The Winterfest Tournament


TBL members Mark  Nelson, Chris  Forbes and Bruce  Morton suggest that it would be great fun to have a friendly TT tourney as we approach Christmas.

We look to the TBL champ and sensei, Gary Little, to give his blessing to this idea  - and for him to book the fucking thing  for some day in mid-December.

What say you, champ? And what say you Batgirl, Maple Grief and Angry Wrists?

Perhaps we could extend the invitation to that plucky fellow from the Comedy Unit who, memorably, got his arse served to him in a fish kettle not so long ago. 

Wild scenes after the victory at Comedy Unit

And after the event, how about a gin n tonic and a friendly Christmas sherry?

Challengers lining up

Following the April 30th Champions Series, in which TBL's Gary Little whitewashed the Comedy Eunuch's Gus Beattie (5-0), challengers have announced their desire to pit their skills against the sensei.

Popular comedian Joseph Heenan (as seen on flyers) threw down some good-natured "trash talk" to big Gary during a comedy gig in Glasgow this weekend. The TBL champ was ambivalent in his manner, yet resolute in his response: "Where 'n' when, Joe - where 'n' when?"

Little's legendary mind games were evident as Heenan hesitated, unable or unwilling to formulate a definitive reply, instead mumbling about family commitments and being "time-poor".

A southside guy called Joe (known to many as Southside Joe) has informed the editor of this blog that he wants a game against the TBL champion.   We know little about Southside Joe except that he plays regularly with and against workmates, friends and members of Glasgow's uber-cool, jangly indie musician people. TBL Blog suggests that the self-styled "champion of the indies" should face Gary Little in a Best of Five series while a nearby beatbox blares the hits of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band and a few riffs by Nazareth.

When asked his views, Andrei Bukachenko (the Purists' Purist) declared himself "uninterested" in these proposed matches, citing billiards as "der neu purism" and, thus, aligning himself with the Copenhagen Beard. A spokesman for the Radical Beard of Glasgow pointed out that "young gunslingers from every town want to draw down on the champ. Eight are already beaten. When will this madness end?"

TBL members. How about a summer league again? June-August?

And our best wishes to Rob "Angry Wrists" Kane, currently recovering from a dreadful virus problem which has laid the big man down in a hospital bed recently. We love ya, Rob.

Have a good week, 'til next week.

Send out your champion

Reigning TBL champion Gary "Quick Wrists" Little has accepted the challenge thrown down by the Comedy Eunuch Gus Beattie.





TBL members will note that our champ has magnanimously agreed to all of the challenger's demands: namely that the game take place at the challenger's home table, that the match will be a Best of Five series and that games in the series will be of 21 points duration, rather than the Olympics Rules of 11 points, favoured by the TBL, the Official Olympics Association and by honourable TT players worldwide.

The match begins at 2.30pm on Wednesday 30 April at the HQ of The Comedy Eunuch, Glasgow, the so-called "Cauldron of Mince".

TBL supporters' coach  has a few seats still available. Contact The Spin Doctor via telephone.

This blog anticipates that no matter the outcome of this match, a return match can be staged at the TBL home ground, Gorbals Sports Centre.

Of the Purists, this blog has notified The Copenhagen Beard, The Paris Beard and the Radical Beard of Glasgow. No reply (unsurprisingly) has yet been received from Copenhagen or Paris, but the RBG states it will send observers.

Full match report will be available on this blog. Stay tuned.