The Hoddle of Coffee: Tottenham Hotspur News and Links for Wednesday, September 22

Hi, everyone!

Here’s a cool goal Catarina Macario scored for the USWNT last night.

Ramble of the Day

On E!’s coverage of the Emmys red carpet on Sunday, Karamo Brown asked Angela Bassett a question: “How did it feel to be honored” with a wax figure at Madame Tussauds? It had me asking a different question: Is having a wax figure of yourself at Madame Tussauds actually an honor?

I suppose the argument that a Madame Tussauds wax figure is an honor is that it’s as close to many of these people may get to having a statue built in their honor. Getting a Madame Tussauds wax figure is also probably a certain marker of success — the people in a given Madame Tussauds wax museum are famous enough for an average tourist to recognize them.

That probably only translates to future success in so many ways, though. I doubt Bassett is going to get more work because of the wax figure; it probably doesn’t impact her prospects one way or another. I’m sure she was compensated nicely for the right to recreate her likeness, but outside of that nice benefit, I’m not sure that classifies a wax figure as an “honor.”

Maybe, though, the honor is being pleased with the wax figure. Even a statue, which is far more prestigious, can go horribly wrong. It is unquestionably a victory if the likeness is not offensive, and I’m thrilled for Bassett that hers is not embarrassing. I’d argue that still isn’t an honor, though — just a crisis averted that someone is handsomely paid for.

(That’s not even getting into how weird it probably is to see yourself in that format, or maybe anyone for that matter.)

tl;dr: Is getting a wax figure an honor? I don’t think it is.

Stay informed, read this: Natalie Weiner interviews LA Sparks assistant coach Simone Augustus on advocating for the LGBTQ+ community and basketball being her safe space for The New York Times

Links of the Day

Hungary will play its next two 2022 World Cup qualifiers behind closed doors as punishment for supporters racially abusing England players this month.

The USL will launch a women’s league in 2023, which will serve as the second division in the US.

MLS and Liga MX teams will compete in a revamped Leagues Cup beginning in 2023, a summer tournament featuring all 47 teams from both leagues.

Wolves became the first British football club to launch its own record label, partnering with Warner Music UK.

A longer read: Sonali Karnick on a lack of available Canada women’s team gear, despite the team’s soaring popularity after winning Olympic gold in Tokyo for CBC News