British Empire Wrestling

I am going to miss the wrestling at the Mills on Sunday as I will be home in Cardiff. Into each life a little rain must fall I suppose.

20,000,000 Callum fans can't be wrong.

AS Monaco are pursuing a deal for Chelsea's Callum Hudson-Odoi, but have been quoted a price higher than what they paid for 16-year-old forward Willem Geubbels (€20m), according to RMC.

— Get French Football News (@GFFN) July 6, 2018

Well I never. 20 million, 20 million there; before you know it you are talking about a lot of money.

Roll on Wednesday

“You can’t coach brilliance like that.”

Ben is supporting England against Sweden in the World Cup this afternoon. Back in 2012 however (see Icons passim) when Ibrahimovic scored all four goals as Sweden beat England 4-2, he was keen to stress he is a quarter Swedish on his mother's side.

Fair 'Nuff, Gruff

As a devolved issue in Wales, and as an idea that was born here, the idea of a free health service for all serves as a beacon of what we can achieve as a nation and is something we must pass on intact to future generations.

Gruff Rhys

Wimbledon BookFest 2018

Online priority booking is now open for Friends of Wimbledon Bookfest: see https://www.wimbledonbookfest.org/Events/EventsCalendar2018.aspx.

Tickets will go on general release from Thursday 19 July.

From our point of view 2018 was smoother than 2017 which in turn was smoother than 2016.

I think I fancy:

• Nigel Shadbolt The Digital Ape
• Simon Scarrow What We Can Learn from the Romans?
• Robin Waterfield A History of Ancient Greece
• Richard and Jamie Susskind Future of Al on Politics & the Professions
• Yotam Ottolenghi Simple

Wherever I hang my hat

Goal!!!!!! And England are through!!!!! @mertonabbeymill @WimbledonScene #WorldCup2018 pic.twitter.com/cOtgu0X6Uc

— Merton Apprentice (@mertonapp) July 3, 2018

I was watching the game while falling behind dealing out burgers at the Standard, but this is what the win looked like at the Apprentice under the office.

It's coming home

No one can accuse the Colliers Wood Residents Association of getting carried away with England World Cup fever.

Party like a Russian, End of discussion

Long memories

I will be supporting Russia against Spain in the World  Cup this afternoon.

Two years ago in the Euros, Russia - with nominal "home" advantage - Russia agreed to let us wear our iconic red jerseys while they wore their white away kit.

That was classy. It has changed my view of the world. I can no longer imagine them as the Machiavellian villains our press tell us they are.

Go figure.

who are the people in your neighborhood

I saw Richard Blackwood in Tesco once.

Apparently he lives around the corner in Cavendish Road.

Fascinating eh?

Spiderman's Dad at the Old Rutlishians

Fancy an evening with the very funny Mr Dom Holland at The Ruts? Dom will be previewing his latest Edinburgh Festival show at Poplar Road on the evening of Friday 20th July. "The room is rammed and the non-stop laughs underline how fickle comedy can be. His skillfully delivered routines about painful prostates, school run calamities and men not dressing their age would fit snugly onto Live at the Apollo." Those of you who have seen him before will know you are in for a great evening... Just a tenner, go to the website Old Ruts Rugby and click on events to order and pay online

I

The curse of me

That’s the Korean consul general to Mexico, Byoung-Jin Han, celebrating with grateful Mexican fans outside the Korea embassy here. One fan said he took a shot of tequila with them earlier. pic.twitter.com/NGWEmRADUW

— James Wagner (@ByJamesWagner) June 27, 2018

As I wrote earlier I knew that Germany were doomed in the World Cup when I pulled them out in a sweepstakes.

Paapa at the Pinter

He certainly goes from strength to strength.

Hotpod

South Wimbledon
8 Morden Road, London, SW19 3BH, GB
Details
Opening Soon! Our S.Wimbledon classes are held in our shiny new studio on Morden Road, directly opposite the tube station.

At just half a mile from the office, could this potentially steal me away from Wimbledon Hot Yoga?

Courir de Mardi Gras

Wikipedia

The Courir de Mardi Gras (Louisiana French pronunciation: [kuɾiɾ d maɾdi ɡɾa] French pronunciation: ​[kuʁiʁ də maʁdi ɡʁa]) is a traditional Mardi Gras event held in many Cajun communities of south Louisiana on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. Courir de Mardi Gras is Cajun French for "Fat Tuesday Run". The rural Mardi Gras celebration is based on early begging rituals, similar to those still celebrated by mummers, wassailers and celebrants of Halloween. As Mardi Gras is the celebration of the final day before Lent, celebrants drink and eat heavily, and also dress in specialized costumes, ostensibly to protect their identities. Popular practices include wearing masks, capuchons, and costumes, overturning social conventions, dancing, drinking alcohol, begging, feasting, whipping, etc. Because of violent activities associated with the Ku Klux Klan, Louisiana has a state law prohibiting the wearing of hoods and masks in public. Mardi Gras is one of the few occasions when exceptions are allowed, as are Halloween celebrations and religious observances.

This batshit crazy episode about it, is a fitting epitaph to the great Anthony B.

Well seasoned

What a run, what a finish! 😱🔥 @Calteck10’s goal v Liverpool is a worthy winner of the 2017/18 Academy Goal of the Season!! 🥇 #CFC #Chelsea

A post shared by Chelsea FC (@chelseafc) on Jun 22, 2018 at 8:15am PDT

Chelsea have announced the winner of their academy goal of the season award, and the winning entry won’t surprise you.

Callum Hudson Odoi’s superb solo effort against Liverpool got the award, and there can’t be many complaints about that. The balance and speed he showed weaving between defenders and the composure he showed to finish make it a worthy winner.

I saw Callum's mum Jenny today and had a chat for the first time in a while.

Time for a Swiftie?

I was at this last night with my brother and his girls as well as Lorraine and Emily.

I know, I can scarcely believe it myself.

‘That is a great curiosity, a very difficult piece of puzzledom, a snorter ...’

The planets must be in alignment, because my DNA analysis results have turned up on my very birthday itself, now there's a thing.

In essence I am Flann O’Brien. I long suspected as much. At least I no longer need to have any excuse for me brass necked refusal to support England in any sporting contest whatsoever your honour be it pleasing to yeh and so forth, yeh gobshite.

Mad About Elvis

Mad About Elvis is part of BBC Wales's contribution to the BBC's Our Lives strand. Elvis is alive and well and partying hard in Porthcawl, South Wales. He may have died in August 1977 but, every September, this small seaside resort is invaded by Elvises of all shapes, sizes, and talents - and his disciples. Attracting 35,000 visitors, the majority in costume, the Porthcawl Elvis Festival is the biggest Elvis festival in the world!

'It's like an annual portal to a lateral universe,' says festival organiser Peter Phillips, 'And it's a universe that's probably quite fun to live in actually.'

I watched this on BBC1 last night. You can catch it on the iPlayer here. I am almost tempted to go next September.