Illuminati-R-Us

So what about the evil green relation ususally subscribed to the top spot?

Only top on goal difference, and we’re only fourth alphabetically.

In completely unrelated news, Vince Carter has signed for another season with the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA, which means that there is still hope for me. If they ever need fresher legs (on the order of about 60 days), I'm their man!

Oh, and for the first time ever, the NBA title does not belong to a team in the USA (congrats, Toronto!).

Trivia time! Toronto was home to one of the 11 founding member teams of the NBA (then the BAA). Called the Huskies, they folded after just one year. In fact, 8 of those franchises folded within 5 years. The NBA eventually returned to all of those cities except Pittsburgh and Providence, RI. With Toronto's win, all the founding cities which currently host an NBA team have at least one NBA title (although most were not with the original franchise).

Full circle time: The St. Louis Bombers was another founding franchise, but it would be when the city was later home to the Hawks in the 50s when they won their (and St. Luis') only NBA title.

And finally, Nat Hickey is the oldest person to have played in the NBA at just shy of his 46th birthday. He was coaching the Providence Steamrollers at the time, and decided to check himself into a couple of games. He attempted a total of three shots and missed them all. He did get 2 points from free throws, but otherwise accrued no other positive stats for either game.

Hurrah for basketball trivia! I'm 57 and haven't played since I was 13, I suppose there is no hope for me to make it?

We play FC Hoordigoordie of Scandewegia in a couple of hours. We should be ok, but I'm getting nervous.

If Rangers fuck out against those Hoordigoordieans, you needn't come back here. Group stage or bust.

Twatslapping fannybaws, we’re three nil up, I turn my back for two minutes and they score twice.

Hoordieshmoordie Scanners 2 - 4 Rangers

Played 13, won 11, drawn 1, lost 1

4 away goals in Europe is as good as a bye. Surely....

You would hope so.

Heid the Ba wrote:Hurrah for basketball trivia! I'm 57 and haven't played since I was 13, I suppose there is no hope for me to make it?

Sadly, the NBA outlawed player/coaches. If you can't make it on merit, you'll have to find another way in.

I only tried basketball once, when a friend tried to get something going right in the north of Scotland. He was about 6’ 9 and had been playing for years. I didn’t go back.

Ross County away at Hearts tomorrow, so this is my last chance to grin and point out to ya’ll that MY team are the only one who’ve not lost us any points so far this season. Because that will change tomorrow.

See?

Hearts 0 - 0 Ross County

Actually a good result. Nevertheless....

Played 14, won 11, drawn 2, lost 1.

By all accounts we were the better team and should have won.

That is a good result.

We host the Leith Soapdodgers later, we don’t have a great recent record against them.

Hertha 3 nil up at the half against a 4th-Leaguer in the Cup. Dare we hope?

Yes we dare. Rangers are two up after fifteen minutes, both goals scored by a player too wee and too old for Scottish fitba’.

Two one at the half, they scored on 40 minutes.

See you in round 2. 5-1 in the end.

Played 15, won 12 drawn 2, lost 1.

Rangers 6 - 1 Leith Soapdodgers
They had a player sent off and we got two very late goals so the score flatters us, last season we rarely scored late so this is much better.

Played 16, won 13, drawn 2, lost 1.

Arneb wrote:See you in round 2. 5-1 in the end.

Excellent! Is it seeded or an open draw?

Oh and RCC still in third!

Heid the Ba wrote:Excellent! Is it seeded or an open draw?

There is some seeding to avoid amateur-amteur pairings. I am not sure if there is a provision against Bundesliga-Bundesliga pairings early on, but in the later rounds, it's completely open. We've had Bayern-Dortmund as a quarterfinal, IIRC.

The competition also attractively paced: Just one match, the team drawn first is at home, except when it is from a lower league: Those always get to play at home. So the competition is skewed against the favourites. It's always great fun to see Bundesliga teams play on a meadow out somewhere, and see them crash out after penalties against starry-eyed amateurs making the game of their lives.

Oh, and MSV Duisburg 2 - 0 SpVgg Greuther Fürth, in that same wonderful competition

Played 17, won 13, drawn 2, lost 2.

MM_Dandy wrote:

Heid the Ba wrote:Hurrah for basketball trivia! I'm 57 and haven't played since I was 13, I suppose there is no hope for me to make it?

Sadly, the NBA outlawed player/coaches. If you can't make it on merit, you'll have to find another way in.

Damn, and I'm only 6'3" which won't help.

Arneb wrote:The competition also attractively paced: Just one match, the team drawn first is at home, except when it is from a lower league: Those always get to play at home. So the competition is skewed against the favourites. It's always great fun to see Bundesliga teams play on a meadow out somewhere, and see them crash out after penalties against starry-eyed amateurs making the game of their lives.

The magic of the cup, as they say here. Games like this one. Notable for the almost total absence of foreigners, among other things.