#2005 WORLD CHAMPIONS IN CASE YOU FORGOT

[distantlaughter]

Nico Rosberg, the next Schumi

by Jesko Priess for GQ Germany, 8 March 2010 (x)

He seems like someone who shouldn't be expected to take on too much under any circumstances. Somehow fragile. But Nico Rosberg, 1.77 tall, 69 kilos, is about to change that. In any case, he runs to the hot buffet three times before the interview and loads up his plate. That's no problem, the Wiesbaden native explains to a Mercedes manager standing next to him, who looks irritated. "I work out so much, I can't gain any weight."

Industry prodigy

At a time when belts are being tightened everywhere, Formula 1 is cutting back on its drivers in particular, and on their weight. Last season, the car and driver were allowed to weigh 605 kilograms. But while there is hardly any more potential for savings in terms of materials, there is still room to maneuver when it comes to the drivers. Nico Rosberg could also be a jockey. That's how thin he looks. The 24-year-old is considered the greatest unfulfilled promise in Formula 1. He was already sitting in a Formula 1 car at the age of 17. A record. In 2005, he signed his first contract with Williams. He was considered the prodigy of the industry. But they forgot to provide the prodigy with a competitive car.

Experts believe he can win the world championship

For three years, Nico Rosberg drove behind the field in frustration. Nevertheless, the German was praised. Williams partner Patrick Head said he was a "thinker," for Sir Frank Williams he was the "most exciting driver in the field" and for Niki Lauda a "sensation." The switch to Mercedes gives Rosberg the chance to finally prove that all that is true. For the first time in his career, he sits in a technically mature vehicle. The experts believe he can win the world championship title. Nico Rosberg’s great future could begin on 14 March in Bahrain at the first race of the season. At the moment, however, he still has to deal with a part of the past. Michael Schumacher's comeback. Curiously, the fact that the legend is now a teammate and thus his fiercest competitor doesn't seem to bother him a bit. The exclusive GQ interview with Nico Rosberg - after the cut:

GQ: Mr. Rosberg, let's be honest, are you afraid that you might only be number two at Mercedes, behind Michael Schumacher?

On the contrary. I'm looking forward to our duel. I want to win races. We will fight from day one to see who is number one in the end.

GQ: Do you consider yourself the stronger driver at the moment?

I'm in super shape. And Michael is certainly not quite as strong as he once was. That has to be the case when you've been away as long as he has.

GQ: You're 24, Schumacher is 41. Is he a role model for you?

To be honest, no. Back then, I was always rooting for Mika Häkkinen and was happy every time he beat Michael. My father managed Mika. He's been a friend of our family ever since.

GQ: Your father Keke, himself a former Formula One world champion, also planned your career.

It was certainly in his interest that I became a racing driver. Mika won two titles under his leadership. That's probably what he hoped for from me, too.

GQ: Didn't you have the feeling that he was forcing you into a role?

No, at the time he was looking for something he could do with his son and that would be fun for both of us. But I sensed his expectation that I achieve something in life, and I want him to be proud of his son.

GQ: How did these father-son excursions go?

We drove around France on the weekends in a small caravan, from one kart race to the next. I won almost everything, first the regional championship, then the French one. When I was seven, I had my own autograph cards.

GQ: Are there any moments that particularly stick in your memory?

I still remember my first award ceremony. It must have been in 1996. My father was at a Formula 1 Grand Prix with Mika, and I had actually resigned myself to the fact that he would miss my triumph. Then he flew low over this kart track in Le Castellet in his black private jet, just as I was on my way to the podium. I still have this image in my mind.

GQ: Didn't you ever feel the need to lead a completely different life from your father?

Yes, I did. I wanted to go to university.

GQ: What would you have liked to study?

Mathematics, physics. I already had a place at Imperial College in London, where many Formula 1 designers are trained. A degree in aerodynamics.

GQ: Why didn't that happen?

In 2002, I won the Formula BMW championship, and then I got a place in Formula 1 at Williams. At that point, at the latest, it was clear to me that I couldn't study on the side.

GQ: At Williams, you haven't had a competitive car in recent years. How do you contest a race knowing that?

Every time I drove out of the garage onto the track, I knew I was going to be too slow. No matter how well I drove, I had no chance of being the best. So I drew my motivation from what was achievable.

GQ: Finish?

No, I was a little more ambitious. I wanted to finish fourth. That felt like a victory. In this business, it's always about finding a balance between ambition and patience. Only then will success come. It was important for me to know at the end of a race that I had done a good job. The important people at the other teams see that you're doing something, and that's why they eventually sign you up to drive their top car.

GQ: You can do that now at Mercedes. But what happens if you fail at the next step in your career?

I don't waste a thought on that. I'm not afraid, but it was high time for me to finally take this step. I've been at it for four years now. Haven't had any really big success yet. Okay, I've been on the podium before, finished seventh in the world championships, but that doesn't really count. Others come along and win a race straight away. It was different for me. At some point you get a negative image. People say, "Oh, he's just always racing somewhere, he's not the best." That sticks with you.

GQ: Wasn't it frustrating to see newcomers immediately standing at the top of the podium while you barely made it to the finish line?

Sometimes it was. Especially when drivers like Lewis Hamilton, who I often beat in kart races back then, were standing there. But I'm not envious and of course I don't begrudge him his success.

GQ: You were once good friends with Hamilton, but how do you get along today?

There were times when we even went on vacation together. Nowadays, our dealings are more like buddies, but somewhat superficial. A real friendship is impossible in Formula 1.

GQ: So the drivers are lone wolves?

No, I often feel like the manager of a big company. I'm still extremely young, but I'm already at the helm of a 600-man team. It's a steep learning curve and a huge responsibility. People are all looking to you to feed their families. If you wreck the car, there are fewer presents at Christmas, because the mechanics get a bonus at the end of the year for the points you score or don't score.

GQ: A burden?

Yes, only I try not to think about it. That would drive you crazy.

GQ: There is a rumor that your contract with Mercedes will only run for one year. Is that true?

No, it runs for several years.

GQ: Three, four?

I won't say. But I want to be for Mercedes what Schumacher was for Ferrari.

GQ: At Williams, your nickname was "Britney.” Why?

It was because of my hair and maybe also because I'm a little more vain than the other drivers. (laughs)

GQ: Do attractive people have a faster career in Formula 1?

You have to be able to sell yourself. And of course, it's also about style and appearance. If two drivers are equally good, the one who makes more effort in that area has a better chance. That's important to me.

GQ: Is it a deceptive impression, or are the drivers in Formula 1 getting thinner and thinner?

No, you're right. Especially last year, the teams wanted to compensate for the increased weight of the race cars because of the new hybrid system (KERS). That's not good. I had to lose five percent of my body weight, and I wasn't fat. If you take another five percent off of that, then yes, you're a beanpole. It just can't be right that we should look like ski jumpers or jockeys.

GQ: Do you like to eat?

Yes, very much. Unfortunately, I'm someone who tends to get fat easily. I must have inherited that from my father, I think. The genes. (laughs) But I really like going to gourmet restaurants. Twelve courses. And I eat everything there! There's nothing I don't like.

GQ: Not one little thing? 

(thinks) Okay, it doesn't necessarily have to be oysters. But if they're on the plate, I won't leave them there either.

GQ: Do you have any other weaknesses?

You mean besides playing poker online and eating? I read the "Bild¹" newspaper, and I'm a Bayern Munich fan.

GQ: Not a particularly original favorite club…

I couldn't care less. I love the club. My mother is even a bit more fanatical about soccer. She watches every Bundesliga match, and when the national team is playing, she sits in front of the TV with the flag in her hand.

GQ: Is she just as enthusiastic about your races?

No, she never watches them. During that time, she cleans the apartment, turns on the vacuum cleaner and waits until it's all over. I think she's afraid for me. She also keeps telling me not to drive so fast.

GQ: What percentage in your career was coincidence or luck? And what percentage was just really well planned?

The path was planned, but a lot of what happened along the way was coincidence. Meeting the right people, getting the right cars...without really good luck, you'd never get to the top.

GQ: Your father was also your manager until recently. Has that never bothered you?

My problem is that I respect his opinion almost too much. He has so much experience, he's so wise, and he's right about his opinion 99 percent of the time. Even if you think that can't be right, you then realize later, and sometimes it takes three years, that he was right again.

GQ: About what, for example?

I never used to call my engineers outside the races. Racing was a game for me, school was more important. But my father said: You have to show that you're interested in them, to motivate them. And to learn. I didn't understand that. That's clear to me now. You need information to drive the work forward. You can only do that if you know what's going on in the company.

GQ: Have you ever argued with your father?

Yes, often.

GQ: About what?

My father likes to be the boss. He wants to decide where things go, and others should have as little say as possible. I can't accept that. I don't need a dictator. I'm strong enough to go my own way.

GQ: How did it go, such an argument?

I'm not a person who is that emotional. Door slamming is not my thing. I get that from my mother. I always look for a way to avoid arguments. I'm almost a bit of a harmony addict. I wasn't that relaxed as a child. I can remember tennis matches with my dad, crying whether I lost or won. Sometimes I was mad that he let me win. Sometimes I was sure he had cheated. And then we didn't talk for two days.

GQ: Today you manage yourself.

 Yes, but I coordinate tactics with my father. For example, in contract negotiations. Negotiating for money is an art in itself, very difficult. Feeling out how far you can go to get a pay rise.

GQ: Like playing poker.

Yes. I played like a maniac for a while.

GQ: In the casino?

No, online. I could have played all day, every day, all week. Only, that doesn't add anything to your life. Zero. Neither do many other things, for that matter.

GQ: What is similarly useless?

Reading "Gala²," for example. (laughs)

GQ: Apart from your father, who in the Formula 1 business have you learned the most from?

Alexander Wurz, my colleague at Williams. He had experience and was very smart.

GQ: Qualities you envy him for?

No, I'm very smart myself.

GQ: You wanted to go to university and, at least that's what I read, you got a 1.2 in your Abitur³…

No. That's been written all over the place for five years, but one newspaper copied it wrong from another. My Abi average was only 2.1⁴.

GQ: Nothing to be ashamed of there either. Anyway, you seem to be an intelligent person. You speak four languages…

There are five. English, Italian, French, Spanish and German.

GQ: Finnish?

Unfortunately not. German was spoken at our house. Or wait. I can do this one. (Rosberg says something that sounds very, very Finnish).

GQ: And that means?

Mouse shit. That's what my mother taught me, she knows every swear word.

GQ: Okay. You speak five languages, you graduated from high school at 16, and you wanted to study mathematics and physics, but you play poker on your computer and read the "Bild" newspaper. How does that fit together?

Does it have to fit? I think it's important to stand by what you do. Regardless of whether others find it strange or not. Other newspapers are just too lazy for me.

GQ: Let's say your name is about to appear on the front page, with a story about your private life underneath. What would you do?

Instinct says fight back! But you have to find a way to accept the rules. You can control how much you want to be present in the media. Like Stefan Raab⁵. He leads two lives. One on TV and one in his private life.

GQ: Your girlfriend Vivian works as an interior designer. Is it important for you that the woman at your side also has a career?

Very important. I just have to be careful not to put too much pressure on her.

GQ: What do you mean by that?

I think, for example, that she finally needs her own website. I think I'm annoying her with that. But I think she is very, very talented. For example, she furnished my mobile home. Parquet floor, beautiful furniture, the walls are covered with stones. My old apartment was not so comfortable. But now I've moved and...

GQ: ...the girlfriend is taking care of the new apartment, of course.

Yes, but don't think I don't have an opinion about it, it's just that I lack the desire, like her, to try out 25 different shades of blue until you find the right wall color.

GQ: As a racing driver, you seem to be more patient.

That's right. Unlike my father, who had the image of being more of a Rambo on the track. I drive cleaner, more precisely.

In your private life, too? When did you collect your last speeding ticket?

To be honest, I drive very slowly. Especially in the south of France, there are so many police on the road. I'd be stupid there. What happens to me sometimes is that my mind is somewhere else and then I miss a solid line or something.

GQ: Is there anything that makes you aggressive when you're driving? 

The other day I was in the fast lane and someone put on his blinker next to me and just pulled out. He puts my life in danger, but instead of apologizing, he flips me the bird. That's when I get furious.

GQ: Have you ever been scared in a car?

Privately, in any big city in Asia. It's unbelievable chaos there, a different world.

¹Bild Zeitung, a German tabloid newspaper i.e. the German equivalent of 'The Sun' ²French celebrity gossip magazine ³German equivalent to A-levels/International Baccalaureate ⁴1.6–2.5 gut (good: an achievement which lies substantially above average requirements) ⁵German entertainer and producer

[deadpresidents]

Although my dearly departed Sacramento Monarchs (2005 World Champions, in case you forgot) have now been in defunct sports team heaven for about as long as the team existed in the first place, it's a travesty that ESPN didn't include Ticha Penicheiro as one of the 25 Greatest WNBA players of all-time. I demand an investigation. Correcting this injustice immediately should really be President Biden's main focus as Commander-in-Chief.

I am happy to see that ESPN included Yolanda Griffith in the Top 25 (although she should absolutely be in the Top 10). If they had snubbed Ticha AND Yo, I would not have been responsible for any actions I might have taken in protest.

(If you think I'm just joking about my love for Sacramento's former WNBA team you should know that I still have my replica 2005 WNBA Championship ring sitting on my desk.)

[rhyslucia]

If you're pro-military, you shouldn't vote for trump

"Some 489 national security experts — including 22 four-star officers — have endorsed Joe Biden for president.

'I believe the current administration is a real threat to the republic,' says Gen. Peter Chiarelli, who served as the Army's No. 2 officer before retiring in 2012. 'I had to stand up and be counted.'"

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If you're Christian, you shouldn't vote for trump

"While the president has delivered on some issues of concern to us, such as economic reforms and trade deals, his immigration policies are cruel, undermining his pledges to life and religious freedom. For instance, while we cherish unborn lives, we also value the lives of thousands of children who were separated from their mothers or fathers by the "zero tolerance" policies of the administration at the Mexican border in 2018.

Our commitment to life also compels us to do everything that we can to end human trafficking. The administration has decided to suspend the life saving elements of the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, the passage of which evangelical Christians proudly championed under George Bush and the flouting of which evangelical ministries like World Vision and International Justice Mission have decried.

Our convictions on life also are why we strongly believe the United States should continue to be, in the famous words of George Washington, "a safe and agreeable asylum to the virtuous and persecuted part of mankind, to whatever nation they might belong." Rather than continue the life saving tradition of asylum and resettlement of refugees, the administration has shut out persecuted refugees with its immigration policies."

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If you value American lives, you shouldn't vote for trump

“You just breathe the air and that’s how it’s passed,” he said in a Feb. 7 call with journalist Bob Woodward. “And so that’s a very tricky one. That’s a very delicate one. It’s also more deadly than even your strenuous flus.”

“This is deadly stuff,” he said.

At the time, Trump was telling Americans that the U.S. was in little danger and that the outbreak would soon go away on its own.

Asked about those statements in March, Trump said he wanted to downplay the threat. "I wanted to always play it down," Trump told Woodward. "I still like playing it down, because I don't want to create a panic."

In the same interview, he went on to acknowledge the gravity of the threat facing even young adults. "Just today and yesterday, some startling facts came out. It's not just old, older. Young people too, plenty of young people," Trump said.

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Are you, or have you ever met a woman? If so, you shouldn't vote for trump

Donald Trump, current president of the United States, has been accused of rape, sexual assault, and sexual harassment, including non-consensual kissing or groping, by at least 25 women since the 1970s.[1][2] The accusations have resulted in three much reported instances of litigation: his then-wife Ivana made a rape claim during their 1989 divorce litigation but later recanted that claim;[3] businesswoman Jill Harth sued Trump in 1997 alleging breach of contract while also suing for nonviolent sexual harassment but withdrew the latter suit as part of a settlement for relating to the former suit; and, in 2017, former The Apprentice contestant Summer Zervos filed a defamation lawsuit after Trump called her a liar.[4]

Trump in 2017

Two of the allegations (by Ivana Trump and Jill Harth) became public before Trump's candidacy for president, but the rest arose after a 2005 audio recording was leaked during the 2016 presidential campaign. Trump was recorded bragging that a celebrity like himself "can do anything" to women, including "just start kissing them ... I don't even wait" and "grab 'em by the pussy". Trump subsequently characterized those comments as "locker room talk" and denied actually behaving that way toward women, and he also apologized for the crude language. Many of his accusers stated that Trump's denials provoked them into going public with their allegations.

Another type of accusation was made, primarily after the audio recording surfaced, by several former Miss USA and Miss Teen USA contestants, who accused Trump of entering the dressing rooms of beauty pageant contestants. Trump, who owned the Miss Universe franchise, which includes both pageants, was accused of going into dressing rooms in 1997, 2000, 2001, and 2006, while contestants were in various stages of undress. Trump had already referred to this practice during a 2005 interview on The Howard Stern Show, saying he could "get away with things like that" because he owned the beauty pageants the women and girls were competing in.

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Do you support racism? If not, you shouldn't vote for trump

In unguarded moments with senior aides, President Trump has maintained that Black Americans have mainly themselves to blame in their struggle for equality, hindered more by lack of initiative than societal impediments, according to current and former U.S. officials.

After phone calls with Jewish lawmakers, Trump has muttered that Jews “are only in it for themselves” and “stick together” in an ethnic allegiance that exceeds other loyalties, officials said.

Trump’s private musings about Hispanics match the vitriol he has displayed in public, and his antipathy to Africa is so ingrained that when first lady Melania Trump planned a 2018 trip to that continent he railed that he “could never understand why she would want to go there.”

When challenged on these views by subordinates, Trump has invariably responded with indignation. “He would say, ‘No one loves Black people more than me,’ ” a former senior White House official said. The protests rang hollow because if the president were truly guided by such sentiments he “wouldn’t need to say it,” the official said. “You let your actions speak.”

In Trump’s case, there is now a substantial record of his actions as president that have compounded the perceptions of racism created by his words

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Do you enjoy advances made by science? If so, you shouldn't vote for trump

The Trump administration and 115th Congress have been actively dismantling science-based health and safety protections, sidelining scientific evidence, and undoing recent progress on scientific integrity.

Below is a running list of attacks on science—disappearing data, silenced scientists, and other assaults on scientific integrity and science-based policy. The list provides a representative sample of threats to the federal scientific enterprise.

FDA Now Lacks Authority to Halt Use of Inaccurate Coronavirus Tests

In a move strongly opposed by FDA officials, the agency will no longer use science-based checks to regulate a broad swathe of laboratory tests, including coronavirus tests.

CDC Coronavirus Testing Guidelines Were Modified by Political Officials to be Less Scientific

The White House’s Coronavirus Task Force and HHS changed the novel coronavirus testing guidelines on the CDC website to fall out of line with the best available science.

EPA Refuses to Regulate Rocket Fuel Chemical in Drinking Water

The EPA has officially announced that it will not regulate perchlorate, a common ingredient of explosives and rocket fuel, in the nation’s drinking water supplies.

Fetal Tissue Research Blocked by a Biased Advisory Committee

13 out of 14 NIH grants submitted since September 2019 that involve fetal tissue are likely to be rejected based solely on the recommendations of the Human Fetal Tissue Research Ethics Advisory Board at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

White House Demands Rewriting of CDC’s COVID-19 Guidelines for Schools

Vice President Mike Pence ordered the CDC to rewrite their school opening guidelines for reasons that appeared to be primarily political.

Trump Administration Takes Away Hospitalization Data From the CDC

The Administration mandated that hospitals bypass the CDC and send data on COVID-19 hospitalizations, to a private third party.

Trump Administration Endangered People Evacuating From Coronavirus-Infected Cruise Ship

State Department officials overrode science-based concerns of CDC officials and allowed 14 infected people to board an airplane with over 300 non-infected people

White House Hides Economic Analysis Showing COVID-19 Downturns

The White House will forego the publication of an economic analysis on budget projections in the summer of 2020.

NOAA Fisheries is Restricting the Use of the Words “COVID-19” and “Pandemic”

An official memo, issued by NOAA, stated that the agency’s “preferred approach” is making “no reference to anything COVID related” in public-facing documents.

Trump Administration Buries COVID-19 Information For Religious Communities

White House officials instructed the CDC to delete certain sections of a COVID-19 guidance measure for communities of faith

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Sorry I forgot to copy over my sources, but it's very easy to Google and find, just, all the reasons to not vote for trump. If you're feeling apathetic or like your vote doesn't matter, it does. If nothing else your vote will stick it to the egotistical, thin skinned, racist, misogynistic, hateful, lying, fascist ass-hat. If not for love of the country or hope for the future, get out and vote out of hate of who trump is and what he stands for. #VoteHimOut

[gadgetsrevv]

Why Atletico and Real were happy with Madrid derby draw. PLUS: When will Liverpool’s luck run out?

Another busy weekend in Europe means it’s time for another bumper edition of Monday Musings. Gab Marcotti is here to recap the big stories around soccer.

Jump to: Derby draw suits Atletico, Real | Will Liverpool’s luck run out? | Barca still lacking minus Messi | Man City’s Bernardo mess | Alexis is Inter’s hero and villain | Neymar PSG’s hero again | Leipzig’s Bundesliga slip | Don’t stress about Pulisic | Juve, Sarri show their talent | Bayern winning without Muller | Promising signs for Spurs | Milan look awful | Sociedad stumble vs. Sevilla | Dortmund in decline? | Famalicao are no fairytale | And finally… Bas Dost

Derby draw suits Atletico, Real just fine

Surprised that the Madrid derby finished scoreless with not much in the way of excitement, save for the Jan Oblak super-fans who got to see him make some superb stops?

Don’t be. These two clubs have had seriously bumpy starts to the season, both in terms of results and performances. Teams tend not to start playing brilliantly overnight. What’s more, when they’re trying to put a rough patch behind them, they tend to err on the side of caution.

Hunter: Trippier stands out in tense derby – Real ratings: Ramos 7/10, Hazard 4/10

Going into the game, Atletico had won just once since Sept. 1 and that was against Mallorca, who had taken one point from their previous 12. They needed a late, late comeback to avoid defeat at home against Juventus in the Champions League. Diego Simeone was shuffling personnel and formations to make things click and, perhaps, to steer this team away from the “Cholismo” of yesteryear, the spit-and-gravel grind that had taken them this far.

Real Madrid had beaten Osasuna, who hadn’t won since opening week, and gutted a win at Sevilla, but they had also been humiliated away to Paris Saint-Germain. They had conceded in their first five outings of the 2019-20 campaign. Somewhere in the back of their minds was the seven goals they had conceded in the International Champions Cup over the summer.

Most of all, this was a game in which the benefits of victory were far outweighed by the damage of defeat.

Atletico and Real didn’t give too much away in Saturday’s 0-0 draw, one that fits their respective seasons so far.

Zinedine Zidane, who had talked up the need for “intensity” after the 3-0 debacle in Paris, opted for Federico Valverde‘s 21-year-old Uruguayan “garra” (“grit”) instead of the silkier James Rodriguez or the quality of a fit-again Luka Modric. Simeone again dropped Thomas Lemar and put his eggs in the Vitolo basket, but again his team felt like a Hummer at a Formula One race: a big engine trying to do something it’s not really cut out to do. And despite his tinkering — Koke seemed to play three or four different positions at different times — Atletico never quite came together.

And so, you hoped for the stars to conjure something out of nothing. But Eden Hazard and Gareth Bale, perhaps mindful of Zidane’s death stare after Paris, mostly ferreted away defensively and Joao Felix had an off night on the opposite front.

Real could still have won it and would have if not for the superhuman between the sticks by Oblak. They didn’t create much but when they did, it was wiped away by the Slovenian eraser. You can slice off two of your fingers and you still won’t be able to count on one hand the number of keepers better than Oblak right now.

The weird thing is that both teams have more points than they did at the same stage last season. Real are joint-first, just like last year (and that was still in the Julen Lopetegui era, lest we forget). And Atletico are joint-second, up from fourth last year. It suggests that while the neutrals may have been disappointed, this was probably a point gained — rather than two points lost — for both teams.

How long will Liverpool’s luck last?

We’ve talked before about Liverpool’s maturity this season, about how they don’t need to be at their best to win, about how they limit unnecessary risks, picking their spots for when to dial up the intensity. Seven straight league wins to start the season, and an incredible 16 straight going back to last year, tell their own story. But you wonder if there aren’t warning signs there.

Miller: Liverpool get away with it

Saturday’s 1-0 victory at Sheffield United was lucky — something the ESPN Luck Index continues to track — and came about thanks to an individual error by opposing keeper Dean Henderson. And while both Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah carved out a couple of chances, they certainly weren’t the overwhelming attacking force we’ve seen in the past. In fact, they weren’t the previous week against Chelsea, either.

Credit must go to Sheffield United, sure, but you also wonder if there aren’t some warning lights flashing on Jurgen Klopp’s dashboard. And when you consider what’s ahead, including a heavy fixture list in December/January made more complicated by the Club World Cup in Qatar, you wonder if maybe they could use an extra body to come off the bench up front. The drop-off — not just in quality, but perhaps more importantly in style — between the three starters and the likes of Divock Origi, Xherdan Shaqiri, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Rhian Brewster and whomever else you care to name is pretty stark.

Barca still look disjointed without Messi

By the time October rolls around (Tuesday), Lionel Messi will have played just 122 minutes from the start of the season. The last time he had featured so sparingly at the start of a campaign, Barca went on to win the Champions League. So if you’re superstitious (and a bit dim), his various injuries are no big deal. Of course, that was back in 2005-06, when Messi was 19, Frank Rijkaard was in charge and Pep Guardiola was still playing (for Dorados in Liga MX).

– Barca ratings: Ter Stegen 9/10

If Ernesto Valverde’s plan was to use the Messi hiatus to give his side an identity and maybe even offer a glimpse into a Messi-less future, then matters are somewhat worrying. There were few bright spots in the 2-0 win at Getafe other than a couple prodigious Marc-Andre ter Stegen saves and a neat assist for Luis Suarez, a lot of energy from Arthur and plenty of running from Carles Perez.

This team is still nowhere near where it needs to be and it can’t all be down to Messi (and Jordi Alba) being out.

Such is Manchester City’s current form that Pep Guardiola could leave out Sergio Aguero, Bernardo Silva and David Silva (in addition to the long-injured Aymeric Laporte, John Stones and Leroy Sane) and still come away with a 3-1 win at Everton.

By some metrics, it wasn’t the most comfortable performance — the eight shots on target conceded were the most ever since Guardiola arrived at City — but equally what strikes you is how players can come into the side and change games without needing to bed in, Riyad Mahrez being a case in point here.

Less impressive was the way this was handled.

There was never any need to personalize this and make it about Bernardo Silva’s character (“an exceptional person,” according to Guardiola.) All you had to do is realize that what may not be seen as an ugly racist stereotype in one context (“Conguitos” are freely available for sale in Portugal and Spain) may actually be deeply offensive to others elsewhere. And since tweeted images instantly go global, there were many who were understandably offended.

It’s frankly irrelevant whether Benjamin Mendy is his buddy or not or whether or not he was offended. This wasn’t a private joke between the two; this was chucked out there in public. Simply own it, say that you were not aware of the racist connotations, apologize to those who were offended and move on. And, perhaps, maybe take the opportunity to educate yourself about what that image stands for and why it’s upsetting to so many.

Nobody believes there was any malice behind his tweet. So why drag this out?

Sanchez the hero and villain for Inter

Alexis Sanchez had quite the afternoon on his first start for Inter in Serie A. He looked bright and sharp early on, scored Inter’s second in the 3-1 away win over Sampdoria and then got himself sent off in the most foolish way at the start of the second half… with a second yellow for diving. Evidently he forgot all about the all-seeing eye in the sky that is VAR.

Instead of 2-0 up and able to manage the game, Inter found themselves on the back foot (all the more so when Samp pulled one back). It’s the sort of situation that infuriates Antonio Conte (and would likely cause his hair to fall out, if that were possible).

We’ll get a better sense of where Conte’s Inter stand this week after they face Barcelona in the Champions League midweek and Juventus next weekend.

Neymar comes to PSG’s rescue again

Him again. Neymar’s second-half goal gave Paris Saint-Germain their third 1-0 win in their last four Ligue 1 outings, each with a late score from the Brazilian.

The good news? Kylian Mbappe is back (though looking a tad rusty) and it was a bounce back after the midweek defeat. The not-so-good news? PSG looked a bit sluggish against an opponent that defended with numbers and intensity, at least until Mbappe came on with half an hour to go.

Neymar compared his relationship with PSG fans — many still boo him after he tried to engineer a move away in the summer — to that with a girlfriend: “When there is a problem, everyone stays in their corner… but with lots of love and hugs, everything will return to normal.”

That’s one way to put it, but let’s remind ourselves about how it’s nothing like a relationship with a girlfriend. The “problem” in question was generated by the “boyfriend” (Neymar) trying to dump his “girlfriend” (PSG), only staying because the other potential “girlfriend” (Barcelona) couldn’t afford (or didn’t want) to pay to get him out of the relationship. The “boyfriend” has made no guarantees that he won’t try to leave again at the next opportunity. Oh, and perhaps most importantly, the “boyfriend” is being paid (handsomely) to be with the “girlfriend.”

So yeah, it’s really nothing like a romantic relationship.

RB Leipzig let Bundesliga lead slip

Leipzig lost their place at the top of the Bundesliga with a painful 3-1 home defeat to David Wagner’s Schalke. Any Leipzig defeat will, understandably, generate plenty of schadenfreude but I wouldn’t write them off just yet. This game would have taken a very different turn if Marcel Sabitzer and Emil Forsberg had converted their early chances.

More of a concern is how, having gone behind, Leipzig were so imprecise in their movement in the final third and how easily Schalke picked them off.

Let’s not panic about Pulisic

Another week, another non-appearance from Christian Pulisic, this time in Chelsea’s 2-0 home win over Brighton. I know some are scratching their heads over the fact that you would spend some $70 million on a player and then not play him in a real game (sorry, EFL Cup, nobody cares) for a month. But let’s just remind ourselves that Pulisic only turned 21 this month and that last year he was slowed by injuries and started just nine of 34 Bundesliga games for Borussia Dortmund.

Carlisle: Time to worry about Pulisic?

While we’re at it, let’s also note that the guys ahead of him include a veteran Brazilian international (Willian), another veteran who won a World Cup (Pedro) and a guy who manager Frank Lampard groomed all of last season at Derby (Mason Mount). Plus Callum Hudson-Odoi, who is very young but is a homegrown fan favorite. Not to mention the fact that he was poor in his last outing (against Sheffield United) and when Chelsea play three at the back, there’s no natural position for him.

Chelsea view Pulisic as a long-term project, not as a finished article who will have an instant impact. Players who have gone on to achieve far more than Pulisic might ever dream of weren’t guaranteed starters at his age. Give him time, let him continue fighting for his place and, most of all, let him grow into the best player he can be.

Sarri, Juve finally show what they’re capable of

We finally have a Maurizo Sarri sighting… as in the sighting of a Maurizio Sarri team. For the first time in this campaign, Juventus looked like what their manager might wish them to look like. SPAL aren’t great — most of all, they’re an open footballing side who can easily get “out-footballed” by better opponents — but if not for some huge saves by Etrit Berisha, it could easily have been five or six rather than the two they scored.

Playing Juan Cuadrado and Blaise Matuidi as full-backs, lining up Aaron Ramsey in the hole and, once again, putting his faith in the “Dybaldo” partnership are exactly why Sarri was brought in: as a guy who can find creative solutions and produce attacking football. It shows he has the self-belief to pursue his ideas (and yep, sometimes he’ll get it wrong).

That’s a good sign for Juve. No point having Sarri if he’s going to go out there and try to be an off-brand Max Allegri.

Is Bayern’s good form bad news for Muller?

Bayern sprung back up to the top of the Bundesliga with a 3-2 win over Paderborn. It’s still not entirely clear what Niko Kovac’s long-term view of his lineup is, but it looks as if it’s bound to include Philippe Coutinho in the hole. Based on his performance — he scored one, set up another and generally opened up play with ease — it makes sense, but it also means that the light is dimming for Thomas Muller.

For the third straight game, Muller was stuck on the bench and it seems evident that Kovac can’t accommodate both him and Coutinho. That’s a big statement for Kovac to make, too: While Muller has been on the slide in many ways, he’s still a Bayern stalwart, born, bred and buttered at the Sabenerstrasse. Never the most technically gifted player, Muller reached his heights thanks to his athleticism and intelligence; but athleticism tends to decline north of 30. He can, however, reinvent himself as an impact sub or possibly as the alternative to Robert Lewandowski up front. Either way, you can’t imagine him disappearing from view this early.

Promising signs that Spurs can pull it together

If Tottenham are to be what many (including yours truly) thought they would be, namely the third force in the Premier League after Liverpool and Manchester City, they need more performances like Saturday’s against Southampton. Coming after a hard-fought (and frankly harsh) defeat at Leicester and getting knocked out of the League Cup (which is probably a blessing in disguise and ought to be entirely irrelevant but instead adds fuel to the fire), it was important for their stars to turn up and be counted. Harry Kane, Tanguy Ndombele and others did just that.

There’s still an elephant in the room — the contractual situation of Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen and Christian Eriksen — and it’s frankly grotesque that it has reached this point. But if Mauricio Pochettino can keep the focus on the fact that there’s a common goal for all, even in less than ideal circumstances, this team can hit last year’s heights and maybe even go further.

Another awful weekend for Milan

Fiorentina’s 3-1 walloping of Milan at the San Siro was more one-sided than it appeared. Federico Chiesa missed a penalty, Franck Ribery scored a “worldie” and Gaetano Castrovili continued to shine. But obviously, the focus is on the rossoneri, who are just one point above the relegation zone.

Milan’s Ultras voiced their displeasure by leaving early (and missing Rafael Leao’s late consolation wonder-goal). You can understand their frustration. Marco Giampaolo, whose team had shown progress in midweek, looked to have gone backwards again. He has plenty of square pegs in round holes but he also has guys who, right now, would look out of their depth in any formation, from Krzysztof Piatek to Hakan Calhanoglou to Suso.

The club say they’re keeping faith with Giampaolo. The best thing he could do at this stage is show a bit of courage and perhaps play guys on merit rather than reputation and transfer fee. And when he does, conjure up a scheme that actually works for what he has.

Real Sociedad stumble vs. Sevilla

It didn’t happen. Real Sociedad did not climb back to the top of La Liga after 17 seasons (back in the Reynald Denoueix days). Or, rather, they were top for 14 minutes, from the moment Mikel Oyarzabal gave them the lead right up to Sevilla’s equalizer. Sevilla went on to win 3-2, showing plenty of fight after their midweek loss to Eibar.

But while imperfect, the performance ought to be a reminder that La Real aren’t going away any time soon. In Mikel Merino, Martin Odegaard and Mikel Oyarzabal, they have three of the better young players in Europe and on their day they can match anyone for intensity. As for Sevilla, it’s still a work in progress for Julen Lopetegui, but they’re still just two points off the top of the table.

Next week, Sevilla visit the Camp Nou. The last time he was there, on the Real Madrid bench, he got thumped, 5-1, and got fired shortly thereafter. He won’t be lacking for motivation.

Dortmund might not be title contenders after all

Like many, I had this as Borussia Dortmund’s year and like many, I’m not sure what to think after they dropped another two points, this time in a 2-2 draw against Werder Bremen. The numbers say it’s one win in five, though that’s a bit misleading because the victory was a convincing one over Bayer Leverkusen and they deserved more from their draw against Barcelona.

But the Bremen performance might have been their worst one yet. They were sloppy at the back and some of the youngsters (Jadon Sancho) looked rattled. Most of all, after Bremen’s equaliser, they seemed to simply wilt away. Time for Professor Lucien Favre to earn his bacon.

Famalicao’s story is no fairytale

FC Famalicao, newly promoted to the Portuguese top flight and with crowds of around 5000, sit atop the Primeira Liga. Impressive? Sure. Heartwarming Cinderella story? Not so much.

It’s not just the fact that the club have a billionaire backer (Israeli magnate Idan Ofer, who also owns just over a third of Atletico Madrid), it’s also the way they’ve been built up in no time flat (19 summer signings) with the help of superagent Jorge Mendes, who stocked the club with his clients and players from “Mendes-friendly” clubs (Wolves, Atletico, Valencia, etc).

Mendes is just doing his job, of course (and doing it well), but it does take some of the gloss off.

And finally…

Bas Dost scored in Eintracht Frankfurt’s 2-1 away victory at Union Berlin, a win that leaves them ninth in the table. He has two goals in four Bundesliga appearances this season.

This concludes this installment of #BasDostWatch.

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[83unsungheroes]

Hello! If we were having a coffee this week, mine would be big with as much coffee in it as is safe and reasonably possible.  I should probably get something to eat as well.  All that’s because it’s been a fun weekend with not much sleep.  I have a fuzzy head partly from dehydration too.  But to start with earlier in what is now last week…

Two dreams this week, and one of them was problematic.  I’m not good at getting up nowadays.  I seem to struggle a bit with it, even when I think I’m giving myself a good night’s sleep. I was snoozing the other morning, only dreaming that I was at work.  The alarm went off again and I turned it off rather putting it on snooze again because, well, I was at work and didn’t need it.  Thankfully I wasn’t noticeably late in.

Then the day after I woke up from a dream where I was a tattoo artist working at the school I used to go.  I know who I was tattooing but I’m not sure what it was I was doing to them.  I got up early enough after that one but the traffic to work was so slow.

I had to go get my blood test this week.  This one really hurt for some reason! I went to go get some lunch from the supermarket after it and while I was looking in the fridge it actually felt like I was still bleeding down my jacket sleeve.  That presented a dilemma for me because I really wanted to buy lunch and didn’t really want to deal with it there and then.  As it turns out it just felt like it was bleeding.  It really bruised too.

This week was really all about the weekend, with Liverpool playing Tottenham in the Champions League Final.  It has been three weeks since the end of the season so it felt like an age getting to the showpiece event.

The nerves had been growing.  It wasn’t so much nerves at Liverpool losing, but more Tottenham winning.  In European competition, you never want to lose to a team from your home league.  To lose to a team of perennial bottlers like Spurs are would have been terrible!

I have no idea if the nerves were why Friday was unproductive but Saturday was hard work! I was going to watch the match at a friend’s place at I knew the program was starting at 6pm, but he told me to get there for 7.  At 4.30 I was getting itchy feet.  At 5.30 I was walking around the room.  At 6pm I decided enough was enough and went, via a supermarket to put a bit of delay in to proceedings.

Nerves were kind of settled when Liverpool got a penalty less than a minute in.  We went 1-0 up and it stayed that way until the 87th minute when Divock Origi scored a second and sealed it.

It was an awful game.  Absolutely terrible.  It was a bit strange, because each team’s campaigns to get there were brilliant, including some thrilling comebacks.  Tottenham had been on the brink of exiting the competition for most of it.

What was most strange was that the game being so poor meant that my nerves had pretty much gone by an hour in.  During the first half I was watching the clock, pleading for the time to ebb away.  By an hour in, it felt like a friendly game with nothing to play for.  If Tottenham had have scored that feeling might have changed, because I certainly celebrated Liverpool’s second goal enough.

I even read match reports and none of them contained a great deal of praise.  Most suggested that Liverpool were worthy winners as a reflection of their overall season rather than performance on the night.  But anyway, who cares?

After going to Kiev last year and being gutted having to make that long trip home after having lost, having number 6 in the bag was great.  One of the reasons I didn’t travel to Madrid without a ticket was in case Liverpool won.  When they won it in Istanbul in 2005, the victory parade in the city was an amazingly special night.  The atmosphere was like nothing I’ve ever felt.  After that night, I’ve always said that if I don’t have a ticket I would far rather be part of the aftermath than the build-up.

I got an early train to Liverpool.  Everyone I know will tell you that I’m early for quite literally everything except work (see above!).  My plan was go somewhere nice for breakfast (Bill’s delivered after the queue for Moose was immense) and I thought that there’d be enough happening in the city to keep me occupied.

The club shop was doing a roaring trade straight after opening and had the new winner’s badges for shirts already in stock.  I buy a Liverpool shirt every season, and very rarely wear them.  I’ve had one every year since I was a kid, so I just keep buying them to have them, and they’re not a cheap collectable really.  I stood in the queue and got one and walked over to the docks.

They were just starting to put the barriers out down the road so I parked myself on a bench with a newspaper and my phone with a portable charger, but unfortunately the weather wasn’t being co-operative so I went to find shelter elsewhere.  It was also freezing cold because of the wind! I thought I’d put myself in the shelter of a building but I think it just focussed the gale that was blowing through!

The wait was worth it.  Here are some of my pictures as well as some of the more official ones.

Can you see me?!

I intended to get the train home but the queue at the station looked massive, and I couldn’t be bothered standing in it.  I tried to get something to eat, but couldn’t be bothered standing in those queues either.  I started walking.  My plan was to walk to Aintree station.  Turns out I walked to Old Roan.  I took a wrong turn somewhere.  It was seven miles.

Well… I say I took a wrong turn.  I didn’t actually.  I took the route I planned, it just went to the wrong place.  The irritating thing was talking to a friend today who told me that she got accidentally got caught up in the parade as she was going to a gig in Liverpool that night.  Turns out that I had tickets for that gig too, and I completely forgot.  It was Mumford and Sons too.  I was looking forward to it, but it was postponed and as soon as it was I realised that I was going to forget about it.  I don’t think I ever even got the tickets!

After lots of standing up and lots of celebrating with probably not enough drinking, I’m not sure I could have managed the show anyway and the logistics to get out would have been hard.

I’ve been off work today, kind of pre-planned to the level that my superstition would allow.  I don’t drink, but my head was fuzzy from being tired.  It’s taken me hours to type this, including a nap and a dinner so anyone visiting expecting to read a news review might have to wait till tomorrow, because I haven’t read any news all weekend – I have no idea what’s been going on in the world.

A few new Pokemon this week.

And I want to know how this stand-off ended:

I don’t think I have any plans for this week, but I might just have forgotten those too!

I hope your week was a good one.

https://soundcloud.com/weareravellas/worse-places-piss-version

  The Coffee With Number 6 Hello! If we were having a coffee this week, mine would be big with as much coffee in it as is safe and reasonably possible.  

[removingalldoubt-blog1]

That thing that keeps happening because the other thing never did.

So … ESPN did that thing again. 

They’ve done it before, as has the Washington Post and the Chicago Tribune. They forgot the White Sox won the World Series in 2005. 

And just like last time, they immediately apologized for it and deleted the errant tweet although in this case that’s actually worse. 

The tweet in question was about the Dodgers 7-1 playoff record so far. They were on pace to best the 1998 Yankees 11-2 record for the least losses in a post-season since the introduction of the wild card. 

Except that the 2005 White Sox went 11-1. 

Not that big a deal. I mean, aside from the fact that stat guys are literally paid to do nothing but research stats and simply forgetting one is a testament to shoddy craftsmanship and basically inexcusable, it’s a meaningless mistake. 

But after more than a few Sox and/or baseball fans called them on it—because that’s what people do on Twitter, wait for you to say something stupid and/or wrong and then pounce on you like you’re a proponent of baby seal clubbing, because Twitter is the worst—they deleted the tweet. 

They didn’t correct it. They didn’t still talk about how the Dodgers’ lone loss means they could tie the record-holding White Sox. They’d prefer to just not mention it at all. 

Because it’s not the Cubs, so it never happened. 

I’m not trying to make this about the Cubs. It’s not. I’m not a fan, but can appreciate everything the Cubs have done in recent years to turn the franchise around. Theo and Jed are baseball geniuses and worthy of the heaps of praise they receive regularly. 

It’s not their fault, but if you don’t live here or didn’t grow up here, you cannot fathom how deep the “Sox as Second Team” narrative goes. 

After the White Sox won the World Series in 2005 (which they actually did; I was at every home playoff game; I saw it with my own eyes), I would casually mention that my real fear was if the Cubs finally did win it, it would be like the Sox never had. 

People thought that was crazy. Turns out I was clairvoyant. 

The saddest part is that the 2005 season was magical. It had all of the entertaining and compelling storylines you want from a season. I mean at the start of the season, our closer was a Japanese import who threw a gimmick pitch that hovered around 60 mph. 

Remember when El Duqué Hernandez (aged at the time to be anywhere between 33 and 57) came in with the bases loaded and nobody out in game three of the ALDS against the defending champion Red Sox? Remember how he stranded them all and preserved the sweep giving the White Sox their first post-season series win in 88 years? 

You don’t. Because it wasn’t the Cubs, so it never happened. 

Remember when White Sox starters pitched four complete game wins in a row in the ALCS? The last time that had happened was in 1956—an era when pitchers pitched until their arms fell off … and then continued to pitch after reattaching it with staples, cortisone, bourbon and amphetamines. But it was the Yankees who did it so I’m sure the next time a team flirts with consecutive complete games, that’s the comparison that will come up. 

And oh my god remember the phantom dropped third strike in game two? A ridiculously awful call, that led to the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, but also the kind of baseball moment that gets people talking. Imagine what twitter would have been like if that happened now. 

Oh right. You don’t. Because it wasn’t the Cubs, so it never happened. 

What about Paul Konerko’s World Series Grand Slam in game two in the rain? Or Scott Podsednik’s walk-off in the ninth? I mean, he hit zero home runs during the regular season. It’s crazy! That game had six lead changes. Six! 

Well surely you remember Geoff Blum’s home run in the top of the 14 inning to win game three. That’s not a typo—14 innings. I’m sure you also remember Mark Buehrle getting the save in that game, after earning the win in game two. That hadn’t happened since the Bob Turley of the 1958 Yankees so expect to see his name on the screen when the next pitcher does that. 

Just don’t expect to see Buehrle’s. 

I now realize you also don’t remember Juan Uribe diving into the stands in game four. Or Willie Harris’s hit or Jermain Dye’s RBI. You might vaguely remember the celebration. Everyone was pretty into it at the time. Michael Jordan was long gone and Toews and Kane hadn’t arrived yet. The city needed a winner. It was a historic moment, ending the second longest championship drought in baseball. 

But 88 isn’t 108. 

Drama, excitement, record-book performances, colorful characters, everything you’d want from a World Series. Who could forget Ozzie Guillen calling for his closer by extending both arms out wide signaling for the big man Bobby Jenks?

Turns out, everyone. 

Last year as the Cubs made their historic run, the Washington Post, ESPN and our own hometown paper all ran pieces or displayed graphics that existed in an alternative universe. One where the 2005 White Sox never happened. 

And now, with the Cubs eliminated from the post-season, it’s still happening. 

Because as White Sox fans relish calling out these slights and talk about it happening again, we all need to make our peace with one simple fact: it will always happen. 

The baseball future at 35th and Shields looks bright. Some great prospects coming through the pipeline. 

But we’re not the Cubs. 

As long as the city remains segregated by race and socio-economics and as long as a cathedral to baseball still stands at Clark and Addison, the Cubs will always be the first team in this city. 

Wrigley Field resides in a part of the city securely insulated from the national headlines about crime here. 

It is also insulated from some baseball realities. The White Sox have sold the naming rights to their stadium twice in order to help generate revenue. I doubt the Wrigley family has ever cut a check to the Cubs for their naming rights, but if the Cubs changed the name, there would be riot. The Sox change theirs and it’s a joke. 

Over the years, the White Sox have been “in-play” as a team for relocation. Seattle, Milwaukee, Denver, Tampa have all come up as possible destinations for the team. Meanwhile, in the 90s Cub fans were outraged at the idea of the team playing in a stadium merely in the suburbs. 

In 2006, the defending World Champion Chicago White Sox sold out the lower deck for the entire season. They won 90 games too, but it wasn’t enough and did not make the playoffs. Since then, they’ve only made the post-season once and were quickly dispatched in the first round. In 2017, they only relinquished the worst record in baseball during a winning run in the last week of the season.

The White Sox v Astros World Series was one of the least-watched World Series in the history of television. The 2016 Series was one of the highest-rated, made national news and ended with Bill Murray singing “Go Cubs Go” on Saturday Night Live.

For another week, the Cubs are still the defending World Champions, but after either Dodgers or Astros take the title, they will still be the Cubs. The better team, in the historic park, in the nice part of town, in a grossly segregated city. 

I don’t live on the south side. I wasn’t raised there. My fandom is irregular and came about via happenstance. I am surrounded by Cub fans, most newly minted in the same way they all became Blackhawk fans in 2010. 

I don’t hate the Cubs. I’m jealous of their success. Much in the same way a lot of my friends were jealous of the White Sox in 2005. But none of them switched allegiances and while all their kids were wearing Konerko jerseys then, those kids are now-teens and they are all wearing Rizzo swag now. 

Because it’s the Cubs, and 2005 never happened.