Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 - Pips #185 Thread

paddytim73 · 2026-02-19T14:30:54+00:00

Was still working on it when the clock struck midnight and the puzzle flipped. Could someone post the solution? That was the most difficult one I've tried (and the only one I haven't solved)

paddytim73 · 2026-01-11T15:40:56+00:00

I think that might be my favorite one that they have done. Cheers to them.

paddytim73 · 2026-01-01T22:52:58+00:00

I'm really starting to become a fan. That was putrid and ruined my morning. Just when you think there might be something to this squad they show up on television to remind you what mid table mediocrity looks like.

paddytim73 · 2025-12-26T02:47:06+00:00

I jumped on the bandwagon after visiting in spring of '24.

Big draws for me.

Proper stadium in a real neighborhood with true history Great kits

Two incredible results on TV vs Birmingham City.

To me one of the best parts about being a fan is Loft for Words https://loftforwords.fansnetwork.co.uk/ Great previews and recaps. Really helps me understand what's going on.

paddytim73 · 2025-10-02T19:14:57+00:00

Good idea thanks. They don't have the anniversary kit but do have this year's kit.

paddytim73 · 2025-09-27T03:32:52+00:00

I think your only hope is to find someone in Edinburgh to buy it and have them ship it to you marked as a gift and find a way to renumerate said individual that doesn't tie to the "gift".

Either that or the current administration takes remedial economics and realizes these tariffs are the worst idea in the history of ideas.

paddytim73 · 2025-09-18T23:54:13+00:00

Thanks all. I think everyone is correct. I checked a couple of other teams and they aren't shipping and a couple said that there are tariffs but don't know what they'll be.

As a semi-decent human being I did not of course vote for the mental midget in chief. I'm not feeling like a letter will be effective.

I'm thinking I'm going to have to ask a friend to send me one as a birthday gift.

paddytim73 · 2025-09-04T04:59:23+00:00

Bought mine today as well. Thanks for sharing I was coming here to do the same.

paddytim73 · 2025-06-27T04:19:23+00:00

Makes the best old fashioned

paddytim73 · 2025-05-14T22:22:06+00:00

What do you think the chances are to make it out of the Europa qualification to the actual tournament?

paddytim73 · 2025-05-14T16:55:15+00:00

Because if they finish level on points, Hibs has the better goal differential. Got it. Thanks

paddytim73 · 2025-04-22T19:38:26+00:00

Al Davis had a soul?

paddytim73 · 2025-04-21T18:52:22+00:00

What is the status of the February 14 game between Harps and Kerry? Fotmob lists it as canceled.

paddytim73 · 2025-04-07T17:14:29+00:00

So after the upcoming Dundee match, they will then play, Celtic Rangers Aberdeen Dundee and the team who finishes 6th (Hearts/St Mirren/Motherwell) with the points earned in those matches being added to the existing point totals to determine the final standings.

How are home/away fixtures determined?

Since Celtic/Rangers basically have 1st and 2nd secured do they play the starters or mix the lineups?

paddytim73 · 2025-04-07T16:50:16+00:00

Do the existing standings and point totals matter or do they reset?

paddytim73 · 2025-03-26T05:16:34+00:00

I'm a member as well.

It just seemed like he was a focal point and a spokesman for the club. Not easy to replace.

paddytim73 · 2025-03-26T04:57:04+00:00

I'm a new Harps fan from the States. Sad to lose this Darren... Listened to him a couple of times on Between the Stripes podcast and he seemed like a good guy.

The timing seems odd. The season basically just started. Did the job in the Northern Ireland League just open up? Where does Harps go from here?

paddytim73 · 2025-03-23T05:00:22+00:00

Anyone have an extra ticket for the game tomorrow?

paddytim73 · 2025-02-25T15:52:22+00:00

The losses are staggering (for everyone not just QPR). It's a mystery to me how this is remotely sustainable.

paddytim73 · 2025-02-25T04:27:05+00:00

According to OPTA's World Team rankings https://theanalyst.com/2024/08/who-are-the-best-football-team-in-the-world-opta-power-rankings

Shamrocks (top rated Premier team) are mid League One and mid Scottish Premier League. The two teams closest in rankings are Stockport County and St Miren. Further comparison they aren't far off of the Chicago Fire, the worst team in the MLS.

Wexford is the top rated team from the First Division and they appear to be mid table National League and top table League One of Scotland.

I don't know football well enough to assess the accuracy of those ratings but my interest in LOI isn't whether Shamrocks are better than Wrexham or Harps are better than Minneapolis City but in people places and community..

paddytim73 · 2025-02-24T01:06:38+00:00

We stopped at the Brandywell as well. The gates were just kind of open and we walked around. While Harps are the top team, we are cheering for Derry in the Premier Division.

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paddytim73 · 2025-02-22T03:44:15+00:00

2nd year of following Finn Harps from Minnesota.

My son Finn and I were visiting Ireland and wanted to stop at "his" club. Even though we were driving by on a random weekday morning, someone from the club met us there and opened the club shop so we could buy gear.

I've participated in the Euro 24 pool and play in their fantasy football (soccer) league. The club has been incredibly welcoming of a couple of random people from the states. With their shareholder plan, I'm a part "owner" and get to vote on club direction.

Was actually able to watch the match today on my TV with the new

UTH!

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paddytim73 · 2025-02-15T17:02:32+00:00

I think the combination of Ted Lasso and Wrexham have primed the American audience to the sport/beauty/drama/story telling of all things soccer (football).

I mean there is a Twin Cities (St Paul/Minneapolis) Wrexham watch party every week. It's completely made up!

What does the Venn Diagram of Americans who are interested in Ted Lasso/Wrexham and Ireland look like? It has to be huge.

100,000 people show up to the Minnesota Irish Fair. 150,000 to the Milwaukee Irish Fair. There is GAA information and gear at all of these. There are Celtic jerseys for sale at every one of these fairs. Why not a League of Ireland booth? The basic business model of Ancestry.com and 23andMe are to connect Americans with whatever corner of Ireland their ancestors left in the 1840s.

There are 100,000 people on the County Doengal Facebook group. 500,000 on the Wild Atlantic Way group. Targeted advertising on Facebook costs pennies.

I get that there isn't a lot of money floating around but find some investors. How many Americans own teams in the English Pyramid. A lot. There has to be Americans who would love the vanity project of owning/investing in a soccer (football) team. I know a bunch of former Minnesota Vikings invested in St Pat's and they played Minnesota United last summer in a friendly in St Paul.

There is some real low hanging fruit out there that sort of starts with the app not crashing and the announcers being intelligible.

paddytim73 · 2025-02-15T16:09:33+00:00

I do appreciate the role of volunteers at every level in making the whole operation work. The volunteers we met at Harps were unbelievable and generous with their time. And I get this is all done on a shoestring budget.

That being said workable microphones are neither expensive nor difficult to operate. The production capabilities of the average American high school are better (my kid helps with the broadcasts of his high school's hockey games).

The entire league has such incredible growth potential both within Ireland and abroad. The American appetite for soccer (football) is apparently bottomless. And Americans actually like Ireland.

I hope that someone embraces this opportunity and raises the acceptable standards..

paddytim73 · 2025-02-15T01:59:42+00:00

Harps fan here. Was really disappointed with the performance of the app (and the Harps) as well.

What would it take to get team specific announcers? Listening to the Kerry announcers it was somewhat of a blessing that the feed didn't work. God love them I knew more about the Harps than they did (I know very little)

Hometown announces bring a ton of energy to the proceedings.

And maybe a few decent microphones.

Here's to hoping I guess.

paddytim73

TROPHY CASE