Plenty of Nothing

Yasunari Kawaiibata

Source. See also.

Toby

Akita Puppies -- So Cute!

The Akita dog breed started out in Akita Prefecture. Source.

Blaublitz Akita [1 - 1] Cerezo Osaka U23.

The 2016-17 UEFA Champions League began this week with the first qualifying round. This is where the tiny countries of Europe convert their political autonomy into holiday junkets.

B36 Tórshavn appear by virtue of their 2015 Faroe Islands Premier League title. The Faroe Islands have four clubs in UEFA leagues this season. That is pretty good for a population of 49,000. The people of Greenock number 44,000. Since 1992 B36 have played 36 UEFA matches and have travelled to Luxembourg, Norway, Greece, Israel, Turkey, Denmark, Georgia, Latvia, Iceland, Malta, Lithuania, Northern Ireland, and Wales.

Let's follow the other Faroese clubs as well. And let's follow Bala Town, The New Saints, Linfield and Crusaders, the Welsh and Northern Ireland clubs that have been invited to this year's Scottish Challenge Cup.

Champions League:

Valletta 1 - 0 B36

The New Saints 2 - 1 Tre Penne

Europa League:

Hearts 2 - 1 Infonet Tallinn

Aberdeen 3 - 1 Fola Esch

Ventspils 2 - 0 Víkingur Gøta

Levadia Tallinn 1 - 1 HB

NSÍ Runavík 0 - 2 Shakhtyor Soligorsk

Linfield 0 - 1 Cork City

AIK 2 - 0 Bala Town

Celtic and Crusaders start in the next round.

Suppose Aberdeen go on to win the 2016-17 Europa Cup. How many games would that take them? 23. How many opponents would they face? 12.

Suppose they also win the Scottish Cup and the Scottish League Cup this year. How many games will they have played in 2016-17 altogether? As a European club they receive a bye through the early stages of both cups. Therefore the Scottish League Cup would take 4 games, and the Scottish Cup 5 to 8 games, depending on replays. The Premiership schedule is 38 games long. So, if Aberdeen win the Europa League, the Scottish League Cup and the Scottish Cup (playing all available replays), they will have played 73 matches.

How many matches did Aberdeen play in 1982-83, the year they won the Cup Winners' Cup? 60, plus 4 friendlies.

Euro 2016 today: France [5 - 2] Iceland

CAF Champions League Group B:

Mamelodi Sundowns 2 - 1 Enyimba

Zamalek vs ES Sétif is cancelled.

Sétif have been turfed out of the competition due to their fans' unruly behaviour during their June 18th match against Mamelodi. The group will continue with three clubs and the top two clubs will advance.

Falkirk FC are touring the Irish Republic. On the 29th they visited Bray Wanderers and lost 1 - 0. Yesterday they beat Shelbourne 0 - 3.

On the 28th Morton played Airdrieonians to a 1 - 1 draw in Port Glasgow. Thomas Orr scored for Morton.

Toronto FC won the Canadian Championship Wednesday. Now, if we only had a Canadian Championship for hockey.

Yesterday it was Limerick 4 - 3 UCD.

Hare and Hound

At the Royal Ontario Museum.

Dog Space Suit

The National Space Centre in Leicester, UK, has acquired a dog space suit. Compare: