Posted by Send your pictures of cricket bats and other cricket stuff in unusual places to king@kingcricket.co.uk. Feel free to put the cricket thing in the unusual place yourself.
Thanks to Chris for reminding us of a cricket bat in an unusual place – in the hands of a nihilist in The Big Lebowski. (The big challenge here will be to refrain from veering off topic for 1,200 words about how Walter Sobchak is a quite magnificent arsehole. We will do our best.)
The nihilists in the Big Lebowski were once the band Autobahn. Now they’re just wasters who are trying to get money out of ‘the other Lebowski’. One of them is played by Flea, the bassist from the Red Hot Chilli Peppers.
What is a nihilist? In the words of their leader, Karl Hungus: “We believes in nossing, Lebowski. Nossing!”
Someone who believes in nothing? Put it like that and it doesn’t seem at all unusual for a cricket bat to be in the hands of a nihilist. But a German nihilist? Come on, that’s unexpected.
At one point the nihilists break into the Dude’s apartment (“Hey! This is a private residence, man!”) armed with a cricket bat and a ferret and threaten him.
Specifically, they threaten to come back and, “cut off your chonson!”
It doesn’t feel like Franz looks after his cricket bat especially well.
Presumably bat care is something he doesn’t believe in.
Does he mean Mitchell Chonson, Neil Chonson or Richard Chonson?
I’d forgotten how much I enjoyed that movie, KC, thank you for this. It has brightened my morning.
In other only tangentially connected news (about a hard ball sport that was at one time governed by the MCC), I am giving a webinar talk for The Gresham Society on Tennis Around The Time Of Thomas Gresham in a few day’s time. It’s free and you can register thusly:
https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/6701236808555062286
If you choose to join, you’ll meet some of the colourful real characters who helped to make the world of Tudor tennis what it is today.
Sad to see the finals day mascot race has been cancelled. I had my fingers crossed for that as an alternative tie-breaker in the event that a bowl-out wasn’t possible.
Very excited about the prospect of an indoor school bowl-out. Fond memories of Warwickshire beating Kent that way in the mid-90s.
I have less fond memories of Somerset knocking out Lancashire in a similar fashion about a decade ago*
As I recall I went to the first attempt to play the game (along with a selection of colleagues I had hoped to ‘convert’ to cricket via the gateway drug that was the Twenty20 Cup) but when it was called off we went out drinking instead and I lost my ticket so wouldn’t have been able to go on the reserve day
I was secretly relieved when that was rained off as well, but that was immediately followed up with the disappointment of elimination via a medium that I don’t think was broadcast anywhere so might as well have been tossing a coin.
*Fact Check – it was 2009. Lancashire hit the stumps a grand total of once during the bowl-out. Laxman bowled two of the attempts, for some reason.
Seems like a reserve reserve day is set for Wednesday, when the forecast is better. Revolutionary.
But what about my webinar Wednesday evening? Do they not realise how poor their viewing figures will be if they clash with my talk?
Ged – if they manage to complete at least one of the semis, Wednesday will be kept free, and the bowl-out Sunday / webinar Wednesday scenario is very much alive.
Given that the first semi is now into the second innings, Wednesday seems unlikely to be needed….
Indeed, APW, an excellent result, scheduling-wise. And ABS (anyone but Surrey)-wise.
None of you have any excuse now – I expect to see you all at my webinar on Wednesday.
At first glance I thought it was Daniel Norcross in the photo.
Well, Dan Norcross went to Dulwich College and Franz’s style with the bat is positively collegesque.
Here’s what I want to know. Is it “nihilist”, or “nihilist”? That is, is it “ni-” as in nip, or “ni-” as in Nigel? The latter would tie in with annihilate, which must be the same root, but that seems wrong somehow. On the other hand, the former version is not easy to say. Three consecutive stressed syllables is very difficult to put into fluid speech, and when the middle one needs an aspirated h, a sound that pretty much requires a standing start, it is almost impossible.
Thanks.
It could be ‘Neil-list’. Not to be confused with a countdown of the greatest Neils to ever play cricket for England. Smith, Foster, Mallender, Fairbrother. Radford, although he was a Neal. And apparently played six Tests. Who knew?
There is nothing in that clip to suggest he was a nihilist. This false characterization of upstanding Germans who charmingly go around destroying people and property has to stop.
The phrase “we believe in nothing” does imply nihilism, though, doesn’t it, Deep Cower? What would you prefer us to infer instead?
My favourite quote from the (presumed) late Richey Edwards: “I know I believe in nothing, but it is MY nothing.”
Good point aged, I missed that!
Stupid autocorrect, I meant Ged, of course.
Brutal work from autocorrect there.
I’ll have you know, there are still people who address me as “young man” at Lord’s.
Have I mentioned that before?
There are people at Lord’s who still refer to “that young lad Grace”, so I’m not sure what you are claiming, Ged.
No one doubts your younginess, Ged! Pay no heed to the autocorrect and Bert – this is clearly Tim Cook’s fault. Would’ve never happened under Jobs, I tell ya!