The Hoddle of Coffee: Tottenham Hotspur news and links for Wednesday, April 29

Hey, Hoddlers!

Today at the top is former Tottenham defender Clive Wilson.

Ramble of the Day

A few days ago, I came up with a question: How much coffee makes up one Hoddle of coffee? I thought it would make for a fun ramble where we try to measure a Hoddle as a unit, but Urban Dictionary as an “unreasonably large beverage container, usually coffee” — question answered.

I mentioned this to my older sister, who then asked what exactly was an unreasonably large amount of coffee? A venti (24 ounces) at Starbucks for one person? Bigger? Smaller? I suppose it depends on the person.

I couldn’t tell you what exactly brought be to check Google’s images results for “hoddle of coffee,” but I went there and it turns out that while general results bring up only this site, image results show a carafe.

The first result takes to a website called Urban Dazzle, selling a Hoddle server for Rs. 522 ($6.82 / £5.50), and they describe the product as such:

This 10 ounce server from Libbey Glass is the ideal way to present creamers, teas, or other hot liquids in individual servings at the table. The glass carafe has a black band at top that allows for a firm grip, and surrounds the top opening measuring 2.125” in diameter. It holds 10 ounces of liquid and is 4-3/4” tall and has a 3-1/4” diameter at the base.

Like any carafe, it can clearly serve coffee, but 10 ounces doesn’t seem unreasonably large. It actually seems like a fairly normal amount of coffee, but maybe the most coffee the Urban Dictionary writer has at one time is a lungo. Maybe it’s Libbey that thinks coffee should be consumed in very small amounts. Maybe Libbey just liked the name Hoddle, or someone at Libbey is a big fan of Glenn Hoddle.

I was about to wrap this thing up, but then noticed a blog called Earl & Other Greys (by a person whose Twitter is looking pretty spammy nowadays, for what it’s worth) that describes a Hoddle as “a non-Word-recognized term that describes common tea paraphernalia” in 2016. The entry had an image of Libbey’s Hoddle server sold by Urban Dazzle, and clearly matches Libbey’s description and Urban Dictionary’s definition of a beverage container. We’re still stuck on that size, though.

In the end, I found a decent amount of information, but did I really find an answer? I don’t think I did.

tl;dr: What is a Hoddle of coffee, anyway? It turns out ... Google wasn’t helpful.

Links of the Day

Coronavirus:

• FA Women’s National League North side Fylde FC was disbanded, and is the first women’s team to suffer that fate during the pandemic.
• The 2019-20 season is over in France and the government banned sporting events until September.
• Spain will allow athletes to resume individual training beginning May 4.
• FIFA’s medical committee chairman Michel D’Hooghe believes the sport should come back until September.

Former Liverpool and Brighton forward Michael Robinson died aged 61.

Alan Pardew left ADO Den Haag after only eight matches in chrage.

Today’s longer read: Brian Straus on the existential threat the pandemic is to men’s lower leagues in the United States for Sports Illustrated