From: Sheridan Elliot
Subject: Xghajra Tornados
Date: 03/01/2002

...are a Maltese football club. And there are plenty
of similar names where that came from (Malta, of course.)
The current Maltese First Division (which is the second
tier, below the Premier Division) looks like this:

  1: Marsaxlokk (18 pts) [I kid you not]

  2: Mosta (18 pts) [Okay, that's a normal enough name]

  3: Xghajra Tornados [apparently it means "grain" and is pronounced
  "shah-ra"]

  4: Gozo [Sounds funny, but since most of us would be familiar with
  the name already, it loses some of its comic appeal.]

  5: St. Patrick [There is also a "Hibernian FC" in the Premier Division.
  The fact that there are senior clubs called Hibernian in Scotland
  and Malta, but not in Ireland, has always amused me.]

  6: Mqabba [Sounds like a Scottish version of the Swedish pop group.]

  7: Qormi  [A cockney expression, perhaps?]

  8: St. Andrew's [Hmm. Eighth place. Maybe they should
  stick to the golf.]

 9: Balzan Youths [Heaven help the rest of Malta should
 the Balzanians (?) ever let their seniors loose on the league!]

 10: Rabat Ajax [I won't even try to unravel this one.]

Of course, Malta also have one of the finest-named
footballers in the world playing for their national team.
The original naturalized Nigerian-born striker, Chucks
Nwoko.

=================================================================

From: Paul C
Subject: Re: Xghajra Tornados
Date: 03/01/2002

And lower down still are the Dingli Swallows, Nadur Youngsters and
Oratory Youths.
--
Paul
=================================================================

From: Dani Sdao
Subject: Re: Xghajra Tornados
Date: 03/01/2002

I myself like the Naxxar Lions, Balzan Youths, Zurrieq and don't forget
Malta Carib Alcons, a club from Trinidad & Tobago.

Thanks CM,
d

==================================================================

From: Jim Goloboy
Subject: Re: Xghajra Tornados
Date: 04/01/2002

On Thu, 3 Jan 2002, Dani Sdao wrote:

> don't forget Malta Carib Alcons, a club from Trinidad & Tobago.

I'm kind of partial to their rivals National Flour Mills. Lobster Pot of
Bermuda is good too.

==================================================================

From: Riffster
Subject: Re: Xghajra Tornados
Date: 04/01/2002

Somewhere in the bowels of the best of RSS is a
hilarious article about crazy team names from
Africa. Also a (fortunately) funny story about a
soccer game that was called on account of a
savannah fire and another because of a recalcitrant
wildebeest (as opposed to a pushy or ambitious
wildebeest I guess....)

The best team name (I swear I am not making this
up) was the Dangerous Darkies.  LOL - somebody
has a great sense of humor in that great continent!

- Riff "Dangerous Barkie - Ruffster" Ster

=================================================================

From: Sheridan Elliot
Subject: Re: Xghajra Tornados
Date: 04/01/2002

Better still is "Eleven Men in Flight" from
Swaziland. Sounds more like an avant-garde
ballet company.

There is also, of course, a club in Peru
called "Deportivo Wanka."

===============================================================

From: Riffster
Subject: Re: Xghajra Tornados
Date: 05/01/2002

Actually Dangerous Darkies was mild compared to some of
the teams they play against in South African league soccer.

I missed the following:

Tshiomvani T-Bone Steak (yum - the team I would play for...)
Baluni Happy Boys (another good team to play for...)
Mavunde Hungry Vultures (not a good team to play *against*...)
Tshatshingo Potholes (the official team of the Chicago Streets & Sanitation
Dept....)
Chickenland Survival (lost their last game 7-1 - must be tough being a
Chicken indeed)
Mushungwu Try Again (not very good, but they're willing.....)
Tshamutzedzi Watersand (hunh?)
Makwarani Freelimo Boys (not much in the game, but boy do they cruise
afterwards...)
Vhufuli Pull Together (I want to see them merge with Mushungwu!!!)

and lastly Victoria's favorite 'other' team.....

The Lukau Hotspurs

- Riff "And my favorite other team - Mukula Arsenal" Ster

===============================================================

From: Riffster
Subject: Re: Xghajra Tornados
Date: 05/01/2002

"Matthew Nadler"  wrote in message
news:dc3f4da1.0201040641.180b19b9@posting.google.com...

> Different sport, but personally I've always liked the Nippon Ham Fighters.
>
> (Best of all, a few years back they had a Jewish player)

Doesn't sound kosher to me.....

But, a couple of teams in the J-League would qualify:

The Kashima Antlers: Why the Antlers? why not the
Hooves? Or the Muzzles? I can see it now - The Osaka
Udders....:)

The Grampus Eight: Why eight? are three permanently
suspended? Do they represent a radical group on trial?
I remember the Chicago Seven (lousy midfield though.)

And of course there is that most embarassing of teams -
the Kansas City Wiz.

- Riff "We wish the Wiz to be was-Wiz" Ster