In the Zone

So this is it the final day of the A - Z challenge,, and quite possibly the hardest to stick to the plot.   There are a couple of stories in the news today that I want share.   The first is quite big news for nerds everywhere, the announcement of the cats for the next Star Wars film.

As one of those rather sad people who has watched everyone of the sequence so far during their first cinema release this is indeed big news for me.   It also looks like the original casting concept has been adhered to with some established film stars, some new(ish) faces taking on lead roles, and a proper European Actor to add a bit of class.   This time  suspect that they will be able to pay Max Von Sydow, unlike Alec Guinness in Episode IV who had to accept a share of the profits  as they couldn't afford his fee.   I think Sir Alec did OK out of that deal.   Reportedly because of the sequence of the filming he had no idea what the film was about, just that he was playing some sort of old spiritual guru.   However it was achieved I think we will have to agree that the outcome worked!

The other news item that caught my attention this morning was a small "and finally"  piece on the Today Program about the American Samoa Football Team.   I don't like football (soccer) and I didn't even release that there was such a country as American Samoa but two things caught my attention, First this is probably the worst international football team, if not the worst international sports team that there is.   But they don't want to be, they have brought in a professional Dutch coach who is helping turn them round, while everyone involved remains adamant that they stay a proper amateur set up playing simply for the love of the game. Now even when I don't love the game, I love that attitude! after being beaten 31 - 0 by Australia, Australia! not Austria or Spain or France, but Australia! they could just have given up and gone home, but they decided to fight on and to try to win a game in the World Cup qualifying rounds.

To help them win they have recruited a new player that guarantees them a world record.   Jaiyah Saelua will be the first Trans Gender player to take part in a FIFA match.

Unsurprisingly I am struggling to find a way of combining these two stories into a post that I can claim is on a Z subject.   Before listening to the news this morning I had thought about Zonal Pelargoniums; Zebras; Zebra Striped Land Rovers; Zoos; Zebata (I did actually have one once!); Zircon (with reference to Franck Zapper's Zircon encrusted tweezers); Zoot Suit, Zucchini  or even Zulu.

In the end I think I will just have to leave it to you to decide whether or not I am still in the Blogging Zone