Plenty of Nothing

Credit River by Yee Bon

Credit River (c. 1932) by Yee Bon. This picture was stolen from the U of T in 2015. Source.

Boy Scout Totem Pole

This pole was created by Kwakiutl carvers Mungo Martin and Henry Hunt and has stood in front of Boy Scout headquarters on Baseline Road since the 1960s. Source.

Asuka's Solo, Hibake! Euphonium

Listen.

Archery Outfit, c. 1855

Source.

To Toronto by Iconian Gateway

The 1989 Star Trek: TNG episode "The Contagion" promoted Nathan Phillips Square as a destination available via Iconian gateway. Source.

Results

Scottish football clubs have had websites for 20 or 25 years now, and the software of choice in the beginning came from TeamExpert Websites. Their web designs were busy with information, and offered club historians the ability to put every match result ever played at the user's fingertips. But in this decade websites are conceived of as shop windows, bright and shallow, containing only what's for sale this season. The current Largs Thistle website has far less club history on it than the previous TeamExpert version. In contrast Vale of Leven FC still has its TeamExpert website, where you can find match results going back to 1968 in the form of scans of the actual record book!

Morton host Airdrieonians.*

Airdrie are eighth in the division with 4 points, Morton ninth with 3 points. Morton are the only Championship side without a win. But Airdrie have allowed the most goals, 11 in 5 games compared to Morton's 5.

Aaron Lyall played for Airdrie last season. Cammy Ballantyne played for Airdrie from 2022 to 2024. Nobody on the Airdrie squad has played for Morton.

The last Morton player to score on Airdrie was Michael Garrity, April 6th.

Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has been arrested in connection with a 60kg airport drug bust, denied bail, and sacked by the club.

Morton can finish the day anywhere from fifth to tenth.

Morton's league season has begun with 3 draws and 2 losses, just like 2016-17 when they went on to finish fourth with 52 points. Morton tied a club record by starting with three draws this season. But Dumbarton have started 2024-25 with six draws. Today the Sons host Montrose. [Montrose win.]

*This is a Plenty of Nothing Championship League Cup Round Two match.

[Morton win 2 - 0 on goals by Delaney and Ballantyne.]

The other Championship matches:

Partick Thistle (5th) [1 - 0] Dunfermline Athletic (7th)*

*This is also a Plenty of Nothing Championship League Cup Round Two match.

Queen's Park (4th) [1 - 1] Ayr United (2nd)

This is Queen's Parks' first game back at Greater Hampden, now that Rangers have cleared out.

Raith Rovers (10th) [3 - 3] Hamilton Accies (6th)

Falkirk vs Livingston is postponed because of the League Cup quarter-finals:

Motherwell 2 - 1 Dundee United (yesterday)

Aberdeen [4 - 0] Spartans

These two have never met before.

Rangers [3 - 0] Dundee

Celtic [5 - 2] Falkirk (tomorrow)

It ha[d] been 12 years since Falkirk scored on Celtic.

Rangers have won the League Cup 28 times, Celtic 21 times, Aberdeen 6, Dundee 3, Dundee United twice, Motherwell once, and Falkirk and Spartans never.

The last time each 2024-25 Championship club scored on Celtic:

2024/3/10      Livingston

2020/8/2        Hamilton Academical

2020/1/18      Partick Thistle

2019/8/17      Dunfermline Athletic

2013/9/24      Morton

2012/9/25      Raith Rovers

2012/1/29      Falkirk

2009/2/7        Queen's Park

not yet           Airdrieonians

1988/8/17      Ayr United

Other matches:

Nairn County 2 - 0 Keith (September 18)

HFX Wanderers 2 - 2 Pacific (September 18)

South Liverpool 0 - 2 FC Isle of Man (September 18)

UCD 2 - 0 Cobh Rambers (yesterday)

Elfen Saitama [0 - 4] Tokyo Verdy Beleza

Largs Thistle [3 - 1] Auchinleck Talbot

Nairn County [3 - 3] Strathspey Thistle

Civil Service Strollers [0 - 1] Linlithgow Rose

Valour [1 - 1] HFX Wanderers

Mito HollyHock [0 - 0] Fagiano Okayama (tomorrow)

Sony Sendai [1 - 2] ReinMeer Aomori (tomorrow)

Breidablik [6 - 1] Þór/KA (tomorrow)

Stenhousemuir [2 - 2] Morton Women (tomorrow)

Hamilton City 1 FC [2 - 5] Serbian White Eagles (tomorrow)

Scottish Junior Cup, R1:

Cruden [1 - 9] Neilston (The winner will get a bye to Round 3.)

Scottish Junior Cup, R2:

Giffnock 3 - 3 Livingston United (Livi Utd win on PK) (August 31)

Inverkeithing 0 - 4 Beith Juniors (August 31)

New Elgin 0 - 4 Pumpherston (August 31)

Armadale Thistle 1 - 0 Brechin Victoria (August 31)

West Calder United 6 - 2 Glentanar (August 31)

Auchinleck Talbot 2 - 3 Lossiemouth United (September 7)

Letham 2 - 1 Dunipace (September 7)

Largs Thistle 2 - 0 Sauchie Juniors (September 7)

Glasgow University 3 - 2 Kirkintilloch Rob Roy (yesterday)

Greenock 2 - 3 Glenvale (yesterday)

St Anthony's [1 - 2] Islavale

Vale of Leven [2 - 0] Banchory St Ternan

Gartcairn [5 - 0] Saltcoats Victoria

Forfar United [1 - 3] Renfrew

Newmains United [1 - 1] Forfar West End [Newmains win on PK]

Bathgate Thistle [3 - 2] Kilsyth Athletic

Banks o' Dee [3 - 5] Muirkirk Juniors

Lochee United [2 - 2] Lanark United [Lochee win on PK]

Carnoustie Panmure [0 - 1] Benburb

Buchnahaven Hearts [0 - 2] Maybole Juniors

Lesmahagow Juniors [1 - 4] East Craigie

Maud [3 - 1] Fraserburgh United

Larkhall Thistle [2 - 2] East Kilbride Thistle [Larkhall win on PK]

Rossvale [1 - 6] Hall Russell United

Dyce Juniors [1 - 0] Rothie Rovers

Irvine Victoria [0 - 3] Rutherglen Glencairn

Dalry Thistle [2 - 3] Longside

Pollok [8 - 0] Carluke Rovers

Irvine Meadow XI [2 - 1] Glasgow Perthshire

Drumchapel United [3 - 1] Vale of Clyde

Caledonian Locos [7 - 0] Arbroath Victoria

Montrose Roselea [4 - 2] Culter

Whitehills [0 - 25] Dundee North End

Craigmark Burtonians [0 - 4] Arthurlie

Lugar Boswell Thistle vs Forres Thistle [abandoned]

Ellon United [1 - 4] Glenafton Athletic

Deveronside [3 - 2] Stoneyburn

Ardeer Thistle [3 - 0] Dundee St James

Lochee Harp [3 - 3] West Park United [West Park win on PK]

Bridge of Don [0 - 2] Glasgow United

Sunnybank [0 - 2] Tayport

Ardrossan Winton Rovers [3 - 2] Kirriemuir Thistle

Blantyre Victoria [1 - 2] Blairgowrie Juniors

Coupar Angus [0 - 6] Darvel

Westdyke [1 - 2] Burghead Thistle

Kilbirnie Ladeside [3 - 2] Yoker Athletic

Johnstone Burgh [8 - 0] Colony Park

Downfield [2 - 0] Newmacher United

Dundee Violet [2 - 2] Wishaw Juniors [violet win on PK]

Thornliewood United [0 - 2] Hurlford United

Bellshill Athletic [1 - 2] Broughty Athletic

Dufftown [2 - 12] Troon

Hermes [3 - 3] Cumnock Juniors [Hermes win on PK]

Royal Albert [2 - 3] Shotts Bon Accord

St Roch's [0 - 0] Tranent [Tranent win on PK]

Ashfield [2 - 5] Thorn Athletic

Kello Rovers [4 - 0] Stonehaven

Easterhouse [3 - 1] Nairn St Ninian

Finnart vs Cambuslang Rangers [abandoned]

Cumbernauld United [5 - 1] Aberdeen East End

Bo'ness United vs Kilsyth Rangers (October 5)

Camelon Juniors vs Scone Thistle (October 6)

Petershill have a bye to the next round.

The three UEFA competitions (Champions League, Europa League and Conference League) embark on their league stages, which replace the old group stages. Instead of playing home and away matches against three group stage opponents, each team will play one match each against eight opponents (or six opponents in the Conference League). To pull this off UEFA has laid claim to the last two midweeks in January.

UEFA Champions League, league stage matchday one (September 18):

Celtic 5 - 1 Slovan Bratislava

The 2024-25 AFC Champions League is under way. The format has been expanded into two competitions: Elite and League Two. Also, following an international competition trend, the group stage has been replaced by a league stage.

AFC Champions League Elite, league stage, matchday one:

Buriram United 0 - 0 Vissel Kobe (September 17)

Gwangju 7 - 3 Yokohama F. Marinos (September 17)

Ulsan HD 0 - 1 Kawasaki Frontale (September 18)

AFC Champions League Two, league stage, matchday one:

Sanfrecce Hiroshima 3 - 0 Kaya-Iloilo (September 19)

Video: Own a Wee Scottish Football Club.

Historical matches:

1901/9/21      Celtic 2 - 1 Morton

1940/9/21      Motherwell 1 - 1 Morton

2002/9/21      Montrose 2 - 5 Morton

Goals by Jani Uotinen (2), Marco Maisano, Stuart MacDonald and Warren Hawke.

Arthurlie FC 1928-29:

1929/4/6        East Stirlingshire 2 - 1 Arthurlie    SFL2

1929/3/30      Arthurlie 1 - 1 St Bernard's    SFL2

1929/3/23      Dundee United 4 - 3 Arthurlie    SFL2

1929/3/16      Arthurlie 1 - 0 Clydebank    SFL2

1929/3/2        Arthurlie 2 - 2 Leith Athletic    SFL2

1929/2/23      Armadale 1 - 1 Arthurlie    SFL2

1929/2/9        Dumbarton 2 - 0 Arthurlie    SFL2

1929/2/2        Arthurlie 1 - 2 Morton    SFL2

1929/1/26      Alloa Athletic 3 - 0 Arthurlie    SFL2

1929/1/19      Celtic 5 - 1 Arthurlie    SCup R1

1929/1/12      Arthurlie 2 - 1 Albion Rovers    SFL2

1929/1/5        Queen of the South 3 - 6 Arthurlie    SFL2

1929/1/1        Dunfermline Athletic 5 - 1 Arthurlie    SFL2

1928/12/29    Arbroath 4 - 1 Arthurlie    SFL2

1928/12/22    Arthurlie 1 - 4 King's Park    SFL2

1928/12/15    Stenhousemuir 1 - 2 Arthurlie    SFL2

1928/12/8      Bo'ness 0 - 2 Arthurlie    SFL2

1928/12/1      Arthurlie 2 - 3 East Stirlingshire    SFL2

1928/11/24    St Bernard's 5 - 1 Arthurlie    SFL2

1928/11/17    Arthurlie 3 - 1 Dundee United    SFL2

1928/11/10    Clydebank 5 - 1 Arthurlie    SFL2

1928/11/3      Arthurlie 4 - 3 Bathgate (expunged)    SFL2

1928/10/27    Forfar Athletic 1 - 1 Arthurlie    SFL2

1928/10/20    Arthurlie 1 - 0 Dunfermline Athletic    SFL2

1928/10/13    Leith Athletic 6 - 1 Arthurlie    SFL2

1928/10/6      Arthurlie 3 - 1 Armadale    SFL2

1928/9/29      East Fife 2 - 2 Arthurlie    SFL2

1928/9/22      Arthurlie 3 - 3 Dumbarton    SFL2

1928/9/15      Morton 2 - 0 Arthurlie    SFL2

1928/9/11      Arthurlie 2 - 4 St Mirren    RCup SF

1928/9/8        Arthurlie 1 - 2 Alloa Athletic    SFL2

1928/9/4        Moorpark 1 - 6 Arthurlie    RCup R1

1928/9/1        Albion Rovers 4 - 1 Arthurlie    SFL2

1928/8/25      Arthurlie 4 - 0 Queen of the South    SFL2

1928/8/18      King's Park 2 - 1 Arthurlie    SFL2

1928/8/11      Arthurlie 1 - 1 Arbroath    SFL2

Arthurlie withdrew from the SFL in April 1929 having not played the return fixtures against East Fife, Forfar Athletic, Bon'ess, and Bathgate (who had already dropped out of the league).

(Sources: London Hearts for the SFL Division Two and the Scottish Cup; Scottish Football Historical Archive for the Renfrewshire Cup.)

Lillehammer versus Lørenskog

Source.

The EliteHockey Ligaen is under way in Norway. Let's follow Lillehammer IK.

Lillehammer IK was founded in 1957 and has been in the top division continuously since 1991. They were 1994 Norwegian champions. Last year they finished in seventh place.

LIK play at Kristins Hall, the smaller of two arenas built in Lillehammer for the 1994 Winter Olympics. The place holds 3,197 spectators. It's named after Kristin Sverresdatter, a medieval princess.

Their colours are Norwegian red, white and blue.

Today tomorrow Lillehammer host Lørenskog IK. Lørenskog go back to 1963, and most recently entered the top division in 2023, having been relegated out in 2018. They were playoff finalists in 2016 and appeared in the 2016-17 Champions Hockey League.

Lørenskog's uniform is also red, white and blue.

Lørenskog is a suburb of Oslo.

[Lillehammer 5 - 4 Lørenskog.]

Lørenskog in the Champions Hockey League:

2016/8/21      Liberec 4 - 3 Lørenskog

2016/8/24      TPS Turku 4 - 1 Lørenskog

2016/9/6        Lørenskog 1 - 2 Liberec

2016/9/9        Lørenskog 0 - 6 TPS Turku

Luleå versus HV71

Luleå and HV71 in 2019-20. Source.

It's the 2024-25 SDHL. Luleå host HV71.

Popular Ottawa player Akane Shiga has left the PWHL and signed with Luleå. But she's not the first Japanese national team player to go to Sweden. Let's follow Luleå and explore the SDHL and its links to the Japanese national team, the PWHL, and the rest of women's hockey.

The SDHL (Svenska damhockeyligan) was founded in 2007, though it went by the name Riksserien until 2016. There are ten clubs playing 36 games each from September to February, with three rounds of post-season playoffs, plus qualification playoffs to decide relegation and promotion. The ten clubs in the 2024-25 SDHL are Brynäs, Djurgården, Frölunda, HV71, Leksand, Linköping, Luleå, MoDo, SDE and Skellefteå. If you followed the Swedish men's Elitserien about 25 years ago, this set of team names will seem very familiar.

Luleå HF/MSSK, Luleå for short, was formed in 2015 through a merger of the women's section of Luleå HF with Monksund-Skuthamns SK from Piteå. The two cities are 20 miles apart on the Gulf of Bothnia coast in Norrbotten County. MSSK had finished the previous season in sixth place but the merger and the move into Luleå's SHL-sized arena supercharged the club and they have since won the regular season and playoffs six times. Though the club wears the Luleå uniform, if you look carefully you can spot the MSSK badge among the corporate logos.

Johanna Fällman played for Luleå from 2015-16 to 2022-23, signed with PWHL New York for 2023-24, and has now returned to Luleå. Minnesota's Michaela Cava played for Luleå in 2020-21.

The team has six new players this season and a new coach, Melinda Olsen. Read about it here. Cut and paste it into Google Translate if you don't know Swedish.

How to say Luleå. (When in Google Translate click on the listen symbol in the Swedish box.)

Today's tomorrow's opponent HV71 was founded as Jönköpings IF Queens in 2002. They merged with the HV71 organization in 2008, and earned promotion to the top league in 2012. They came first in the regular season in 2019-20. Last season they finished ninth, but successfully defended their SDHL membership against Södertälje. Jönköping is an old medieval market town in south Sweden and home to the Husqvarna chainsaw.

PWHL Boston's Sidney Morin played for HV71 in 2019-20 and 2020-21. Last season HV71 had a Japanese player, Kanami Seki, previously of Sapporo Infinitys, Daishin, Seibu Princess Rabbits and the Japanese national team. That player in the Osawa jersey in the photo above is Chiho Osawa from Tomakomai, formerly of DK Peregrine, who played for Luleå from 2018-19 to 2020-21.

How to say HV71 more or less.

[Luleå 13 - 1 HV71. A goal and four assists for Shiga.]

104th Emperor's Cup Quarterfinals

Renofa Yamaguchi wear orange. Source.

It's the Emperor's Cup quarter-finals. Six J1 and two J2 teams remain. Yokohama F. Marinos have won the cup 7 times, Gamba Osaka and Kashima Antlers 5 times each, JEF United 4 times, Sanfrecce Hiroshima 3 times, Kyoto Sanga and Vissel Kobe once each, and Renofa Yamaguchi never.

Renofa Yamaguchi began in 1949 as Yamaguchi Teachers and didn't take on their present name until 2006. They made it into the JFL in 2014, J3 in 2015, and J2 in 2016. This is the first time they've progressed beyond Round 3 of the Emperor's Cup.

Yamaguchi Prefecture is at the western tip of Honshu at the mouth of the Inland Sea. The name Yamaguchi is written with the simplest kanji imaginable: 山口. Yama means mountain, and guchi means mouth.

Match No. 81: Yokohama F. Marinos (J1) [5 - 1] Renofa Yamaguchi (J2)

Match No. 82: Sanfrecce Hiroshima (J1) 1 - 2 Gamba Osaka (J1)

Match No. 83: Kashima Antlers (J1) [0 - 3] Vissel Kobe (J1)

Match No. 84: Kyoto Sanga (J1) [3 - 0] JEF United Chiba (J2)

Match No. 82 was played on September 18th. Match No. 84 is today, and the other two are next Wednesday. This is due to Sanfrecce, Vissel and Marinos' involvement in the AFC Champions League this midweek.

Renofa Yamaguchi in the Emperor's Cup:

(as Yamaguchi Teachers)

第56回    R1    Yamaguchi Teachers 0 - 2 Kyoto Shiko

第62回    R1    Nippon Kokan 2 - 0 Yamaguchi Teachers

第79回    R1    Yamaguchi Teachers 2 - 3 Fukuoka University

第81回    R1    Yamaguchi Teachers 0 - 8 Otsuka Pharmaceuticals

第83回    R1    Kanazawa 4 - 1 Yamaguchi Teachers

第84回    R1    FC Ryukyu 3 - 0 Yamaguchi Teachers

(as Renofa Yamaguchi)

第87回    R1    Sony Sendai 2 - 1 Renofa Yamaguchi

第89回    R1    Mitsubishi Mizushima 1 - 1 Renofa Yamaguchi (Renofa won on PK)

               R2    Kawasaki Frontale 6 - 1 Renofa Yamaguchi

第90回    R1    Renofa Yamaguchi 2 - 0 Yonago Kita High School

               R2    Shonan Bellmare 4 - 0 Renofa Yamaguchi

第91回    R1    Fagiano Okayama Next 2 - 2 Renofa Yamaguchi (Next won on PK)

第93回    R1    Blaublitz Akita 2 - 0 Renofa Yamaguchi

第95回    R1    AC Nagano Parceiro 1 - 0 Renofa Yamaguchi

第96回    R1    Renofa Yamaguchi 4 - 0 Tokai University Kumamoto

               R2    Avispa Fukuoka 2 - 2 Renofa Yamaguchi (Renofa won on PK)

               R3    Albirex Niigata 1 - 0 Renofa Yamaguchi

第97回    R2    Renofa Yamaguchi 1 - 2 Thespakusatsu Gunma

第98回    R2    Oita Trinita 1 - 2 Renofa Yamaguchi

               R3    Júbilo Iwata 4 - 1 Renofa Yamaguchi

第99回    R2    Renofa Yamaguchi 2 - 1 FC Ryukyu

               R3    Cerezo Osaka 3 - 0 Renofa Yamaguchi

第101回    R1    Renofa Yamaguchi 1 - 1 Verspah Oita (Verspah won on PK)

第102回    R2    Mito HollyHock 1 - 2 Renofa Yamaguchi

                 R3    Vissel Kobe 2 - 1 Renofa Yamaguchi

第103回    R2    Mito HollyHock 1 - 0 Renofa Yamaguchi

第104回    R2    Thespa Gunma 1 - 1 Renofa Yamaguchi (Renofa won on PK)

                 R3    Japan Soccer College 0 - 3 Renofa Yamaguchi

                 R4    Sagan Tosu 0 - 2 Renofa Yamaguchi

                 QF    Yokohama F. Marinos vs Renofa Yamaguchi

Navy Women, 1896

William H. Walker got a lot of mileage out of women in bloomers in the 1890s. Source.