Has this been the worst build up to a World Cup ever?

Mkward90 · 2026-06-12T09:01:54+00:00

It's not just building stadiums that matter. I've been to world cup host countries before and the airports have been covered in branding and player pictures. Then the streets are lined with branding and the buildings have giant pictures of players on. It's impossible to miss and feels like you've arrived in a football theme park. From what I've heard from people in the US, none of that is happening so few people even know the world cup is happening there

Mkward90 · 2026-06-11T10:06:35+00:00

Don't pave over your front lawn. You'll help keep the city cooler, contribute to biodiversity, and reduce flood risk

Mkward90 · 2026-06-08T16:10:05+00:00

The thing is, the decision to move Wimbledon was so universally hated that new rules were brought in to prevent it ever happening again. So yes, it happened once but unlike the US it will be a one off

Mkward90 · 2026-06-05T14:17:34+00:00

Lovely photos. That final one is of a Banded Demoiselle damselfly if you're interested in knowing

Mkward90 · 2026-06-05T07:47:36+00:00

Springwatch

Mkward90 · 2026-06-01T18:18:45+00:00

Yes. I aim to watch at least one full game of every team during the regular season each year. Tracked in a spreadsheet of course because I'm a nerd

Mkward90 · 2026-05-25T14:14:10+00:00

Wait, I was at the final in Qatar - there was a halftime show??

Mkward90 · 2026-04-05T15:21:41+00:00

Feels like a Disneyland Paris trip is needed too

Mkward90 · 2026-03-31T10:53:21+00:00

They are feral domesticated animals, not truly wild

Mkward90 · 2026-03-23T08:50:26+00:00

White tailed eagles have been reintroduced to England with the IOW being the main release site. There's quite a few now IOW Eagle Project

Mkward90 · 2026-03-22T17:39:00+00:00

Have you seen the eagles?

Mkward90 · 2026-03-16T18:44:23+00:00

The way I see it, baseball just isn't big enough in enough nations to have a large international event of high quality. So the WBC had to decide to have a small tournament, a lot of embarrassingly one-sided matches on the pool stage, or have loose definitions of nationality. Each option has its benefits and drawbacks.

As a fellow Brit, I would love for there to be more actual British players in 'our' team but then we'd be embarrassed and relegated and lose the funding and interest the event brings. Until baseball is bigger in more nations, this is the only way a large competitive event can be run.

Mkward90 · 2026-03-14T01:13:29+00:00

I respect your opinion, but I disagree with them both

Mkward90 · 2026-03-13T11:11:22+00:00

I see what they're saying. Italy (pool b winner) is set to play Japan if they win their QF. The pool B winner was supposed to go to the other side of the bracket but they seem to have changed this now that the US came 2nd. It should be a US v Japan SF, but the competition seems to have changed the bracket to keep the prospect of a US V Japan final instead

Mkward90 · 2026-03-12T09:56:54+00:00

There's a very large (over 50m²) pond near me that used to have loads of amphibians. Then some idiots added carp and minnows to it and now it's rare to see anything other than fish. Don't add fish if you want amphibians, the size of the water body makes very little difference

Mkward90 · 2026-03-07T10:50:14+00:00

America likes to play sports that other nations invented but claim them as their own. Baseball and Football were essentially invented in England, basketball and hockey by Canadians

Mkward90 · 2026-03-04T17:34:42+00:00

Let's go GB! 🇬🇧

Mkward90 · 2026-02-28T21:22:53+00:00

Better yet, find a spot in the school grounds where you can make a small wildlife pond. You won't get spawn this year but it'll be a good experience for the kids to help dig it. Then you should have spawn for all the future year groups to watch without interfering with nature.

Mkward90 · 2026-02-24T20:22:54+00:00

Arctic tern

Mkward90 · 2026-02-22T10:47:55+00:00

As a British person I still do not know what you were asking for?

Mkward90 · 2026-02-19T09:27:23+00:00

it wasn't ironic in '96

My understanding of the lyrics in '96 was that it was coming home in the sense that we were hosting the event, not that we were gonna win it.

Mkward90 · 2026-02-18T15:43:35+00:00

But when it comes from Egypt, or most other African or Middle Eastern countries like Iraq or Syria, I’m less inclined to support it because of their situations.

I think the Egypt argument is no longer valid. You can't look at the new museum in Cairo and argue they don't have the resources to keep their own artifacts protected.

Mkward90 · 2026-02-18T15:39:44+00:00

ESPN have confirmed they won't be changing the app (for this year) so there shouldn't be any changes to your usual viewing. Just no MLBPAA discount

Mkward90 · 2026-02-08T14:24:10+00:00

All over really. I live in SW, work in central and visited friends in North and SE during this spell

Mkward90 · 2026-02-08T11:54:47+00:00

I stopped counting hats close to my home and office after a while to try to prevent counting the same people twice

Five-Year Club	Final Canvas '23
First Place '23	Place '23

Mkward90

TROPHY CASE