert
-Lawsuits! Broncos LB Aaron Patrick is suing over his injury in the teams MNF win over the Chargers. In the suit: The NFL, Rams, Chargers, SoFi Stadium, ESPN, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, and anyone else who might be tangentially related.
–Getting Pipped: Riverboat Ron not sure where to go to Carson Wentz when the QB comes back from IR, or to stick with Taylor Heinicke.
-Packers release A. Rodgers. (No, it’s WR Amari Rodgers, who has fumbled five times.)
What’s for sportsin’? (Nationals for now, check local listings otherwise.)
Roundball
Druids vs. Thrashers (BOS vs. ATL, 7:30, ESPN)
Warriors vs. Suns (sorry, nothing clever) (10:05, ESPN)
JV Roundball
#2 Gonzaga vs. #11 Texas (9:30, ESPN2)
Iceball
BB’s Jazz, Blues, and Soups vs. Sauk chief (STL vs. CHI, 7:30, TNT)
Fightin’ Gretzkys vs. Fightin’ Gretzkys (LAK vs. EDM, 10:00 TNT)
Today at the office I showed someone Barkley: Shut Up and Jam Gaiden. I’ll talk more about it next week, but if you don’t know about it… holy shit, dude. Google it.
Go ahead and say things to each other!
Yay, Katie Porter won!
I had absolutely no idea that Elmo tried to buy The Onion a few years ago:
https://www.thedailybeast.com/elon-musk-wanted-to-buy-the-onion-now-hes-poaching-its-staffers-for-a-secret-project
The Onion hasn’t been funny since they moved from Madison WI to NYC in January 2001, right when Dubya took office. After 9/11 real life was too weird to satirize, plus they lost their great editors and also the Midwestern slant that made it so perfect.
Every great comedy landmark, like a great athlete, has its golden era, after which they may still produce but not at the heights they once were.
The eight years of the Clinton Administration were truly The Onion’s golden era, culminating in their magnum opus, the brilliant Our Dumb Century, which is one of the greatest pieces of comedy and satire ever.
The Onion could be still be funny here and there, even occasionally to this day, but never again at the consistent greatness of the 90s.
tldr: it’s a has-been, that’s why musk wanted it
I think I laugh a lot more consistently at The Hard Times these days.
Our Dumb Century is awesome!
I think it’s “funny” that there’s no point in having a journalism industry anymore when The Onion is seemingly the only one doing the job.
Okay, I guess I watch The Santa Clauses, but I best prepare my precious childhood memories for yet another violation.
Okay, 1st Episode down and its not that bad. Its definitely better than Santa Clause 3 (a low bar really, technically a speed bump, a very small speed bump), which means people actually showed up to work instead of showed up for a paycheck. Still not as good as the first. Probably a bit below the 2nd one, we didn’t ask for it but its familiar.
Also, I gotta admit, I laughed at the line:
Elf: “Is anything affecting your Christmas Spirit?”
Santa: “Well, saying ‘Merry Christmas To All!’ is suddenly becoming a bit problematic.”
Skeptic Elf: “Yeah, because it’s October 14th.”
Okay, 2nd Episode is like the first. Its like your typical Streaming Series. Not good enough for a movie, but good enough to not feel like you wasted your time.
Favorite Line:
Mrs. Claus: “Scott, are you nervous? Do you not want to go through with it?”
Santa: (aside to her): “No, its not that. Its just… When the last Santa died and I showed up, none of the elves shed a tear or even acted a bit disappointed. I’d just hate to feel like I don’t matter.”
Santa: (to elves): “After talking with my family, I, Santa Clause, have decided to retire.”
(Elves scream, panic and cry)
Santa: “Yes! I do matter! We have a grief counselor, right? Kleenex, on me!”
Listening to Mike Pence on CNN, it sounds like he’s an honorable person, but he’s going to his faith a bit too much. Faith and Religion is supposed to give you strength, not an excuse. Its nice that he follows his faith, as it seems to suit him, however he seems to have forgotten Psalms.
“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers.”
Kind of reminds me of my sister-in-law. She’d consider herself a very devout Christian, but when faced with an abuse situation where her faith should tell her to step in and say something/do something, she’s perfectly content to “mind her own business” and pretend it isn’t happening and that there’s nothing that can be done.
She apparently forgot that God’s plan might involve her being there and doing something.
One doesn’t put on the Armor of God only to run.
Mike Pence has no honor.
Hey, Mike Pence has honor! A small amount though. Lower than an integer. A fraction really. With one big ass number as the denominator. Hyperreal, really. Actually, its somehow smaller than infinitesimal.
But that’s technically greater than zero!
He calls his wife Mother. He deserves a testicular torsion just for that!
Captain Insano debuts & the Elite return at the next PPV?
Just cancel this dumpster fire already
When they got rid of Cody Rhodes and Tony Khan decided to take full control, they were dead to rights. Its like when Vince Russo went to WCW and became the face of it.
Captain Insano? Didn’t he give Bobby Boucher all his moves and told him to open up a can of whoop-ass?
Yup
Appropriate:
https://youtu.be/EYTFVpu18p8
Just think, Tunisia is 4 years away from being assigned a group when the World Cup expands to 48 teams.
48 structure is gonna be such a goddamned farce
I’m convinced their goal is to get to 64 teams
That would be silly in the calibre of footy, but at least no disphit 3-team groups
HAHAHAHAHA, this is already going great!!
https://twitter.com/Kititout1/status/1592801365134561280
There’s a reason why I’m leaving on the weekend and not before: Shit like this.
When I arrive, the wrinkles should be ironed out by several beheadings
You might only lose a thumb-you’re way ahead of the game!
If I were to choose, I’d tell them to cut off my pinky, tbh
I’m not gonna lie-of all your digits, your pinkie is the worst.
I will be rooting for the Eagles of Carthage strictly based on that awesome name, but I fear I will not be rooting for them for long.
Tunisia has a player named Hannibal on the team.
He’s tough of nails and will be a force for Tunisia. . . in 2026. He probably won’t get much PT