Maximus Decimus

There had always been an air of inevitability about Everton getting relegated just before the new stadium. I'm desperately hoping not but events like yesterday won't help.

Despite not being a huge fan, I've been interested in the Oasis story for quite a while. There's a guy on YouTube called James Hargreaves who does a lot of videos on them. Some of them a bit far-fetched but I think you'd be surprised how calculated Noel can be. He's a big fan of the whole folklore of it all. For instance, Oasis were together for 14 years and 354 days after the release of Definitely Maybe. I don't think it's a coincidence that they announced they were getting back together 14 years and 354 days later. I'm sure the money is a factor, but I doubt it's the only one.

I was watching a random artist I've listened to on and off over the years - Eivor from the Faroe Islands and I decided to look if she has any gigs. She's doing one in October for £22. Think I'll take a look at that instead...

Noel had the idea that the 3rd album was going to be the best, but he himself says that it became bloated and ridiculous and they missed the mark. I can remember watching MTV when the first single was shown and being disappointed. Other than the odd tune that entered the cultural zeitgeist, I stopped listening to them at this point.

Simply not true, some of his recent stuff is very good. Even when Oasis were past it, he could still some decent tunes. Noel has been heavily criticised for borrowing from songs and rightly so at times. There are of course some obvious examples, where the modern term is 'interpolating', but I always think with the examples that are mentioned, the actual songs are completely different. As a rule of thumb, if somebody has to point out the similarity for you to notice it then they've created something completely different. It's not like the infamous Lana Del Ray 'Creep' where everybody can hear it straight away. And I'm writing this when I'm rather p****d off at Oasis . Went through the whole ridiculous charade this morning, only to get through and find out that Ticketmaster were now doing 'In Demand' tickets, which is translation for 'we're going to charge a heck of a lot more than the advertised price because we can.' £300 a ticket for the back of Wembley, erm no thanks. I'd love to say Oasis had nowt to do with it, but I'm pretty sure from reading on Ticketmaster that it's up to the artist and promoter whether they do it or not.

It strikes me as a really quite poor system that is massively over-convoluted and no fairer. If it had been brought in for say the Challenge Cup, it would be seen as an example of how amateurish RL is. However, football being football it will have no effect. Every game will still be a sellout and it will get wall to wall coverage etc with the big games being huge global events.

He didn't make the 53, not even close really. Everybody thought he'd make the practice squad because they have a place for IPP players but a Nigerian player took that meaning he had to move. Luckily for him, the Jaguars have picked him up as their IPP spot. I suspect it's because of the British aspect and having 2 London games. You have to feel for all the people who got his KC jersey, although maybe you don't. There is an outside chance he could feature at the London games, but with having to learn a new playbook it isn't likely. In theory, you'd think spending time on the practice squad would be great to learn the game but I was watching a video from an ex-player who suggested that isn't really what happens. Because you're not in the squad for the upcoming game, you don't get the snaps in practice, the starters do. His best chance seems to be on the new kickoff, and hoping the Jaguars use him because it's in London. If he could take advantage of that you never know but the likelihood is that he'll be back in Union within a couple of years.

I must have misunderstood it. I read it that after all the fixtures were done, the top 8 went into the quarters. This seemed like a real lottery for the top teams. It probably seems preferable to a system where the top 24 go through. Of course football is Teflon but in my experience, diluting the playoffs has negative effects. I always think RL lost out when we went from a top 5/6 to a top 8 and never really recovered. The NRL has the perfect balance for me. Making the 8 is an achievement, without leaving too many teams out of the running.

So the new Champions League format.... Seems interesting....

Not sure about that. He's been dropped completely from the Chiefs now as they went with a different IPP player, so I'm guessing the 3-year contract had some conditions in it. It looks like he's been picked up the Jaguars but no details as of yet for how long. I've genuinely nothing against him, I know absolutely nothing about him tbh. He seems to have been pretty high up the pecking order in Union, so he clearly took a big risk going to the NFL and the reality is that it is exceptionally hard and somewhat unrealistic to expect to make it against top-quality athletes who've spent their whole lives doing it. The attitude of some Union fans making out like he was God's gift and on another level to a top-level RL-player is what left the bitter taste. I know he's now beyond the pale, but it demonstrates what a remarkable job Hayne did. To play in 8 full NFL games as a running back only months after making the switch, is testament to how good an athlete he was.

Not gonna lie, all this Oasis hype has got me listening to some of the old stuff again. I don't care what anyone says, yes Liam was/is a tool, Noel is up his own backside etc but they didn't half have some bangers. I'm going to dip my toe in the waters around getting tickets (not considering silly money), but no doubt will lose out to a 20 year old who quite likes Wonderwall.

https://www.skysports.com/nfl/news/12118/13204364/louis-rees-zammit-former-rugby-star-left-out-from-kansas-city-chiefs-squad-for-2024-nfl-season No surprise there really. I must say I have enjoyed the Union fans, bigging up what have been some pretty nothing performances against much lower opposition. Also, my opinion might be tainted slightly by an off comment I saw of somebody making out he'd do way better than Hayne did because he'd been playing at a much higher standard. Well Hayne made the 53!

Excellent run. Certainly seemed more impressive than Rees-Zammit did in his first start.

I know it's sacrilege to say on here, but how were we not even in the mens 7s rugby? Essentially, it should be like the British Lions entering the RUWC. The fact they're not that bothered enough to qualify, shows why it shouldn't be an Olympic sport IMO. The Olympics should be about the pinnacle of a sport, not an off-shoot of an established sport that some countries maybe feel like taking seriously some times.

There are whole sports that China just win every time. I'm up for introducing darts and lawn bowls.

I personally am willing to let her off for some reason.

It was also coincidentally the only time in the whole games I was cheering on France! I've always felt our levels are a bit inflated after a home games but they're holding up pretty well. I can still remember Atlanta and feel like we'll be back there one day! There were some great moments, but there's a bit of frustration in the number of close silvers we got. Josh Kerr and Matt Hudson-Smith spring to mind. My standout moments were Keely (I was so nervous) and the mountain-biking.

Beat me to it!

There is an Aussie lady calling herself Raygun who has gone viral for all the wrong reasons. She's so bad, I honestly think she might be a factor in it never returning. LA already hadn't picked it up and with it being in Brisbane in 2032, the Aussie memory of it is hardly likely to improve its chances. In all honesty it shouldn't be in IMO. It's one thing including judged sports like gymnastics and diving, where you are essentially judging technique and ones where you are judging which dance was better. It opens up the door for all sorts of other dance based events. And if dancing is OK, how about singing? I feel like the 21st century is just one giant lesson where in 2100 God is going to appear out of the sky and say 'and the moral is less is more!'

So I found out today that of the sports that they're adding to the next Olympics is Flag Football. I wonder who'll win that one? I suspect if RL was an American sport it'd be long in now. Why in the modern world do they have to ruin everything? At this rate they'll reduce medals to the point of being worthless. Old man rant over. Although totally justified.

He ran 9.80 in the semi-final and looked like he was going easy. It just shows how much of it is being relaxed. Great final though, and although he's a bit of a tool, Lyles did a PB when it mattered and you can't fault him for that.

Haha that is up there with my greatest predictions ever!

This men's 100m final seems as competitive as I can remember. I think it'll be a Jamaica 1, 2 with Oblique Seville winning. He looked so calm in the semi-final.

Whilst his career was incredible, it was marred a little by the fact he only fought the top Americans when they were clearly past their peaks. His best performance was probably the Jeff Lacy pummelling. I'm a big Lennox fan, but am put off by his ambiguous nationality. When the idea is about the best sportsman we've produced, it doesn't feel right to include somebody who didn't box until they lived in Canada. To give an opposite example with Mo Farah, he arrived here quite late but only got into running in British schools.

Yeh it's not to take away from her being an incredible runner. I'm pretty sure her actual best was 10.61 not wind-assisted.