If you are unfamiliar with the concept of The False 9’s La Murga Report, click here.
Now that Austin has secured at least one home playoff game, we here at the Murga Report have a difficult decision to make. Namely, should postseason totals be tabulated alongside the regular season numbers or should they be considered entirely separate?
Most sports (and their record books) treat regular and postseason records as distinct. For instance, the baseball annals will tell you that Babe Ruth hit 714 home runs in his major league career. However, the reality is that he hit 729, but his 15 World Series dingers are excluded from his career total.
We have always thought that this is an annoying system. While we understand the impetus behind keeping the records separate, we don’t like intentionally excluding relevant data from the history books. The Murga Report should be the story of the entire season, and this season includes at least one playoff game at McKalla. Thus, there will be no changes to our tabulation system when we reach matchday 35. This may make us bad statisticians, but screw it. Let’s get to the numbers.
What Songs Were Played, and How Many Times?
Random thoughts: It was a shorter setlist than we’ve seen in recent weeks, with none of the usual comedown songs like “Is This Love?” or “Colors.” This seems fitting for the tense, back-and-forth affair that we saw on Saturday. But goodness, that’s a lot of “Dale ATX” and “Pepas.”
What Songs Were Playing When Austin Scored
Random thoughts: That’s two matches in a row where “Verde Submarine” contributed to a goal scored, which will most likely remove it from Wooden Spoon contention. As we have a soft spot for the OG songs from last year, this makes us happy.
What Songs Were Playing When Nashville Scored
Random thoughts: “Reloco Remamado” should feel cheated a bit, as the penalty that gave Nashville their goal was actually awarded during “Bella Ciao.” In future seasons we may break down La Murga stats by penalty awarded/penalty converted, but it’s a little late in the year for that. Sorry “Reloco.” You’re still a banger though.
Season Totals
Final Thoughts
No movement at the top of the table, where “Is This Love?” still stills atop the heap (non-moment of silence division). But it’s now becoming quite striking how often someone scores during “Bella Ciao.” If we had decided to award it with a goal conceded against Nashville, that would have made 9 goals scored in 36 performances. That would be a goal scored or conceded one out of every four times it was played. For such a low scoring sport and with such an extensive Murga repertoire, the likelihood of that happening over an entire season is remote. During the international break we intend to dig into these numbers a bit deeper, so watch this space.
At the bottom, “Reloco” should be sweating a bit. If “Colors” notches a goal in any of the remaining games, there may be an upset in the Wooden Spoon race.
And as always, no one scored during “Dale Austin.”
H.E. Pennypacker
H.E. Pennypacker spends far too much time thinking about Austin FC, much to the consternation of his friends, family, and employers. He could really go for a sandwich right about now.