2023 Carrom Review

 

As-salamu alaykum 

In a significant year for the SCL, the blog is pleased to announce prestige and memorable moments.

Player Of The Year
Paul McCole

 
Born of humble shoemakers, Paul McCole became an actor, a musician, has battled inner demons and has risen to become the most consistent player in the SCL. His skill - allied to his modesty - has brought him fans from Pollokshields to Larne. Away from the carrom boards, Paul delivers food to the hungry and is proud father and grandfather to countless weans.

New Player of The Year
Fraser Johnston

Top Meets 1
Summerboard Rutherglen. In June, at his home stadium, Stephen McCole not only went the extra mile and hours in setting up the arena (tarp and everything), he won on that day Summerboard Singles Champion and, with Tommy, Doubles Champion. The hospitality, convivialiaty and background tunes were gold.

Stephen and Tommy Doubles Trophy

Top Meets 2
On the Linen mezz that night when 20 folk showed up and all games were 2v2 because all three boards set up were mobbed and you had to wait 20 minutes or more for a place behind a frame.

Drama D'or
The long awaited showdown between Paul McCole and Jim Muir. Despite Muir's height and reach advantage, Paul toasted him whilst barely breaking sweat.

Most Pretty Mezz Carrom Board
Judges declared a tie between the Jasboard and the Fraserboard. 

Most Pretty Non-Mezz Carrom Board
Stephen's vintage board takes this accolade again, but honourable mention goes to Stu Thomson's Atelier-Radscha Sunbeam, pictured here.

The Sunbeam Stuboard

2023 Innovations
Carrooka
Killer Carrom
Silicone Skoosh Spray
Dogs allowed

Best Dressed Player
A landslide vote for Bruce Morton when he invoked contemporary Mod style at Summerboard.

Contribution to SCL Culture
Title goes to Paul Shep for his artwork and effort in producing beautiful SCL banners, flags and pennants. Honourable mentions to the blog and the bespoke mixes by Stephen  SMC mixes
Salute also to Jim for his chemistry.

Most Messy Meet
That night in Cathcart when Paul M, Jas and Bruce went to ------ flat and boarded with beer, wine, assorted cider, pizza from Iceland and, latterly, DMT.

Blessings to all the players and organisers for all the meets and for the great shots and the laughable ones and the flukes and the fouls. 

 

Tinker Tailor Carrom Spy

 

We have a mole. It seems the Circus is compromised.

The recent disruptions to the SCL Linen Thursday meets have been attributed to everything from Europa League football, Carrooka, family commitments and carrom fatigue. How convenient.

Chaps, the Circus is under the gaze of powers who would see us wither. To all but the dim there is evidence of foreign intervention in the SCL. Boards have seen recent attendees include a Czech; a Portuguese; at least two Indians, a English and a Canadian who posed as a representative of Comic Con.

In the summer, a bystander at Linen (citing curiousity) sat, boarded, identified himself as a musician of Welsh extract yet declined to give us a tune. It was then, you will recall, that Percy proposed a pogrom. Lionel poo-pood the idea and (with the backing of Control and the then Foreign Secetary) no action was taken. The reasons.remain opaque.

Our chap John McManus narrowly escaped with his life after being ambushed in Cairo by men wielding coconuts and a shuttlecock. And SCL sorcerer Stu Thomson only managed to fox the police of Prague with a self-induced coma and then turning himself into a lampshade.

Aleksander Mozorov of the Queens Park Chess Club says he can name the mole in return for safe passage and a flat in Cathcart.