Recap

 

Salam Alaykum

As we approach summer Solstice, time to reflect on the doings and matters of the Southside Carrom League thus far in 2023.

The Mezzanine at Linen 1906 has been a remarkable success: regular meets on Thursdays; multiple boards set up (including the Tim Board); garnering new players and making friends; the introduction of Carrooka; the 2-4-1 burger deal (7-9pm), Fraser's dug and the now legend meet when that wee Indian burd Bobby skelped many of us. Much respect to Paul McCole and to James Young for setting and keeping the Mezz fire burning.

Respect also to Stu Thomson who often shows up at the Mezz after work to get a couple of games in before having to go up the road 'cos his missus has phoned him while he is at a board asking when he'll be up the road with a chinky.

Springtime saw Bruce play left-handed following a radial fracture of his dominant wrist. His average scores were unchanged. Those he beat whilst left-handed were gracious in defeat. And who can forget that meet when Fraser's dug drank some water, ate a chicken-bite, sat up at a board and posted a 4 point win against Stephen? Absolute scenes.

The much anticipated match between Jim Muir and Paul McCole was twice postponed: Muir cited "family commitments" and then "social anxiety." Carrom-watchers believe that Muir is a shitebag. The blog reached out to Paul via WhatsApp. His reply was stark, "I'm here every Thursday, big man.."

Two dancers showed up one night in March on the mezz. They dance with Scottish Ballet. Fraser gives massage to them and their colleagues. Does homers and everything. My father was a maintenance electrician at the Hoover factory in Cambuslang.

AI could destroy carrom. The Elders will recall that during Covid lockdown, we kept the spirit alive by playing a digital version of the sport. It may be that our enthusiasm is our downfall. Coders have now built carrom systems where wood is superfluous and strikers/pieces are replaced by avatars and holograms of Tupac and Abba. John McManus states that this is "similar to the Soviet pogroms when ideology became more important than basic humanity."

Despite AI, despite postponements, broken limbs, burds phoning for a chinky and a dog posting four against Stephen, the SCL endures and thrives. 

Summerboard 2023 is on the July horizon.