forameus

Wrestlemania becoming less and less interesting by the day. At this stage may as well just have Reigns and Lesnar turn up and have their match, then let everyone go home.

About World Cup seeding...isn't it the case that you get the top group of seeds, then the rest are largely seeded geographically? I was sure that was the case for the World Cup itself. If it is, it doesn't really matter who goes through, none will be top seeds.

This opening credits/video sequence is delightfully up its own arse, isn't it? Tremendous.

Any indication as to when we're supposed to get an answer? Has to be soon surely

Is the first port of call still trying to make your way through those incredibly unfair license tasks? Looking forward to my head's gone with a few of the later ones.

To be fair, Angus Gunn, to his credit, has come out and said he has no interest in playing for us. I'm someone who doesn't care where you were born or how you speak or whether you can address a haggis, as long as you're eligible and good enough, but if you say you're not interested then that's it as far as I'm concerned. Not like I'd picket Hampden if he eventually decides he fancies it, but it's different if someone feels they have a connection and actually wants to play.

I'm fully here for the ultimate heel turn in inviting Russia in to play.

To be honest, I'd have absolutely zero interest in a friendly as a replacement for what was going to be our biggest game in decades. Granted I'm not the target audience, and if we're not playing Ukraine we may as well do something, but still. Meh.

If they can't end up playing in June, it's not just kicking the can down the line, it's arguably making things worse. If a decision is made now, no problem, but if an international window goes past, then all kinds of things get set in motion. Wales and Austria get inconvenienced. The World Cup draw has to be adapted. Hampden events may have to be rearranged, or the SFA go cap in hand to Ibrox or Parkhead. Nations League gets fucked up. Now none of those are really big issues compared to an actual war, but it's not like we're delaying a game a couple of weeks while people get Covid out their system. It's assuming a war that's only been on the go a few weeks will just disappear in another ten. Just doesn't seem realistic. Think it has to be either they cobble together a team or they forfeit. Absolutely shite state of affairs, but no matter what we do there's going to be something wrong with it.

Could probably ask if they want a game if they're short. Sheeran would be shite I bet.

This is my thought. I get its probably a "Here's hoping" but is a couple of months going to really make a difference? Could they be in an even worse position? No right answer really.

Trying to go into it fairly blind, but that's really good to hear. The limited stuff I read it sounds like it's going back to the sort of format I absolutely loved with GT2/3. All loaded up and ready to go tomorrow.

For those that have passed or seen it, how is the pitch looking after a bit of a rest and the slight break in the weather? Are we talking the Somme, Trafalgar, or just your standard shite grass pitch?

The mooted "solution" seems to be to delay the playoff (and final) to June, and then the Nations League June games being moved to November prior to the tournament we may or may not be at. That sounds...fine, in a way, but it's like sitting in April 2020 and saying "nae problem, we'll just delay that Scottish Cup tie and play it in May, this'll all have blown over by then". Maybe by June everything will be OK and Ukraine will be able to send a team. But what if it isn't? Do you then just force them to play the game, when they could be in an even worse position - physically or mentally - than they are now? Or do they chuck them out at that point? It's a shitty decision to have to make, it really is, but I think you have to just ask Ukraine what they want to do. If they want to play, they should be allowed to, using whatever players they can muster. If they don't, then it's a forfeit. It's absolutely horrible for all involved, but I'm not sure a reschedule will help anyone.

If Vince/McAfee actually happens like that, it's going to grimly fascinating. McAfee looked great against Cole for a complete rookie, but then he was opposite someone who can really go. Unless we're getting a match like Vince/Bret with Vince in the latter's role, then are they really trusting McAfee to carry someone who looks like he might need physically carried from room to room soon? The sensible money would be Austin Theory stepping in, which would be...fine. Great stuff for McAfee to get a match at WM, but it's not exactly exciting.

I did love the haughty reactions after they lost the bid. Talking about how unfair it all was that the process was rife with bribes. Then in the same breath, withdrawing the relatively paltry bribes gifts they themselves had offered in a huff. The belief that they were somehow a pure bid was laughable. And that's not just because it's England - if this 2028 bid goes ahead, we'll probably be involved in giving "gifts" too. It's an unfortunate part of it.

It's probably a bit OTT or yer da, but someone on Reddit mentioned getting a fair few Scots to make a fist of the Ukrainian National Anthem when it's played. I quite liked that idea. You'll get people going absolutely heads gone over things and suggesting we just let Ukraine win or something, but doing something like that - or the flag display - is something where we could show support while still keeping it a sporting event. I want us to pump Ukraine the football team, and I hope it's that attitude once it kicks off.

Don't think a delay is really possible. Not like it's one game in complete isolation - you'd then have to reschedule Wales/Austria. There's other aspects that could lead to a lot of pissing and moaning if you do. All paling in comparison to, you know, an actual War, but still. You're right about the last part though. I don't think there's necessarily a good option to take, and it's the biggest and probably most difficult decision UEFA will have had to make. What do you do about Russia? Do you just say Ukraine can't play? Do you tell them it's up to them, and if they can't field a team tough titties? Do we get the situation where a full house at Hampden is sitting there watching a team of absolute jobbers against us making a mockery of the situation? Personally, I think the most likely is UEFA telling them the game is going ahead as planned, unless Ukraine tell them otherwise. Then ultimately, I think the game happens, but it ends up being a bit of a farce. I think the more interesting part - discounting that we're actually playing Ukraine - is what happens with Russia. They're already competing despite a Worldwide doping ban after all. Much more minor than actually invading another country, but I just can't realistically see them chucking them. Would be fully supportive of it though. In terms of precedent, how close are we to the situation that saw Denmark enter and eventually win Euro 92? From memory - and I could be well wrong - Yugoslavia were banned due to the wars breaking out in the Balkans. Could we see Russia get the same? Could they end up playing, winning, qualifying, and then get chucked out if all this gets worse?

Icon Swaps being back just depresses me. I know I should get involved, as it's something I really, really enjoyed in previous years. But f**k me, I really can't be arsed with everything that goes along with it. Will likely skip for a few weeks until things calm down.

What a fucking odd main event. I assume the Lashley thing wasn't a work and he got his bell rung, so I guess it's testament to them that they didn't let it completely fall apart like they have in the past. But the problem with Lesnar is the same problem he's always had. He's this new character, clearly having a fucking blast, but the way he's booked has barely changed. Rollins cast aside. Styles cast aside. Neither of them really lose much, but Riddle is one of those people you'd really like to see Lesnar go with. But nah, f**k 'im. Out he goes too. Saved a bit of face by having the final stretch with Theory, and fucking fair play to the guy for bumping like a mad man, but it doesn't really save the rest of the match. Also, was it just me or were the times between entrants massively reduced? Matches seemed to be an absolute sprint, and had to be the shortest PPV they've done in a long time. As for WM, hard to disagree with the above. I assume they think their big matches are Reigns/Lesnar, Owens/Austin (if it's happening) and then Rousey/Flair and maybe Lynch/Belair. But the last two are going to really need to go some to feel big. They've totally botched Rousey coming back bafflingly that it feels like the match should be on 3rd or something while it's still light out. You can only really hope at this point that they put together some interesting stipulation matches or one of their mental cluster-f**k ladder matches. But given recent form, it'll probably be a punishing 14 matches across two nights with no extra spice.

It's a shame they've chosen this year to really water down the Hall of Fame and make it not mean as much. The show was always far too long, but if you get the right people going in, I'd have no issues with them running long

Reigns/Goldberg was probably at least 90% as shit as I thought it would be. For all they've tried to make Goldberg look strong, the finish absolutely didn't. Be interested to see just how many actual moves Reigns did. Maybe it's just self-loathing, but anyone purely Scottish, particularly when it's NICKAY CRAAAAWSS or Doudrop just sounds so shit.

Diablo was probably the worst problem the game has ever had in terms of how it broke the game. Send your CM on runs up to the strikers, and you may as well just keep pressing space such was its power. Was it fun though? Aye, course it was.

So after making my big (flawed) British State Championships edit, it's fair to say it's shaken up the world of Scottish football. Rangers have been pretty consistent, a pretty regular Premier League side, with a few relegation/immediate promotions mixed in. So I assume Celtic would be the same, right? f**k no. Are they in the Championship, tier 2? No. Are they in tier 3? No... They're all the way down in Tier 4. The National League Two, just a step above where regionalisation starts. Honestly no idea what happened. They got relegated from the Premier League (where they started based on reputation) and aside from a brief treading of water in the 20s, they've sunk like a fucking stone since. In five seasons they've been relegated three times. Mad. Their squad is utter w**k too, and they haven't beaten Rangers in 10 years, including this absolutely miserable afternoon But surely they're still the second best team in Scotland, right? Lol. No. This season they'll share a league with luminaries like Arbroath, Ayr, Falkirk, Kilmarnock, Livingston and Raith from Scotland, and the international superstars of Shrewsbury, Wrexham and Glenavon. Dunfermline, Dundee, Inverness, Dundee United and Ross County sit in the league above, and Aberdeen and Hearts two steps above. Hibs and Rangers sit at the top table. Almost making me want to take them on and see what the f**k went wrong.

I don't think so, this was just a minor quest with a guy who'd locked himself in an apartment. Think it was an ex-cop or something. In starting it up yesterday, not seeing a huge amount of difference just yet. Although I never really had too many problems with it originally, just felt it wasn't worth the time. At the risk of sounding all Mary Whitehouse, I still find it overly, aggressively sexual to the point of being offputting. I know that's kind of what they're going for, but it gets pretty grating pretty quickly, and comes across like the biggest gang of VLs have been writing the game to show how edgy they are.