I know the official store doesn’t currently ship to the USA (honestly, love that about the club).

I have been able to gear up through other means (eBay, Classic Football Shirts, and a throwback from COPA).

But I really like the new gold shirt.

Has any one tried a third-party shipper company? Is this route worth the cost? Are these companies reputable?

Interesting read by Eno Sarris of The Athletics on Paul Skenes and his recent struggles.

Hello! I’m a brand-new fan from the USA. Been trying to read up on the team history, recent news and what not.

What are your general expectations for this season?

From a distance and looking at the results, it looks like they’ve been successful (or at least competitive) the past two seasons.

At any rate, I’m excited for the season to start and looking forward to watching the matches. (Weird Fandango setup be damned.)

Re: The Epic Movie Draft episode.

I had to get some thoughts out about the ending(s) of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

It’s always bothered me when I hear take there are “too many endings” in this film. That implies some scenes or moments are extraneous or could be cut. I know this is a tired argument that’s been played out for decades (literally).

But, what the hell? I’m reviving it.

I would argue practically everything that happens after the destruction of the ring is essential payoff for the ending of an epic trilogy. The true ending of the film is the hobbits returning to the Shire and figuring out how to move forward.

I can understand feeling like some of the scene transitions are “fake-out” endings. The only one that I sort of agree with is the fade to black after the ring is destroyed.

The fade is a tad too dramatic and does make it feel like the credits are about to roll.

I can also understand some confusion over what happens at the Grey Havens (especially if you haven’t read the books). Jackson and company decided not to bog it down with lore, and I totally get why. They played it fast and loose with the deeper lore all trilogy.

Lastly, before I make my big argument, I think Jackson and company made the right call in cutting the Scouring of the Shire. Introducing and resolving that conflict would be incredibly tricky to land cinematically. It would’ve made for an exhaustive exercise and an unruly runtime. Really, this section of the book would work really well in a TV series.

At any rate, let’s go through the list.

Reuniting with the Fellowship

This moment is essential. The fade to white when Frodo wakes up mirrors his arrival to Rivendell. Now, instead of dread and panic, there’s peace.

More than anything it pays off the little conversation Frodo and Sam have at the end of Fellowship.

“We may yet, Mr. Frodo. We may.”

Aragon’s Coronation

It’s in the film’s title and it’s the conclusion of his character arc. Plus, it contains the reunion with Arwen and includes “you bow to no one.”

Back to the Shire

The hobbits return to the Shire is essential.

It bookends the trilogy, which opened (after the prologue) with an introduction to the Shire.

They go home but they are forever changed by their journey. Home is the same as it was, but they are not. And yet they must go on living their lives.

Sam marries Rosie and settles down. There’s a hint Pippin might do the same.

Frodo, however, is forever broken from the journey to destroy the ring. I always find his voiceover to be particularly haunting and effective.

Journey to the Grey Havens

This section is also perhaps the toughest to digest. Frodo says they “leaving Middle Earth” but in the film it’s left somewhat vague.

Frodo is broken from his experiences and can’t stay in Middle Earth. But where is he going?

I don’t really think it matters. Frodo gets his resolution and finds peace after experiencing so much turmoil as the Ring Bearer. It’s emotionally gut-wrenching send-off with his best friends.

Sam goes home

I’d argue this is also necessary. It’s Sam going home to live his life (happily) and finish Frodo’s book. It’s a beautiful ending and a nice breather after the emotional payoff from the previous 20 minutes or so.

<Insert Ben-Affelck-looking-depressed.gif>

The Pirates have a record below .500 for the first time since March 31.

That was one of their longer stretches playing at .500 or better in a long time. I’m thinking since 2018 or 2019. Perhaps it’s been longer, but that would require a time-consuming deep dive in Baseball Reference.

Last night’s loss was crushing since it was more rehab pains for Jared Jones. It’s come in the midst of stretch where the Pirates have been humbled by superior competition (namely the Braves and Dodgers) and seen the bullpen go even further off the rails.

I’m hoping they can truly stop the bleeding tonight and win a few games on this road trip.

They may very well be able to right the ship. (Or that’s just my more overly optimistic side talking.)

There are three things that give me pause and make me think this team is destined for another season with 70-ish wins.

Position Player Depth

The offense has been very good, but the position player depth is seriously lacking. They may not have enough guns for a crowded National League — even considering the numbers they’ve put up.

In case they maintain their run production, the team still has to overcome….

Rotation Issues

The rotation has the potential to be one of baseball’s best — but they still have work to do.

Paul Skenes has been excellent — perhaps not compared to the ungodly expectations he set in his first two seasons — but he’s also shown to be very much human this season.

Mitch Keller has regressed to something closer to his 2021 form and it’s really put strain on the offense to deliver and/or the bullpen to hold some ground.

Bubba Chandler is experiencing severe growing pains and is extremely volatile while he works out how to command his impressive stuff.

Braxton Ashcraft has been very good. He’s still finding his exact footing as a MLB starter, but the goods are definitely there.

Jared Jones has returned after a lengthy rehab from an elbow injury. He’s shown flashes, but he hasn’t yet found his previous form.

There’s more hope with this group to improve and deliver than their counterparts.

The Bullpen

The bullpen is a complete wreck and I don’t know if it can fixed in time this season. It is by far the team’s biggest weakness — and one that could truly doom their playoff hopes.