Your AFL Beat and Thursday Night Open Thread

 

I know what you’re thinking, but no, the AFL coverage will not end until you all are bought in on Aussie Footy or I die.  Or I get lazy. Whichever comes first.

This past week my GWS Giants showed they’ve still got fight left in this rebuilding season, Port throttled Western, West Coast is terrible, and Brody Grundy made Collingwood regret showing him the door while virtually all of Melbourne donned blue beanies to fight Motor Neuron(e) Disease…ON THE KING’S BIRTHDAY NO LESS  (I don’t actually care, but it came up a lot during the broadcast).

Oh, and former President Trump got arrested.  That was almost as good as the GWS game.

Short story long, we’re 13 weeks into this AFL season, and the playoffs (or “Finals”) picture is starting to take shape. The Giants came into this past week sitting at 4-8, 15th on the ladder, and widely to be considered the longest of longshots to make the top 8. In fact, the commentators literally said it was almost like an elimination game this week to keep their postseason hopes alive against North Melbourne, who entered the contest on a 10 game losing streak.  So I have no idea why it was such a big surprise that the Giants played like the better team that they are, but it was more than signs of life, they were legit good, save some sporadic kick efficiency problems.  103-75 your final, Adam Kingsley looks like a damn genius, and here are your highlights:

I watched a little of a lot of games this week, but I’m freaking tired and getting up super early tomorrow, so let’s just share the highlights from the week:

The mark of the year contenders from this round:

And the ladder after 13 weeks:

Source: https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/ladder

This week’s matchup against Freo is another biggie, but win or lose, this team is exciting to watch. The proverbial orange tsunami is back, baby!

Oh, and despite Rev’s ramblings, it is NOT that hard to follow this sport!  Pick a team, pay a nominal membership fee, and watch as many or as few games as you want on the WatchAFL app.  Or just go to the AFL’s youtube channel and get the highlights.


What’s On Tonight?

As Balls reminded us the other night TEMPTATION ISLAND IS BACK, WOOOOOOOOOOOO!  I for one welcome our sex idiot overlords. More importantly I hope Balls is still going to do Temptation Island recaps, because I can’t watch that shit but I sure can read about it!

Otherwise, um, I guess a little bit of baseball? For you canucks, the Redblacks take on the Stampeders at 6:30PM DFO time on TSN1. And for basketball, the Seattle Storm and Las Vegas Aces go head to head at 9PM DFO time on Fox Sports. CONCACAF and US Open Golf are happening, too, but you’ll have to talk to someone else about those matters.

So I guess read a book?  Or at least tell us what you’ve been reading down below. TO THE COMMENTS!

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BrettFavresColonoscopy
BFC is a Chicago native transplanted to our nation's capital and transplanted again to the mountain West, then to SoCal, then back to the mountain West, and then again back to our nation's capital. He enjoys football, whisky, and the oxford comma.
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BugEyedBoo

Meanwhile, at Mar-a-Lago

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2Pack

The final frontier

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Sharkbait

Just caught the highlights of the footy. Looks like a classic CONCACAF match. Referee losing control, matching reds, missed cards.

Mr. Ayo

Tres a cero

ballsofsteelandfury

I bet Canada is just sitting back laughing at this.

Mr. Ayo

Oh definitely. Dest and McKinnie out is huge.

Senor Weaselo

What happens if neither team has the required 7 players to the side?

TheRevanchist

About damn time! The US was getting away with murder. And now Pubelessdick is being the bitch he is. Fuck that whole team.

Doktor Zymm

I am currently the epitome of satiation. I am going to sleep the best sleep while my body works it’s way through some amazing food and booze. Forget godspeed, godsleep good people!

Sharkbait

That was me last week in Grand Case. Well done.

Mr. Ayo

Dios mío!

¡Una trifulca en el terreno de juego!

TheRevanchist

The US team should have got 2 players sent off there.

Sharkbait

Gotta love driving an hour to hockey to essentially be an EBUG, minus the cool factor of getting into a game.

Senor Weaselo

Do you get to drive the zamboni at least?

Sharkbait

Inline, so not even a chance

Senor Weaselo

That doesn’t mean you can’t still drive a zamboni to get there! Leave early though.

Sharkbait

I like where your head is at sir.

Mr. Ayo

¿Cómo se dice braceo en español?

SonOfSpam

Sorry had to watch Ohtani be the winning pitcher and hit a 443 ft HR.

Now what’s this about Poo-Lisick?

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

Tonight’s cocktail:

1 oz cognac
1/2 oz Grand Marnier
1/2 oz Canton
1 oz orange juice (with 1 tsp chopped ginger steeped for about an hour)

Shaken over ice, poured into a chilled coupe glass with a 2:1 sugar:ginger powder rim.

I’ve only had the one but I would very much like more.

Mr. Ayo

USA! USA! USA! USA!

Redemption for the golden child!

Mr. Ayo

Nailed It!

— B. Walsh

litre_cola

Pulisic…Chelsead it.

King Hippo

FUN* exercise – what Commentist(s) should we send on which reality shows?

2pack – Survivor
Balls – Temptation Island
Dok Zymm (plus who gets to be teammate??) – The Amazing Race

*YMMV

litre_cola

Oh Zymm and I would do damage.

King Hippo

I really want this to happen now.

litre_cola

“Eat the entrails of an Aardvark.”

“What kinda sauce you goin with here?”

litre_cola

“Drink this root hooch we just made.”

” Can we have 2 each?”

Doktor Zymm

Deal, you would be a fantastic Amazing Race teammate

ballsofsteelandfury

I would only go on Temptation Island as a Single.

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

Seems like it would be a hell of a lot more fun to go on as one of the couples, as long as you were content to immediately abandon any pretence of attachment to your partner.

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

It’s not obvious at all. 3/4 of the singles don’t even come close to scoring.

ballsofsteelandfury

I wouldn’t be there to score. I’d be there to convince the couples to break up.

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

BY HOOKING UP WITH ONE OF THEM WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE I FEEL LIKE I’M TAKING CRAZY PILLS

Mr. Ayo

You sir are not. That of course is the proper path.

ballsofsteelandfury

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Doktor Zymm

Obviously Dr Frank N Furter from Rocky Horror would be the best at this, and I think Balls could pull it off almost as well as Tim Curry

King Hippo

yeah right – Chopped

WCS

I was hoping this would be here.

2Pack

I am going for my run.

I will not disappoint Hippo.

I will not disappoint the Clubhouse.

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Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

Is there a Brazilian version of Temptation Island? I think that would be even better for Balls.

ballsofsteelandfury

There couldn’t be a Brazilian version because it’s generally accepted they are all cheating on each other.

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

Stupid sexy Brazilians…

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

(I’m just joking of course, sexy Brazilians aren’t stupid. In fact, a very intelligent Brazilian woman – a microbiologist, in fact – took my virginity)

Last edited 1 year ago by Rikki-Tikki-Deadly
BugEyedBoo

…and then grew it into this!

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Game Time Decision

Aren’t there a bunch that were on Jeopardy?

ballsofsteelandfury

Is that a reality show?

ballsofsteelandfury

I guess with us it would be…

litre_cola

The Mexi/Cana party in Vegas this weekend would be awesome

King Hippo

ah tell yew wut, really don’t know whatcha got till it’s gone. I ain’t been able to lie flat on my back OR on my left side for almost two goddamned weeks. And if I toss and turn while asleep, I wake up feeling like a car crash victim. FUCK this getting old shit.

2Pack

Beats the alternative Buddy.

King Hippo

This goes on much longer, I’mma HARD DISAGREE!

2Pack

Evening folks

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Mr. Ayo

Me two!

— Lea Michele

ballsofsteelandfury

We’re all rooting for México, right?

Mr. Ayo

To lose? Sure!

ballsofsteelandfury

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King Hippo

MEX v CAN would sound almost like a redneck saying “Mexican” so, sure!

Just so long as EEUU loses, though who really gives a tin shit re Nations League?

litre_cola

I want to beat yous so I do.

ballsofsteelandfury

They really are fun. It doesn’t matter which team. A good blowout is a beautiful thing to watch.

The key is that the tiebreakers are based on margin of victory. So it encourages teams to run up the score and kick teams when they’re down.

King Hippo

Prolapsed Buttholes would be a great name for an elderly Butthole Surfers tribute band

ballsofsteelandfury

Okay, that is the ONE thing I cannot stand.

TheRevanchist

Same. Just not quite sexy, but I’d still be willing to work with it due to my love of anal.

scotchnaut

Wifey has this sixth sense as to when she’s going to have an ‘interesting’ convo with a family member so she usually puts them on speaker just in case I feel like being entertained. Sure enough earlier this evening her nutbar mother (my despised MIL, of course) called, and under the pretense of returning a wheelchair and walker that she needed at the time, tried to get wifey’s credit card number so that she could make sure ‘there was a credit applied to her account’.

/She’s fucking relentless, trying to suck money out of her three kids

SonOfSpam

(wondering how many digits in Canadian credit cards, probably three)

litre_cola

with an umlaut to catch you off guard

Gumbygirl

Your MIL is a hobo.

SonOfSpam

US vs Mexico tonight, available in English on Paramount+ so in other words, ola Univision.

Mr. Ayo

One month free trial is available with promo code CONCACAF if you’re desparate.

ballsofsteelandfury

The beauty part about the Spanish broadcast is that you don’t need to be paying attention the whole time. You can multitask and then, when something interesting is happening, the announcer’s voice will go up and that will be your cue to put your eyes on the screen.

ballsofsteelandfury

I will definitely check out tonight’s premiere and see if the couples are worth my time. Sometimes they are annoying and I don’t give a shit if they break up or not.

Other times, I can tell early it’s going to be a trainwreck and I need to get the popcorn ready.

I’ll keep y’all posted!

Last edited 1 year ago by ballsofsteelandfury
SonOfSpam

It’s not on USA tonight

SonOfSpam

IT WAS LAST NIGHT WHY O WHY DID I LISTEN TO YOU

ballsofsteelandfury

Really? WOOPS!

King Hippo

Isn’t everything available on demand now, anyway?

ballsofsteelandfury

Yes, but because NBC sucks balls, the replay is on Peacock and it’s on the pay side. I’m not paying shit for Peacock…

King Hippo

I could put it on, invite y’all pervs to a Teams meeting, then share screen. But that seems like too much work. SUPPORT REBECCUR LOWE, BUY PEACOCK

SonOfSpam

Maybe in your high-tech wonderland.

(adds more foil to rabbit ears)

Gumbygirl

.

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King Hippo

nods solemnly at Hippo’s bank account balance

Brick Meathook

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King Hippo

Subtitle – “No Jews”

Brick Meathook

You should read about him; he probably didn’t even know what a Jew was. He understood machines like no one else but had little to no education about anything else. But when the Model-T took off he opened Ford employment to anyone of any race or creed, and they were all paid the same. No other manufacturer, not even GM was doing that. Ford more than anybody else is responsible for the “great migration” of African Americans out of the Deep South into the industrial north, and Ford workers of any color could afford to buy a house and raise a family. Henry Ford did that.

But as he gets richer he becomes isolated and surrounded by a small group of sycophants who have his ear, and no one else does, and he has so much wealth he has influence, yet he’s becoming a crackpot. The Dearborn Independent was just an ugly newspaper and it will always stain his reputation, but the claim that he didn’t even know what was in it is probably true. But this is the dark second half of his life where he can’t let go of being the hero and just destroys his son Edsel. There’s not even an equivalent in Greek literature of a king killing his only heir apparent. He’s absolutely senile but he still wields immense influence over a massive industrial organization and also American popular thinking.

It’s a Shakespearean story that starts bright yet ends dark, yet the scale of it all is tremendous. The characters involved, such as Harry Bennett and Charles Sorenson and William Knudsen are just hard-nosed characters, and so is Henry Ford. Edsel is the delicate genius who the father just hammers repeatedly trying to toughen him up is heartbreaking.

Brick Meathook

What really got me into the story of Henry Ford and the Ford Motor Company is the book “The Reckoning” by David Halberstam. He describes the rise of both Ford in the early 20th century and Nissan in postwar Japan in parallel sections of the book. But the way he tells the Ford story is amazing. I only read the Ford sections of the book they were so fascinating. Highly recommended.

King Hippo

Coach Parcells thinks you skipped the right sections.

Brick Meathook

It’s the Japanese names. I could never remember who was who.

King Hippo

Yeah, I have had the same issue with Asian non-fiction.