St. Landon blessing Deuce Thrice following their FA Cup clash.
Currently on Fox Soccer’s homepage… Someone is either a massive Liverpool hater or needs to feel Michelle Lissel’s wrath. Via @wastedfood
Landon Has Risen
Men in Blazers
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For those who only indulge in our weekly Grantland podcast, here’s a taste of our live SiriusXM program. It’s like the pod, but more tangents. Here, Rog describes his rapturous experience watching St. Landon’s Everton.
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Further proof that Everton is America’s Team. GFOP John unearthed this beaut from his linen closet. He writes, “It’s a proper towel for Boddington’s spills.” We’ll ignore the fact that he and his wife are Manchester United supporters.
Dear Footie Savants,
I am a huge fan of the pod and would like to commit to buying 20 shares of Everton to make it America’s Team. My only request is that this man in the video above call all of the games from the booth.
Cheers, Tim C.
A touching tribute to the Everton Campaign from Great Friend of the Pod @radicaldudejom.
Shield your eyes! Nobody wins when Premier League teams fashion away kits. We discuss these unfortunate designs, the relegation debate, and why the English don’t wear sunglasses in the latest pod. It will be up on Grantland tomorrow (damn you, Baseball!).
Our campaign to make Everton Football Club America’s Team by investing $1.95 from every working American continues to excel. Over 8,000 shares were pledged this week.
Big shout outs to Jeff Leonard who pledged 1000 shares. Joseph Hipskind who bought 100 shares despite being a massive Liverpool fan (He writes, “At the first shareholder meeting, count on me to propose Everton as a sort of AAA farm club to Liverpool.”) And Leo, who purchased 6 shares — two each for himself, Mr. Chang and Mr. Boddingtons. Photographic evidence is a work of art. Makes us miss the late, great Robert Mapplethorpe.
We asked Grantland listeners for their favorite soccer movies of all time. Who knew there were so many “Ladybugs” fans out there? A film evidently ripe for a remake. We discussed our top three in this week’s MIB Grantland podcast to be released Wednesday, Sept 14. Some of these movies may have made it:
Gregory’s Girl (1981)
If John Hughes had come of age in suburban Glasgow instead of the American Midwest, the movie “Gregory’s Girl” is the kind of classic he would have conjured. The soccer-themed film was to 1980s Britain what “The Breakfast Club” was to the States: generation-defining, coming-of-age magic.
Crafted by cult Scottish director Bill Forsyth, the movie revolved around the tale of how a teenage girl revived the sagging fortunes of a high school boys’ soccer team. Feathered of hair, long of leg and nimble of foot, Dorothy was a beauty whose allure was matched only by her skill. Outplaying all the boys, she became an unobtainable object of affection. When she stroked home a goal, even vanquished opponents lined up to join in the celebration.
Zulu (1964)
150 brave British soliders keep thousands of Zulus at bay for 24 hours. A valiant triumph against the odds. Like Animal Farm is not just about horses and cows, this movie is a thinly-veiled allegory alluding to Everton Football Club’s season. No players. No cash. No problem.
The Two Escobars (2010)
Our favorite. By unanimous decision.
Each Friday morning during our SiriusXM show, Michael will quiz Roger on his alleged soccer knowledge. Here was the inaugural test. (Rog didn’t fare too well).
William Ralph Dean, better known as Dixie Dean, because of his dark complexion reminiscent of an American from the South, was one of the great sporting figures of pre-war Britain and without a doubt the greatest Everton player of all-time… And he did it all with only one testicle due to a tragic reserve game accident at the age of 17. Dixie Dean cost Everton Football Club just $5000 when he was acquired from Tranmere Rovers in 1925. A bargain at the time, but money that Everton Football Club simply does not possess today. He was the first player in history to wear the number 9 on his shirt and was he a striker in the truest sense of the word. His 60 goals in the 1927/28 single season is a record that will never be broken, except, as Dixie himself said, by a man “who walks on water.” You will also walk on water if you can answer the following seven questions.
A). A Dixie Dean Statue sits outside of Goodison Park. But Goodison, like every stadium Everton has ever called home, isn’t actually located in the Liverpool district of Everton. What district is Goodison Park located?
B). Dean holds the record for most hat tricks ever – 37. But who was the last Everton player to score three goals in a single game?
C). Dean died on March 1, 1980 after watching an Everton match against which of their rivals?
D). Dean was never once booked or sent off during a game. Not all Everton players have been so gentlemanly. Which former player holds the record for most career red cards in the Premier League?
E). Dean was involved in a number of high-profile endorsements, including Wix Cigarettes. Which current Everton player is the face of WeetaBix cereal?
Answers: A). Walton B). Louis Saha C). Liverpool D). Duncan Ferguson E). Tim Cahill
As discussed in the latest Grantland pod, a highlight reel of Everton’s loan signee and potential season savior Royston Drenthe’s finest moments at Real Madrid. Most of which consist of him falling down. Hilariously.
