What sports teams do you support?

[Мастер]

But we will be last, a mixture of stupid decisions and bad kicking. I am about to start drinking.

The remaining two matches are against England and Ireland, neither of which will be particularly easy, I think.

[Мастер]

Wales leads the forces of darkness at half time, 6-3.

French kicking is just rubbish today.

[Arneb]

But we will be last, a mixture of stupid decisions and bad kicking. I am about to start drinking.

Before you do, please be happily informed that our giddy aunt Hertha steered clear of a relegation place with a 1 - 0 home victory over Augsburg.

[Мастер]

And France goes done before the dragons of Wales!

[Мастер]

So out of the 2,187 possible ways the remaining seven matches could turn out, 766 outcomes produce an Irish victory, 718 produce an English victory, and 190 produce a Welsh victory. None of them produce an outright Scottish, Italian, or French victory.

The remaining 513 possible outcomes produce a tie on the win-lose-draw criterion, in which case the point spread is used to break the tie. Ireland is one of the winners in 380 of the tie scenarios, England is one in 413 scenarios, Wales in 296, France in 21, and Italy in 21. Some of the tie scenarios are four-way.

[Lance]

You have far too much time on your hands.

[Heid the Ba]

But we will be last, a mixture of stupid decisions and bad kicking. I am about to start drinking.

Before you do, please be happily informed that our giddy aunt Hertha steered clear of a relegation place with a 1 - 0 home victory over Augsburg.

Hurrah! I saw that, and laughed.

[Мастер]

You have far too much time on your hands.

One has to get one's priorities straight.

Ireland just defeated England, so there are now only 729 possible future outcomes. Of these, 489 lead to an outright Irish victory, 66 lead to an outright Welsh victory, and 27 lead to an outright English victory. The remaining 147 lead to tied outcomes, to be broken by the point spread. There are still multiple 4-way tie scenarios.

In the 147 tie scenarios, Ireland is a winner in 135, England in 78, Wales in 105, Italy in 6, and France in 3.

[Heid the Ba]

Ross County and Hertha clawing their ways towards safety were the highlights of my weekends. Other than that it was a dull draw for Rangers, a crushing loss for Scotland, two exciting cycle races without wins for Lotto-Jumbo.

[Arneb]

Stuttgart 0 - 0 Hertha.

Could have been worse. A lot.

[Heid the Ba]

A point is always good, particularly when the other team is below you.

[Lianachan]

Ross County notched up their 4th consecutive win today. For a little context, that's from a total of 6 wins in 28 games this season. Bit of an improvement, but still maybe too late to avoid relegation.

[Heid the Ba]

I would back your lot against mine in a playoff.

[Heid the Ba]

Well I'm off for a curry at lunchtime! I don't know of a Bangla one hereabouts but I will cope with Indian.

[Arneb]

If they get into the habit of losing against ALL their former colonies (at varying, but high frequency), why don'T the just found an Ashes Test against each one of them? English cricket superiority has been burned to a stump now several times, hasn't it?

[Lance]

Found on Facebook:

[Heid the Ba]

Yes, yes and yes. The Japanese Cricket Association has asked England for a game on their way home since they aren't busy next week.

[Lianachan]

[dirty family secret]Whatever the cricketing equivalent of a manager is, the one for the Japanese national cricket team is some kind of relative of mine.[/dirty family secret]

[Arneb]

Champions League time again.

Bayern 7 - 0 Donetsk
Chelsea 2 - 2 Paris Saint Germain

that was actually a very pleasant evening. Fuck PSG, but to see an easy and relaxed Bayern win, a Chelsea crashout in the last sixteen AND a sendoff for Zlatan Ibrahimovic is more than anyone could hope for.

[Мастер]

Six Nations this weekend! Two matches Saturday.

If Ireland defeats Wales, and Scotland defeats or draws with England - Ireland takes the tournament.

If Ireland defeats Wales, and England defeats Scotland - Ireland or England can win the tournament.

If Ireland draws with Wales, and Scotland defeats England - Ireland or Wales can win the tournament.

If Ireland draws with or loses to Wales, and Scotland and England draw - Ireland, England, or Wales can win.

If Ireland loses to Wales - Ireland, England, Wales, France, or Italy can win.

The only team that is out for sure is Scotland. But they can act as spoiler for England in some scenarios.

[Heid the Ba]

We won't, we haven't won at Twickenham for so many years it is embarrassing. Yes, it is Elephant-Snake-Bucket week again and I don't know if I can force myself to watch it.

In other news: Rangers are on to their third manager of the season and look likely to have to play two playoff rounds to get into the playoff for promotion/relegation from the top league. The last game might be against Lianachan's beloved Ross County. In Mactepian terms:

Rangers don't get promoted (likely) and Ross County get relegated (possible) then we are both in the Championship.

Rangers get promoted (unlikely) and Ross County stay up (possible) then we are both in the Premier League.

Rangers don't get promoted (likely) and Ross County stay up (possible) then we are in different divisions again next year.

The conspiracy theorists say that Rangers new board will write off this season, go back into administration, take the points hit now but lose the debt, and try again next year.

[Lianachan]

We won't, we haven't won at Twickenham for so many years it is embarrassing. Yes, it is Elephant-Snake-Bucket week again and I don't know if I can force myself to watch it.

In other news: Rangers are on to their third manager of the season and look likely to have to play two playoff rounds to get into the playoff for promotion/relegation from the top league. The last game might be against Lianachan's beloved Ross County. In Mactepian terms:

Rangers don't get promoted (likely) and Ross County get relegated (possible) then we are both in the Championship.

Rangers get promoted (unlikely) and Ross County stay up (possible) then we are both in the Premier League.

Rangers don't get promoted (likely) and Ross County stay up (possible) then we are in different divisions again next year.

The conspiracy theorists say that Rangers new board will write off this season, go back into administration, take the points hit now but lose the debt, and try again next year.

I'm a lot more optimistic about our chances of avoiding relegation, and even of avoiding the play off spot, now. Currently, I would say that the last of your scenarios seems the more likely to me. That statement is subject to all of the usual football disclaimers, naturally.

[Heid the Ba]

I did haver between "possible" and "likely" but innate pessimism made me put the former. If they can keep their run going County will stay up at a canter.

[Мастер]

Wales, France, and Italy keeping their hopes alive, as Wales leads Ireland at the half, 15-9.

[Мастер]

Holy shit! Penalty try for Ireland!