title: Valenciennes FC

text: Valenciennes was founded under the name Union Sportive de Valenciennes Anzin (USVA). The club spent over 80 years playing under the name before switching to its current name. Valenciennes has spent an equal amount of time playing in Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 having played 40 seasons in the first division and 36 seasons in the second division. The club has never won the first division, but has won Ligue 2 on two occasions. Valenciennes has also won the Championnat National and the Championnat de France amateur in 2005 and 1998, respectively. In 1951, the club made its first and only appearance in a Coupe de France final.


title: Valenciennes FC

text: From 2004 to 2011, Valenciennes was presided over by Francis Decourrière, a former politician who served as a Member of the European Parliament under the Social Democratic Party from 1994 to 1999 and later the "Union pour la Démocratie Française" ("Union for French Democracy") from 1999 to 2004. In 2011, Decourrière left the position and was replaced by Jean-Raymond Legrand.


title: Valenciennes FC

text: Valenciennes Football Club was founded in 1913 by a group of young men known by surnames Colson, Joly, and Bouly. Due to the club having limited resources and its formation coinciding with the onset of World War I, Valenciennes sought a consolidation between locals clubs in the city. The merger was completed in 1916 with the club changing its name to Union Sportive de Valenciennes Anzin (USVA) in the process. Following the merger, the new club spent the ensuing 15 years playing the "District de l'Escaut" Championship. In July 1930, the National Council of the French Football Federation voted 128–20 in support of professionalism in French football. Valenciennes, under the leadership of president M. Le Mithouard, achieved professionalism in 1933 and were inserted into the second division. The club, subsequently, became a founding member of the second division of French football.


title: Valenciennes FC

text: In the second division's inaugural season, Valenciennes finished in 7th place in its group. In the following season, the league table was converted into a single table and Valenciennes finished in 2nd-place position earning promotion to Division 1 as a result. During this period, the club was notably led by foreign players such as Englishmen Peter O'Dowd and George Gibson and the German-born attackers Édouard Waggi and Ignace Kowalczyk. In the club's first season in Division 1, Valenciennes finished 15th place falling back to Division 2. The club finished equal on points with Red Star Olympique, but due to having less wins and a lesser goal difference, Valenciennes were relegated. After suffering relegation, the club brought in a new president known by the surname of Turbot. Soon after arriving, Turbot released several of the club's international players and brought in the likes of Ernest Libérati to replace them. The transition was a success with the club earning promotion back to Division 1 in 1937. However, Valenciennes stint back in Division 1 was the equivalent of its first. The club finished in last place in the 1937–38 season and relegated back to Division 2. Due to World War II, Valenciennes reverted to amateur status and spent three of the six seasons in wartime playing amateur league football.


title: Valenciennes FC

text: After the war, Valenciennes turned professional again and were back in the second division. The club spent a decade in Division 2 before earning promotion the top-flight ahead of the 1956–57 season. Under manager Charles Demeillez, in 1951, Valenciennes reached the final of the Coupe de France. In the final, the club faced Strasbourg and were humbled 3–0 at the Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir in the Colombes. In the club's return to Division 1, Valenciennes finished in the latter part of the table for three consecutive seasons. In 1959, Valenciennes reached the final of the Coupe Drago, but were defeated 3–2 in extra time by Lens at the Parc des Princes. In the 1959–60 season, Valenciennes achieved its best finish in Division 1 after finishing 8th in the table. However, manager Robert Domergue was unable to keep the consistency as Valenciennes finished 19th in the following season. Valenciennes, now being led by youngsters Bolec Kocik and Serge Masnaghetti, achieved promotion back to Division 1 after one season and spent the next nine years playing in Division 1. During the stint, Domergue led to club to its highest finish ever in the first division when the club finished 3rd in back-to-back seasons in 1965 and 1966. After the 1966 season, Domergue departed the club and he was replaced by Gaby Robert. Neither Robert or his successor Louis Provelli could match the consistency of Domergue and he returned to the club in 1970. In the club's first season back, Domergue led the club to relegation in 1971, got the club promoted back to the first division in 1972, and coached the club to relegation again in 1973. He departed after the season and was replaced by Jean-Pierre Destrumelle.


title: Valenciennes FC

text: After spending the early 1970s hovering between top flight and the second division, Destrumelle led the club back to Division 1 for the 1975–76 season. The manager had vast majority of talent in the club, most notably Bruno Metsu, Bruno Zaremba, Dominique Dropsy, and Didier Six and kept the club in the first division for his entire campaign, however, after finishing in 18th place in 1979, Dustremelle was fired and replaced by the combination of Erwin Wilczek and Bolek Tomowski. Under the duo, Valenciennes lasted in Division 1 until the 1983 season. The club, subsequently, spent the next decade playing in Division 2 under five different managers, which led supporters to slowly become disassociated with the club.


title: Valenciennes FC

text: From 1988 to 1991, Valenciennes improved significantly under manager Georges Peyroche. Peyroche left the club in 1991 and Francis Smerecki was named as his replacement. In Smerecki's first season, he led the club back to Division 1. In the club's first season back, Valenciennes were involved in a bribing scandal that effectively dismantled the club for the next decade. The scandal, which involved Marseille midfielder Jean-Jacques Eydelie and the club's general manager under the advisement of club chairman Bernard Tapie bribing Valenciennes players Christophe Robert, Jacques Glassmann, and Jorge Burruchaga, became headline news mainly due to Marseille being the most popular club in the country. It was asserted that the bribe was made in order for Valenciennes players to "take it easy" on Marseille players with the latter club having to play in the 1993 UEFA Champions League Final against Italian club Milan just days later. Marseille beat Valenciennes 1–0 and went on to defeat Milan to become the first French club to win the European competition. After the plot was discovered, Robert admitted to accepting the bribe, Burruchaga admitted to initially agreeing to it, but later changing his mind, while Glassmann said he never agreed to the deal. The subsequent reports of the scandal completely tarnished the Valenciennes's image and several players departed the club amid embarrassment and speculation that they were also involved in the plot. With the club now playing in Ligue 2, Valenciennes was unable to cope with the damage instilled on it due to the scandal and finished dead last in the league, thus falling to the third division for the first time in the club's lifetime. Two seasons later, the club was relegated to the fourth division due to financial problems. Ahead of the 1996–97 season, the club dropped to amateur status after filing for bankruptcy.


title: Valenciennes FC

text: On 1 April 1996, the club was renamed Valenciennes Football Club and finished in fifth place in its inaugural campaign under the name. In the following season, the fourth division was renamed to the Championnat de France amateur and Valenciennes became inaugural champions of the league. Over the next seven seasons, Valenciennes played in the Championnat National, excluding one season back in the CFA. In the 2004–05 season, the club won National and returned to the second division, now called Ligue 2. Surprisingly, after one season, Valenciennes earned promotion back to the first division, now called Ligue 1, under the leadership of Antoine Kombouaré. After eight years in Ligue 1, the club was relegated to the second division in 2014. Because of this relegation, VAFC experienced financial problems and saw the return to the business of the former minister Jean-Louis Borloo. He saved the club from demotion to the fourth division.


title: Valenciennes FC

text: Below are the notable former players who have represented Valenciennes in league and international competition since the club's foundation in 1913.


title: Subcutaneous emphysema

text: Subcutaneous emphysema (SCE, SE) occurs when gas or air accumulates and seeps under the skin, where normally no gas should be present. "Subcutaneous" refers to the subcutaneous tissue, and "emphysema" refers to trapped air pockets resembling the pneumatosis seen in pulmonary emphysema. Since the air generally comes from the chest cavity, subcutaneous emphysema usually occurs around the upper torso, such as on the chest, neck, face, axillae and arms, where it is able to travel with little resistance along the loose connective tissue within the superficial fascia. Subcutaneous emphysema has a characteristic crackling-feel to the touch, a sensation that has been described as similar to touching warm Rice Krispies. This sensation of air under the skin is known as "subcutaneous crepitation," a form of Crepitus.


title: Subcutaneous emphysema

text: Numerous etiologies of subcutaneous emphysema have been described. Pneumomediastinum was first recognized as a medical entity by Laennec, who reported it as a consequence of trauma in 1819. Later, in 1939, at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Dr. Louis Hamman described it in postpartum woman; indeed, subcutaneous emphysema is sometimes known as Hamman's syndrome. However, in some medical circles, it can instead be more commonly known as Macklin's Syndrome after L. Macklin, in 1939, and M.T. and C.C. Macklin, in 1944, who cumulatively went on to describe the pathophysiology in more detail.


title: Subcutaneous emphysema

text: Subcutaneous emphysema can result from puncture of parts of the respiratory or gastrointestinal systems. Particularly in the chest and neck, air may become trapped as a result of penetrating trauma (e.g., gunshot wounds or stab wounds) or blunt trauma. Infection (e.g., gas gangrene) can cause gas to be trapped in the subcutaneous tissues. Subcutaneous emphysema can be caused by medical procedures and medical conditions that cause the pressure in the alveoli of the lung to be higher than that in the tissues outside of them. Its most common causes are pneumothorax or a chest tube that has become occluded by a blood clot or fibrinous material. It can also occur spontaneously due to rupture of the alveoli, with dramatic presentation. When the condition is caused by surgery it is called "surgical emphysema". The term "spontaneous subcutaneous emphysema" is used when the cause is not clear.


title: Subcutaneous emphysema

text: Subcutaneous emphysema is not typically dangerous in and of itself, however it can be a symptom of very dangerous underlying conditions, such as pneumothorax. Although the underlying conditions require treatment, subcutaneous emphysema usually does not; small amounts of air are reabsorbed by the body. However, subcutaneous emphysema can be uncomfortable and may interfere with breathing, and is often treated by removing air from the tissues, for example by using large bore needles, skin incisions or subcutaneous catheterization.


title: Subcutaneous emphysema

text: Signs and symptoms of spontaneous subcutaneous emphysema vary based on the cause, but it is often associated with swelling of the neck and chest pain, and may also involve sore throat, neck pain, difficulty swallowing, wheezing and difficulty breathing. Chest X-rays may show air in the mediastinum, the middle of the chest cavity. A significant case of subcutaneous emphysema is easy to detect by touching the overlying skin; it feels like tissue paper or Rice Krispies. Touching the bubbles causes them to move and sometimes make a crackling noise. The air bubbles, which are painless and feel like small nodules to the touch, may burst when the skin above them is palpated. The tissues surrounding SCE are usually swollen. When large amounts of air leak into the tissues, the face can swell considerably. In cases of subcutaneous emphysema around the neck, there may be a feeling of fullness in the neck, and the sound of the voice may change. If SCE is particularly extreme around the neck and chest, the swelling can interfere with breathing. The air can travel to many parts of the body, including the abdomen and limbs, because there are no separations in the fatty tissue in the skin to prevent the air from moving.


title: Subcutaneous emphysema

text: Conditions that cause subcutaneous emphysema may result from both blunt and penetrating trauma; SCE is often the result of a stabbing or gunshot wound.


title: Subcutaneous emphysema

text: Chest trauma, a major cause of subcutaneous emphysema, can cause air to enter the skin of the chest wall from the neck or lung. When the pleural membranes are punctured, as occurs in penetrating trauma of the chest, air may travel from the lung to the muscles and subcutaneous tissue of the chest wall. When the alveoli of the lung are ruptured, as occurs in pulmonary laceration, air may travel beneath the visceral pleura (the membrane lining the lung), to the hilum of the lung, up to the trachea, to the neck and then to the chest wall. The condition may also occur when a fractured rib punctures a lung; in fact, 27% of patients who have rib fractures also have subcutaneous emphysema. Rib fractures may tear the parietal pleura, the membrane lining the inside of chest wall, allowing air to escape into the subcutaneous tissues.


title: Subcutaneous emphysema

text: Subcutaneous emphysema is frequently found in pneumothorax (air outside of the lung in the chest cavity) and may also result from air in the mediastinum, pneumopericardium (air in the pericardial cavity around the heart). A tension pneumothorax, in which air builds up in the pleural cavity and exerts pressure on the organs within the chest, makes it more likely that air will enter the subcutaneous tissues through pleura torn by a broken rib. When subcutaneous emphysema results from pneumothorax, air may enter tissues including those of the face, neck, chest, armpits, or abdomen.


title: Subcutaneous emphysema

text: Pneumomediastinum can result from a number of events. For example, foreign body aspiration, in which someone inhales an object, can cause pneumomediastinum (and lead to subcutaneous emphysema) by puncturing the airways or by increasing the pressure in the affected lung(s) enough to cause them to burst.


title: Subcutaneous emphysema

text: Subcutaneous emphysema of the chest wall is commonly among the first indications that barotrauma, damage caused by excessive pressure, has occurred; it suggests that the lung was subjected to significant barotrauma. Thus the phenomenon may occur in diving injuries.


title: Subcutaneous emphysema

text: Trauma to parts of the respiratory system other than the lungs, such as rupture of a bronchial tube, may also cause subcutaneous emphysema. Air may travel upward to the neck from a pneumomediastinum that results from a bronchial rupture, or downward from a torn trachea or larynx into the soft tissues of the chest. It may also occur with fractures of the facial bones, neoplasms, during asthma attacks, when the Heimlich maneuver is used, and during childbirth.


title: Subcutaneous emphysema

text: Injury with pneumatic tools, those that are driven by air, is also known to cause subcutaneous emphysema, even in extremities (the arms and legs). It can also occur as a result of rupture of the esophagus; when it does, it is usually as a late sign.


title: Subcutaneous emphysema

text: Subcutaneous emphysema is a common result of certain types of surgery; for example it is not unusual in chest surgery. It may also occur from surgery around the esophagus, and is particularly likely in prolonged surgery. Other potential causes are positive pressure ventilation for any reason and by any technique, in which its occurrence is frequently unexpected. It may also occur as a result of oral surgery, laparoscopy, and cricothyrotomy. In a pneumonectomy, in which an entire lung is removed, the remaining bronchial stump may leak air, a rare but very serious condition that leads to progressive subcutaneous emphysema. Air can leak out of the pleural space through an incision made for a thoracotomy to cause subcutaneous emphysema. On infrequent occasions, the condition can result from dental surgery, usually due to use of high-speed tools that are air driven. These cases result in usually painless swelling of the face and neck, with an immediate onset, the crepitus (crunching sound) typical of subcutaneous emphysema, and often with subcutaneous air visible on X-ray.


title: Subcutaneous emphysema

text: One of the main causes of subcutaneous emphysema, along with pneumothorax, is an improperly functioning chest tube. Thus subcutaneous emphysema is often a sign that something is wrong with a chest tube; it may be clogged, clamped, or out of place. The tube may need to be replaced, or, when large amounts of air are leaking, a new tube may be added.


title: Subcutaneous emphysema

text: Since mechanical ventilation can worsen a pneumothorax, it can force air into the tissues; when subcutaneous emphysema occurs in a ventilated patient, it is an indication that the ventilation may have caused a pneumothorax. It is not unusual for subcutaneous emphysema to result from positive pressure ventilation. Another possible cause is a ruptured trachea. The trachea may be injured by tracheostomy or tracheal intubation; in cases of tracheal injury, large amounts of air can enter the subcutaneous space. An endotracheal tube can puncture the trachea or bronchi and cause subcutaneous emphysema.


title: Subcutaneous emphysema

text: Air can be trapped under the skin in necrotizing infections such as gangrene, occurring as a late sign in gas gangrene, of which it is the hallmark sign. Subcutaneous emphysema is also considered a hallmark of fournier gangrene. Symptoms of subcutaneous emphysema can result when infectious organisms produce gas by fermentation. When emphysema occurs due to infection, signs that the infection is systemic, i.e. that it has spread beyond the initial location, are also present.


title: Subcutaneous emphysema

text: Air is able to travel to the soft tissues of the neck from the mediastinum and the retroperitoneum (the space behind the abdominal cavity) because these areas are connected by fascial planes. From the punctured lungs or airways, the air travels up the perivascular sheaths and into the mediastinum, from which it can enter the subcutaneous tissues.


title: Subcutaneous emphysema

text: Spontaneous subcutaneous emphysema is thought to result from increased pressures in the lung that cause alveoli to rupture. In spontaneous subcutaneous emphysema, air travels from the ruptured alveoli into the interstitium and along the blood vessels of the lung, into the mediastinum and from there into the tissues of the neck or head.


title: Subcutaneous emphysema

text: Significant cases of subcutaneous emphysema are easy to diagnose because of the characteristic signs of the condition. In some cases, the signs are subtle, making diagnosis more difficult. Medical imaging is used to diagnose the condition or confirm a diagnosis made using clinical signs. On a chest radiograph, subcutaneous emphysema may be seen as radiolucent striations in the pattern expected from the pectoralis major muscle group. Air in the subcutaneous tissues may interfere with radiography of the chest, potentially obscuring serious conditions such as pneumothorax. It can also reduce the effectiveness of chest ultrasound. On the other hand, since subcutaneous emphysema may become apparent in chest X-rays before a pneumothorax does, its presence may be used to infer that of the latter injury. Subcutaneous emphysema can also be seen in CT scans, with the air pockets appearing as dark areas. CT scanning is so sensitive that it commonly makes it possible to find the exact spot from which air is entering the soft tissues. In 1994, M.T. Macklin and C.C. Macklin published further insights into the pathophysiology of spontaneous Macklin's Syndrome occurring from a severe asthmatic attack.


title: Subcutaneous emphysema

text: The presence of subcutaneous emphysema in a person who appears quite ill and febrile after bout of vomiting followed by left chest pain is very suggestive of the diagnosis of Boerhaave's syndrome, which is a life-threatening emergency caused by rupture of the distal esophagus.


title: Subcutaneous emphysema

text: Subcutaneous emphysema can be a complication of CO insufflation with laparoscopic surgery.  A sudden rise in end-tidal CO following the initial rise that occurs with insufflation (first 15-30 min) should raise suspicion of subcutaneous emphysema. Of note, there are no changes in the pulse oximetry or airway pressure in subcutaneous emphysema, unlike in endobronchial intubation, capnothorax, pneumothorax, or embolism.


title: Subcutaneous emphysema

text: Subcutaneous emphysema is usually benign. Most of the time, SCE itself does not need treatment (though the conditions from which it results may); however, if the amount of air is large, it can interfere with breathing and be uncomfortable. It occasionally progresses to a state "Massive Subcutaneous Emphysema" which is quite uncomfortable and requires surgical drainage. When the amount of air pushed out of the airways or lung becomes massive, usually due to positive pressure ventilation, the eyelids swell so much that the patient cannot see. Also the pressure of the air may impede the blood flow to the areolae of the breast and skin of the scrotum or labia. This can lead to necrosis of the skin in these areas. The latter are urgent situations requiring rapid, adequate decompression. Severe cases can compress the trachea and do require treatment.


title: Subcutaneous emphysema

text: In severe cases of subcutaneous emphysema, catheters can be placed in the subcutaneous tissue to release the air. Small cuts, or "blow holes", may be made in the skin to release the gas. When subcutaneous emphysema occurs due to pneumothorax, a chest tube is frequently used to control the latter; this eliminates the source of the air entering the subcutaneous space. If the volume of subcutaneous air is increasing, it may be that the chest tube is not removing air rapidly enough, so it may be replaced with a larger one. Suction may also be applied to the tube to remove air faster. The progression of the condition can be monitored by marking the boundaries with a special pencil for marking on skin.


title: Subcutaneous emphysema

text: Since treatment usually involves dealing with the underlying condition, cases of spontaneous subcutaneous emphysema may require nothing more than bed rest, medication to control pain, and perhaps supplemental oxygen. Breathing oxygen may help the body to absorb the subcutaneous air more quickly.


title: Subcutaneous emphysema

text: Air in subcutaneous tissue does not usually pose a lethal threat; small amounts of air are reabsorbed by the body. Once the pneumothorax or pneumomediastinum that causes the subcutaneous emphysema is resolved, with or without medical intervention, the subcutaneous emphysema will usually clear. However, spontaneous subcutaneous emphysema can, in rare cases, progress to a life-threatening condition, and subcutaneous emphysema due to mechanical ventilation may induce ventilatory failure.


title: Subcutaneous emphysema

text: The first report of subcutaneous emphysema resulting from air in the mediastinum was made in 1850 in a patient who had been coughing violently. In 1900, the first recorded case of spontaneous subcutaneous emphysema was reported in a bugler for the Royal Marines who had had a tooth extracted: playing the instrument had forced air through the hole where the tooth had been and into the tissues of his face. Since then, another case of spontaneous subcutaneous emphysema was reported in a submariner for the US Navy who had had a root canal in the past; the increased pressure in the submarine forced air through it and into his face. In recent years a case was reported at the University Hospital of Wales of a young man who had been coughing violently causing a rupture in the esophagus resulting in SE. The cause of spontaneous subcutaneous emphysema was clarified between 1939 and 1944 by Macklin, contributing to the current understanding of the pathophysiology of the condition.


title: Combine (Half-Life)

text: The Combine ( ) is a multidimensional empire which serves as the primary antagonistic force in the 2004 video game "Half-Life 2", and the subsequent episodes developed by Valve. The Combine consist of organic, synthetic, and heavily mechanized elements. They are encountered throughout "Half-Life 2" and its episodic sequels, as well as "", as hostile non-player characters as the player progresses through the games in an effort to overthrow the Combine occupation of Earth.


title: Combine (Half-Life)

text: The Combine are frequently shown as cruel rulers over the citizens of Earth, suppressing dissent with brutality, policing using violence and/or using invasive surgery to transform humans into slaves. Throughout the games, the player primarily battles transformed humans as well as synthetic and mechanical enemies that are the product of Combine technology. In addition to their role within the "Half-Life" series, the Combine have been adapted for machinima productions and one Combine character type has been made into plush toys by Valve.


title: Combine (Half-Life)

text: Certain elements of the Combine's appearance, such as that of the Advisor, are inspired by the works of Frank Herbert. The towering Striders seen throughout "Half-Life 2" and its subsequent episodes are based directly on the Martian tripods of the H.G. Wells novel "The War of the Worlds", where said Martians invade Victorian England, using the tripods as their main "weapon". The name "Combine" itself is a tribute to Ken Kesey's novel "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", which features a collection of authorities which mechanistically manipulate and process individuals.


title: Combine (Half-Life)

text: During "Half-Life 2"s development, various concepts for Combine non-player characters were cut. Female Combine assassins, similar to black ops assassins featured in the first game, were planned but later abandoned, although they appear in the "" arcade game. Another non-player character, the cremator, was conceptualized as a Combine laborer who cleaned the streets of bodies after a battle with an acid gun and although removed from the game, its head was featured in Eli Vance's laboratory. Other cuts included a variety of alien Combine soldiers that would have complemented the trans-human soldiers in the game and a number of synthetic combat machines. Many of "Half-Life 2"s Combine characters went through multiple redesigns; the Combine Overwatch soldier was subjected to at least twelve redesigns before the final appearance was settled on.


title: Combine (Half-Life)

text: Actress Ellen McLain provides the voice for the Combine Overwatch announcer and dispatcher in "Half-Life 2" and its episodic expansions and their virtual reality prequel "". Combine soldiers in "Half-Life: Alyx" are voiced by multiple actors including Rich Sommer, Isaac C. Singleton Jr., Jason Vande Brake, Michael Schwalbe, Rajia Baroudi, and Rick Zieff.


title: Combine (Half-Life)

text: Little is revealed of the Combine's role outside of Earth, but dialogue in "Half-Life 2" states that they control worlds in different dimensions and inhabited by a range of species. The Combine occupation of Earth, however, is shown to be a brutal police state. In City 17, an Eastern European city, Civil Protection units are seen frequently, often conducting random searches of apartment blocks, interrogating human citizens and engaging in random police brutality. The military Overwatch forces of the Combine are shown attacking human resistance bases in an effort to further solidify peace in the urban centers. The citizens themselves are all clad in blue uniforms and live in designated apartment blocks. Citizens are shown to be moved around to different cities or locales at the Combine's will, using passenger trains. Vortigaunts, alien creatures from the original "Half-Life", are also shown to have been enslaved, and are observed in various jobs such as janitors. According to "", the Combine are draining the Earth's oceans, minerals and resources to be used on other Combine worlds; while in both City 17's waterways and the outskirt's coastal shores the water levels are greatly reduced.


title: Combine (Half-Life)

text: At the heart of the Combine's command structure in "Half-Life 2", is the Citadel, an enormous structure of Combine construction, reaching tens of thousands of feet into the sky from ground level, and delving deep underground. Located within City 17, the Citadel serves as the primary headquarters of the Combine, housing both Combine Advisors and the office of the Earth administrator, Wallace Breen. Breen is frequently seen on large screens around the city from which he spreads propaganda. The Citadel projects an energy field that is able to prevent human reproduction, as well as a field that keeps dangerous alien wildlife out of the city. In addition, the Citadel contains a trans-dimensional teleporter which allows the Combine to travel between their native universe and Earth. The Citadel also contains construction facilities for various synthetic Combine combat machines.


title: Combine (Half-Life)

text: The Combine is composed of various species and machines. The most commonly encountered enemies throughout "Half-Life 2" and its expansions are the transhuman Overwatch soldiers and human Civil Protection officers. In addition, a variety of combat machines appear, ranging from APCs and helicopter gunships to a giant 'smart wall' which encloses occupied cities and gradually destroys anything in its path, as well as a number of weaponized alien 'synths'.


title: Combine (Half-Life)

text: Advisors are large larvae-like creatures which are virtually featureless, with no visible eyes, ears or limbs, though they do possess an eye-like mechanical device attached to the left side of their heads, and detachable mechanical arms. Their faces are covered by a form of respirator, which is able to lift to reveal a mouth-like orifice from which extends a long flexible proboscis. With this, they can examine objects, or attack and kill enemies. Advisors appear to be feeding upon their victim during their attacks. It is implied that Advisors are the original master race behind the Combine, with the Earth administrator Wallace Breen answering directly to them. Although Advisors are usually seen in protective pods guarded by Combine soldiers, they also possess telekinetic powers with which they are able to float through the air and immobilize enemies so that their proboscis can examine their victims without interference. Their appearance was based on the Guild Navigators from the film "Dune".


title: Combine (Half-Life)

text: Civil Protection is the Combine's law enforcement agency on Earth, consisting of humans who have agreed to work on behalf of the Combine. Also referred to as metrocops, Civil Protection units wear light armor and gas masks, which heavily resemble a somewhat modified Soviet PMG mask. They are usually armed with electroshock batons and pistols, and are occasionally seen using MP-7 submachine guns. Metrocops are brutal in their methods, keeping the local populace in line via intimidation and physical force. Interrogations, inspections, raids, random beatings, summary executions and acts of extreme police brutality are all used as a means of policing their respective jurisdictions; their methods are justified by their role as "protectors of the civilians well-being". On the outskirts of City 17, Civil Protection units are observed patrolling for escapees from the city. Civil Protection officers are in constant contact with Combine Overwatch headquarters, which gives them objectives and situation updates. On the death of an officer, that officer's armor detects that its wearer is no longer alive and automatically informs headquarters of the fatality and advises nearby units as to the place of death.


title: Combine (Half-Life)

text: The Combine Overwatch is the primary military force of the Combine on Earth. It consists of biomechanically enhanced humans, who wear heavily padded long-sleeve body armor and gas masks. The markings on the suit change depending on each individual unit's assignment and rank. Elite Combine soldiers wear bright white armor with one red eye, while the majority of soldiers wear blue armor. Shotgun units wear similar armour to the standard Combine Soldier, but coloured brown with orange eyes. They are armed with a variety of firearms, including shotguns, submachine guns, sniper rifles and pulse rifles. Overwatch soldiers usually operate in small groups, using squad tactics and grenades to flush out and flank the player. They occasionally provide support to Combine synths, and often travel to areas by use of dropships. They use radios to communicate with each other and with Overwatch headquarters. Combine Overwatch soldiers are usually encountered outside City 17, and only appear in the city after "The Uprising" near the end of "Half-Life 2".


title: Combine (Half-Life)

text: The Combine use a large array of science fiction technologies. They have access to teleportation technology, which takes them from their dimension to other dimensions. However, their teleporter technology is restrictive in comparison to that developed by Eli Vance, Isaac Kleiner and Judith Mossman in that it cannot be used to teleport to other locations within a dimension, it can only be used to move between dimensions. Throughout the games, various futuristic computer consoles, doors, power sources and weapon emplacements are encountered. In addition, the Combine employ the use of small airborne robots, scanners, to observe the citizens of Earth. The city variant merely moves about the streets, monitors individuals, and takes photographs, while the combat equivalent is capable of dropping mines into an area. Civil Protection makes use of smaller airborne robots called manhacks, which fly using razor-sharp rotating blades with which they attack their targets to cause laceration injuries. These are often deployed in closed-in areas. The Combine also use two types of land mines; hopper mines throw themselves into the air and detonate when an enemy is detected nearby, while the spherical rollermines roll towards vehicles or other enemies, attach themselves and deliver damaging electrical attacks. Combine technology is also used to transform humans into Overwatch soldiers or stalkers, deformed and mutilated humans with no memory of their past selves who act as slaves and maintenance workers in Combine facilities. Transformation into a Stalker is considered among the Combine's worst punishments for dissidents.


title: Combine (Half-Life)

text: Militarily, the Combine make use of both synthetics, creatures augmented with machinery, and traditional machines such as armored personnel carriers and attack helicopters. The most prominent of the synthetic machines are the insect-like gunships; and Striders, armored creatures that walk upon three legs, which are armed with a high powered warpspace cannon and a head-mounted pulse turret. In "Episode Two", the Hunter, a smaller equivalent to the Strider, is introduced. These 2.5 m (8 ft) tall, tripodal assault machines fire explosive flechettes at targets and are small enough to maneuver indoors. Other synths are seen near the end of the "Half-Life 2", although their roles are not elaborated on. Sentry turrets are also used by the Combine. The Combine also use headcrabs as a biological weapon against dissidents, firing artillery shells loaded with the creatures into areas and allowing them to infest the vicinity.


title: Combine (Half-Life)

text: According to the backstory presented during "Half-Life 2", the Combine appear on Earth after the death of the Nihilanth, the boss character at the end of "Half-Life". The death of the Nihilanth, a powerful creature controlling the dimensional rip between Xen and the Black Mesa Research Facility on Earth, causes the rip to worsen, resulting in "portal storms" which spread the hostile wildlife of Xen across Earth. The Combine manipulate this tear in the spacetime continuum, widening it to allow access to Earth from their dimension. When sufficiently wide enough, the Combine launched an invasion in force. The United Nations Secretariat Building in New York City is destroyed and Earth is rapidly defeated in what became known as the Seven Hour War (the title is a reference to the Soviet military exercise ; "Seven-Hour Nuclear War"). Earth's surrender is negotiated by Wallace Breen, who is then made the Combine's puppet administrator of Earth, and uses City 17 as his base of operations.


title: Combine (Half-Life)

text: The Combine's first appearance is in "Half-Life 2". Through the early stages of the game, Combine Civil Protection units pursue Gordon Freeman through City 17 after he accidentally reveals his presence to Wallace Breen. Due to Freeman's actions in "Half-Life", Breen sees Freeman as a major threat. As Freeman escapes the city, Civil Protection units raid the resistance base of Black Mesa East and capture resistance leader Eli Vance, who is transferred to holding facilities at Nova Prospekt. Freeman and Vance's daughter Alyx break into the facility to rescue him, but Eli Vance is teleported to the Combine Citadel by double agent Judith Mossman. However, the strike against Nova Prospekt is seen as the start of a revolution by the citizens of Earth, who take up arms against the Combine. In response, Combine Overwatch are deployed to City 17, and heavy street fighting takes place. Freeman manages to infiltrate the Citadel but is captured and taken to Breen. Mossman allows Freeman to break free of his captivity, and Breen flees to the Citadel's trans-dimensional teleporter, intent on escape. However, Freeman destroys the teleporter's reactor before Breen can escape, causing a large explosion that destroys the top of the Citadel.


title: Combine (Half-Life)

text: In "", the destruction of the teleporter at the top of the Citadel has isolated the Combine forces on Earth, but also caused its primary reactor to begin to melt down. This forces Gordon Freeman and Alyx Vance to journey back into the critically damaged Citadel to temporarily stabilize its reactor while the city's inhabitants are evacuated. The Combine forces, however, instead attempt to accelerate the meltdown in order to send a message to their native universe for reinforcements. After Alyx acquires an encrypted copy of the message to be sent, Overwatch forces desperately attempt to stop the pair from escaping the city, spurred on by Combine Advisors. As the pair escape on a train at the end of the game, the Citadel detonates, sending the message and destroying City 17.


title: Combine (Half-Life)

text: "" opens with Alyx and Freeman discovering that the Citadel's destruction has resulted in the formation of a super portal to the Combine dimension, which is slowly progressing to a stage where the Combine can send overwhelming reinforcements. They also discover that the data packet in the message they retrieved from the Citadel contains codes that can be used to close the portal, and so traverse the countryside to deliver the packet to the resistance headquarters at White Forest. As they progress, it becomes evident that the Combine Advisors escaped the Citadel's destruction, and that remaining Combine forces are regrouping, albeit under occasional attacks by Vortigaunts. Aware of the resistance's plans to close the super portal, the Combine attack White Forest in force, but are repelled. The super portal is destroyed after the resistance launch a satellite containing the appropriate data. However, in the game's closing scenes, two Advisors attack Freeman, Alyx and Eli Vance, and kill Eli before being driven off by Dog.


title: Combine (Half-Life)

text: The Combine feature again as the primary antagonist in the VR-exclusive prequel, "", which takes place between the events of "Half-Life" and "Half-Life 2". The game focuses on the efforts of Alyx Vance, her father Eli, and fellow resistance member Russell, as they attempt to infiltrate a massive Combine vault, believing it possesses a weapon that they could use to weaken the Combine occupation on Earth. After navigating through various quarantined zones of City 17 and rescuing Eli following his capture by the Combine, they discover that the vault is constructed not to hold a weapon, but as a prison, which they believe is holding Gordon Freeman. Alyx manages to infiltrate the vault and discovers that it is not being used to imprison Gordon Freeman, but is instead harboring the mysterious G-Man, who shows Alyx a glimpse of Eli's death in the future and offers her a chance to prevent it, which she accepts, before placing her in stasis.


title: Combine (Half-Life)

text: The use of sandbox applications like "Garry's Mod" have allowed for Combine non-player characters to be used in a variety of webcomics and machinima productions. The Combine are also referenced in the "Portal" series. In one webcomic, "Concerned", the Combine are portrayed as a highly bureaucratic and often inept organization. One issue shows a Civil Protection briefing for attempting to capture the comic's protagonist Gordon Frohman, in which officers are instructed to cluster around explosive barrels, seek cover on unstable structures and rappel down from bridges in front of fast moving vehicles. In another example, the machinima series "Combine Nation" follows Civil Protection officers in a similar style to police procedural documentaries. The officers perform their duties with various twists, such as the team's medical officer having an obsession with adhesive bandages and the legal consultant, an Overwatch soldier, favoring dramatic entries, such as throwing flashbangs, which often backfire on him. Another web series, called "The Combine", parodies the TV show "The Office". This series attempts to portray the combine as an intergalactic corporation that suffers from everyday office issues and problems. One episode shows the soldiers attempting to bypass a webfilter so they can watch videos online instead of working. Other media portray the Combine with more serious overtones, such as the live-action video "The Combine Interview", which parodies an interview with Tom Cruise discussing Scientology. The video, described by ActionTrip as "eerie, to say the least" and by both Joystiq and Kotaku as "creepy", instead presents an interview with a Civil Protection officer discussing the Combine's rule of Earth, adapting Cruise's words to fit the Combine theme. "PC Gamer" UK noted that "the suggestion, of course, is that Scientology's purpose or self-image in some way resembles that of the homogenizing intergalactic murderous alien collective".


title: Combine (Half-Life)

text: The Combine have inspired the creation of several items of merchandise for the "Half-Life" series. A plush toy was created by Valve, based on the synthetic tripod Hunters introduced in "Episode Two". Sold and distributed via Valve's online store, the toy was released in February 2008. In addition, Valve has produced t-shirts depicting the Combine's idea of humanity's evolution, from ape to Combine Overwatch soldier, and a lithograph displaying twelve pieces of concept art for the Combine soldier.


title: Combine (Half-Life)

text: The Combine have received a positive reaction from critics. "1UP.com" praised the "epic feel" built up by the Combine and their harsh rule of City 17 in "Half-Life 2", stating that this created "a world governed by newspeak, decorated with urban decay, and lacking any hope". "GameSpot" echoed this praise, saying that the "vision of a dystopian police state is chillingly effective". "PC Zone" described the appearance of the Combine's soldiers as "stormtrooper-like", but although stating that overall the artificial intelligence for the game was "extremely competent", the Combine non-player characters "could have used better survival instincts", citing their reluctance to take cover and tendency to charge at the player and into a shotgun blast.


title: Combine (Half-Life)

text: A number of reviews of "Episode One" were disappointed by the lack of new characters for the Combine, although GameSpot praised the improved AI for Combine soldiers and the addition of new abilities, such as rappelling down buildings. The addition of the Hunter in "Episode Two" was particularly well received by critics; "Computer and Video Games" stated that they were challenging to fight and were "a very welcome addition" to the series, while "IGN" stated that the Hunters were "impressively designed... [they are] sleek and powerful all at once and reek of malicious alien intelligence." The Combine were also ranked at #22 in "IGNs 'Top 100 Videogame Villains' list.


title: Hakeem Kae-Kazim

text: Hakeem Kae-Kazim (born 1 October 1962) is a Nigerian-British actor best known for his work in the Starz television series "Black Sails" and his portrayal of Georges Rutaganda in the 2004 drama film "Hotel Rwanda".


title: Hakeem Kae-Kazim

text: Kae-Kazim was born in Lagos, Nigeria, where he spent his early years before his family re-located to London, England. His interest in acting began with school plays and The National Youth Theatre, which is when he discovered that he had "a love for theatre, for acting". He trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, graduating in 1987 and was offered a space with The Royal Shakespeare Company, where he continued his classical training.


title: Hakeem Kae-Kazim

text: After working alongside Brian Cox and Ian McKellen for The Royal National Theatre, Kae-Kazim made a successful transition into British television, appearing in "The Bill", "Trial & Retribution" and multiple episodes of popular BBC series "Grange Hill". He then moved to South Africa, where he became well known for film and television roles. However, it was his role as Georges Rutaganda in the critically acclaimed and Oscar nominated film "Hotel Rwanda", which brought him to international attention.


title: Hakeem Kae-Kazim

text: Following the success of Hotel Rwanda, Kae-Kazim re-located to Los Angeles, which brought a range of new opportunities his way. He went on to appear in "Slipstream" alongside Sean Astin and "The Front Line" before starring in the hugely successful "" as Captain Jocard. He followed it with a role in the blockbuster, "".


title: Hakeem Kae-Kazim

text: Kae-Kazim appeared in various hit television shows including "Lost", "" and "Criminal Minds". He also starred as Colonel Iké Dubaku in season 7 of the Fox television series "24" and the television movie tie-in "". Kae-Kazim continued to build up a following with roles in "Gotham" and "Dominion", although his longest running role has been in the Michael Bay produced Starz series, "Black Sails". Speaking about his character, Mr Scott, Kae-Kazim claimed to have based him on pirate of the time, Black Caesar. He played Samson in part one of the 2016 miniseries remake "Roots". In November 2017, Kae-Kazim was cast in the recurring role of Cesil Colby on The CW reboot series "Dynasty".


title: Hakeem Kae-Kazim

text: Called the 'Man with a Beautiful Voice', Kae-Kazim has also done extensive voiceover work ranging from television and radio to video games. His voice has been featured in a number of well known video games including Final Fantasy XIV, Halo 3 ODST, Halo: Reach, Guild Wars, "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End", The Golden Compass and The Saboteur. Kae-Kazim has spoken of voice over work as being "a lot of fun", and something he enjoys doing.


title: Hakeem Kae-Kazim

text: Kae-Kazim is an appointed global ambassador for Africa 2.0, a civil society organisation providing a platform for emerging and established African leaders to drive forward the transformation of Africa.


title: Hakeem Kae-Kazim

text: Speaking about his role as ambassador, Kae-Kazim said: “I am truly honoured to be associated with Africa 2.0 – a pioneering platform for a new generation of African leaders to inspire and create a solid infrastructure- to shape a brighter future for our continent”.


title: Government e Marketplace

text: The Government e Marketplace (or e-Marketplace) (GeM) is an online platform for public procurement in India. The initiative was launched on August 9, 2016 by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India with the objective to create an open and transparent procurement platform for government buyers. It was created in a record time of 5 months to facilitate the online procurement of goods and Services. The purchases through GeM by Government users have been authorized and made mandatory by the Ministry of Finance by adding a new Rule No. 149 in the General Financial Rules, 2017.


title: Government e Marketplace

text: The platform is owned by GeM SPV (Special Purpose Vehicle) which is a 100 percent Government-owned, non-profit company under the Ministry of Commerce and Industries, Government of India.


title: Government e Marketplace

text: GeM is a contactless, paperless and cashless online marketplace that replaced the Directorate General of Supplies and Disposals (DGS&D) in 2016. Since its inception, GeM has brought in the visibility and transparency in public procurement. The portal has transformed public procurement in India by driving its three pillars, namely, inclusion, usability and transparency and efficiency and cost savings. According to an independent assessment made by the World Bank, average savings for buyers in Government e Marketplace portal is about 9.75% on the median price. The Government of India has made it mandatory for sellers to display the 'country of origin' on products to be sold on GeM portal.


title: Government e Marketplace

text: The present Chief Executive Officer of Government e Marketplace is Sh. Prashant Kumar Singh, an IAS officer of 1993 batch of Manipur cadre.


title: Government e Marketplace

text: The Government e-Marketplace was launched in August 2016 for online procurement of goods and services by central and state government organizations. The initial version of GeM portal was developed and hosted by Directorate General of Supplies and Disposals (DGS&D) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry with technical support of National E-Governance Division (NeGD), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. The present GeM Portal is developed and being maintained by a Managed Service Provider (MSP) led by Intellect Design Arena. It has partnered with various banks and ERP system of large buyers for payment services.


title: Government e Marketplace

text: The platform aims to increase transparency, efficiency and speed in public procurement along with inclusion. It provides all modes of procurement, viz., direct purchase, e-bidding, bidding with reverse e-auction and direct reverse auction. The digital platform enables economies of scale, efficient price discovery and dissemination of best practices. The procurement of goods and services by ministries or government departments has been made mandatory for Goods or Services available on GeM portal, as embodied in Rule 149 of the General Financial Rules, 2017. Public Sector Enterprises and State Governments are also encouraged to purchase from GeM.


title: Government e Marketplace

text: As on 1 November 2022, GeM has 5,348,848 Sellers & Service Providers out of which 818,076 are MSE Sellers & service providers. Further, it has more than 46 lakh products in about 10,610 product categories, and it has 263 service categories.


title: Irish revolutionary period

text: The revolutionary period in Irish history was the period in the 1910s and early 1920s when Irish nationalist opinion shifted from the Home Rule-supporting Irish Parliamentary Party to the republican Sinn Féin movement. There were several waves of civil unrest linked to Ulster loyalism, trade unionism, and physical force republicanism, leading to the Irish War of Independence, the creation of the Irish Free State, the Partition of Ireland, and the Irish Civil War.


title: Irish revolutionary period

text: Some modern historians define the revolutionary period as the period from 1912 or 1913 to 1923, i.e. from the introduction of the Third Home Rule Bill to the end of the Civil War, or sometimes more narrowly as the period from 1916 to 1921 or 1923, i.e. from the Easter Rising to the end of the War of Independence or the Civil War.


title: Irish revolutionary period

text: The early years of the Free State, when it was governed by the pro-Treaty party Cumann na nGaedheal, have been described by at least one historian as a counter-revolution.


title: Irish revolutionary period

text: Home Rule seemed certain in 1910 when the Irish Parliamentary Party (IPP) under John Redmond held the balance of power in the British House of Commons. The third Home Rule Bill was introduced in 1912. Unionist resistance was immediate, with the formation of the Ulster Volunteers (UVF). In turn, the Irish Volunteers were established in 1913 to oppose them and prevent the UVF introduction of self-government in Ulster. The Dublin lock-out in the same year led to creation of the Irish Citizen Army.


title: Irish revolutionary period

text: In September 1914, two months after the First World War broke out, the UK Parliament passed the Government of Ireland Act 1914, known as the Home Rule Act, to establish self-government for Ireland, but the act was suspended for the duration of the war. Irish nationalist leaders and the IPP under Redmond supported Ireland's participation in the British war effort, in the belief that it would ensure implementation of Home Rule after the war. A core of leaders within the Irish Volunteers' were against this decision, but the majority of the men left to form the National Volunteers, some of whom enlisted in Irish regiments of the New British Army, the 10th and 16th (Irish) Divisions, the counterparts of the unionist 36th (Ulster) Division. Before the war ended, Britain made two concerted efforts to implement Home Rule, one in May 1916 and again with the Irish Convention during 1917–1918, but nationalists and unionists were unable to agree to terms for the temporary or permanent exclusion of Ulster from its provisions.


title: Irish revolutionary period

text: The period 1916–1921 was marked by political violence and upheaval, ending in the partition of Ireland and independence for 26 of its 32 counties. A failed militant attempt by the Irish Volunteers and the Irish Citizen Army was made to gain independence for Ireland with the 1916 Easter Rising, an insurrection in Dublin. Although support for the insurgents was small, the execution of fifteen people by firing squad, the imprisonment or internment of hundreds more, and the imposition of martial law caused a profound shift in public opinion towards the republican cause in Ireland. In addition, the unprecedented threat of Irishmen being conscripted to the British Army in 1918 (for service on the Western Front as a result of the German spring offensive) accelerated this change (see Conscription Crisis of 1918). In the December 1918 elections, Sinn Féin, the party of the rebels, won three-quarters of all seats in Ireland. Twenty-seven of these MPs assembled in Dublin on 21 January 1919 to form a 32-county Irish Republic parliament. The First Dáil Éireann unilaterally declared sovereignty over the island of Ireland.


title: Irish revolutionary period

text: Unwilling to negotiate any understanding with Britain short of complete independence, the Irish Republican Army, the army of the newly declared Irish Republic, waged a guerilla war (the Irish War of Independence) from 1919 to 1921. In the course of the fighting and amid much acrimony, the Fourth Government of Ireland Act 1920 implemented Home Rule while separating the island into what the British government's Act termed "Northern Ireland" and "Southern Ireland". In July 1921 the Irish and British governments agreed to a truce that halted the war. In December 1921 representatives of both governments signed the Anglo-Irish Treaty. The Irish delegation was led by Arthur Griffith and Michael Collins. This created the Irish Free State, a self-governing Dominion of the Commonwealth of Nations in the manner of Canada and Australia. Under the Treaty, Northern Ireland could opt out of the Free State and stay within the United Kingdom: it promptly did so. In 1922, both parliaments ratified the Treaty, formalising dominion status for the 26-county Irish Free State (which renamed itself "Ireland" and claimed sovereignty over the entire island in 1937, and declared itself a republic in 1949), while Northern Ireland, gaining Home Rule for itself, remained part of the United Kingdom.


title: Irish revolutionary period

text: Separate unionist and nationalist historical narratives exist for the historic events in question; nationalist perspectives are further divided by the Civil War which ended the revolutionary period. The Northern Ireland peace process, with its promotion of dialogue and reconciliation, has modified this separation. The Bureau of Military History established by the Irish government in 1947 collected oral history accounts from republican veterans of the period 1913 to 1921. Its records were sealed until the last veteran's death in 2003; they were published online in 2012.


title: Irish revolutionary period

text: In May 2010, the Institute for British Irish Studies in University College Dublin organised a conference on the theme "A Decade of Centenaries: Commemorating Our Shared History". Taoiseach Brian Cowen addressed the conference:


title: Irish revolutionary period

text: This coming decade of commemorations, if well prepared and carefully considered, should enable all of us on this island to complete the journey we have started towards lasting peace and reconciliation. Twelve years have passed since the [Good Friday] Agreement. In the next twelve years we will witness a series of commemorations which will give us pause to reflect on where we have come from, and where we are going. With the centenaries of the Ulster Covenant, the Battle of the Somme, the Easter Rising, the War of Independence, the Government of Ireland Act and the Treaty, the events which led to the political division of this island come up for re-examination. We will also reflect on the crucial roles played by the Labour movement in that defining decade.


title: Irish revolutionary period

text: He later said "We believe that mutual respect should be central to all commemorative events and that historical accuracy should be paramount."


title: Irish revolutionary period

text: The Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement discussed commemoration on 13 October 2011, at which Ian Adamson said "The main problem that persists is one of two narratives. There is a Protestant, loyalist narrative and a republican narrative."


title: Irish revolutionary period

text: That this Assembly notes the number of centenaries of significant historic events affecting the UK and Ireland in the next 10 years; calls on the Executive to ensure that these are marked in an inclusive manner; and further calls on the First Minister and deputy First Minister, the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure and the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to work together, with the British and Irish Governments, to develop a co-ordinated approach to the commemoration of these important events in our shared history.


title: Irish revolutionary period

text: An All-Party Oireachtas Consultation Group on Commemorations exists, with an "Expert Advisory Group of eminent historians". In April 2012, the National Commemorative Programme for the Decade of Centenaries, covering centenaries from 1912 to 1922, was announced in the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht under minister Jimmy Deenihan. In June, Deenihan stated that consideration will initially be focused up to 2016, centenary of the Easter Rising.


title: Irish revolutionary period

text: Hugo Swire told the UK parliament in May 2012 that the Northern Ireland Office was consulting with the Northern Ireland Executive and the Irish government, saying "All these discussions underpin the need to promote tolerance and mutual understanding to ensure that these anniversaries are commemorated with tolerance, dignity and respect for all."


title: Irish revolutionary period

text: In a debate on the programme in the Seanad in June 2012, Martin McAleese said "It may be more accurate to regard not alone the decade from 1912 to 1922 but rather the 13-year period from 1911 to 1923, as representing the turbulent years that had such a dramatic impact on the course of our island's history. There are approximately 62 events in that period which constitute the package of centenary celebrations, from the arrival of James Connolly in Belfast in 1911 through to the ending of the Civil War in 1923."


title: Irish revolutionary period

text: A series of conferences, "Reflecting on a decade of War and Revolution in Ireland 1912–1923" was organised by Universities Ireland starting in June 2012.


title: Irish revolutionary period

text: "Century Ireland" is a website launched in May 2013 to track events as their centenaries pass, using both period documents and modern commentary. It is produced by Boston College's 'Center for Irish Programs', and is funded by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and hosted by RTÉ.ie.


title: Sports-related curses

text: A sports-related curse is a superstitious belief in the effective action of some power or evil, that is used to explain the failures or misfortunes of specific sports teams, players, or even cities. Teams, players, and cities often cite a "curse" for many negative things, such as their inability to win a sports championship, or unexpected injuries.


title: Sports-related curses

text: In 1958, the Detroit Lions traded Bobby Layne to the Pittsburgh Steelers, with Layne responding to the trade by supposedly saying that the Lions would "not win for 50 years". The veracity of this story has been disputed, particularly because the quote was never published at the time.


title: Sports-related curses

text: Despite this, in the 50 years after the trade, the Lions accumulated the worst winning percentage of the 12 teams in the National Football League (NFL) at the time, and are still one of only two franchises that were in the NFL prior to 1966 that have not yet played in the Super Bowl. The Lions' lone playoff win came against the Dallas Cowboys following the 1991 season.


title: Sports-related curses

text: When the Pittsburgh Steelers won their fifth Super Bowl championship in 2006, they won it at Ford Field, the Lions' current home stadium. Two years later – in the last year of the supposed curse – the Steelers won their sixth Super Bowl championship, while the Lions finished 0–16, the first team to lose every game of a 16-game season.


title: Sports-related curses

text: This alleged curse supposedly prevented the Philadelphia Eagles franchise from winning the Super Bowl until Super Bowl LII.


title: Sports-related curses

text: The origin of this curse dates back to 1960, when the Eagles defeated the Vince Lombardi-coached Green Bay Packers to win the NFL Championship, which would be the only playoff loss in Lombardi's coaching career.


title: Sports-related curses

text: Following Lombardi's death in 1970, the League named the Super Bowl trophy in honor of his memory and his legacy.


title: Sports-related curses

text: This renaming of the trophy, combined with the Eagles' failures to win another Championship after 1960, led some Eagles fans to believe the franchise was cursed by Vince Lombardi: that being the only team to beat Lombardi in a playoff game meant never winning the trophy named after him.


title: Sports-related curses

text: During that time, the Eagles accumulated playoff heartbreaks that included two Super Bowl losses (to the then Oakland Raiders and New England Patriots), and three consecutive NFC Championship Game losses in 2001, 2002, and 2003.


title: Sports-related curses

text: The curse was broken in 2017 when the Eagles defeated the Patriots in Super Bowl LII to win their first Championship in 57 years – by coincidence, the Eagles' Championship drought lasted the same length as Lombardi's life.


title: Sports-related curses

text: Prior to 1999, every annual installment of the "Madden NFL" video game franchise primarily featured John Madden on its cover. In 1999, Electronic Arts selected San Francisco 49ers running back Garrison Hearst to appear on the PAL version's cover, and has since featured one of the league's top players on every annual installment despite Madden's opposition.


title: Sports-related curses

text: While appearing on the cover has become an honor akin to appearing on the Wheaties box, much like the "Sports Illustrated" cover jinx, certain players who appeared on the "Madden" video game box art have experienced a decline in performance, usually due to an injury.


title: Sports-related curses

text: The Super Bowl curse or Super Bowl hangover is a phrase referring to one of two things that occur in the National Football League (NFL): Super Bowl participant clubs that follow up with lower-than-expected performance the following year, and NFL teams that do not repeat as Super Bowl champions.


title: Sports-related curses

text: The phrase has been used to explain both why losing teams may post below-average winning percentages in the following year and why Super Bowl champions seldom return to the title game the following year. The term has been used since at least 1992, when "The Washington Post" commented that "the Super Bowl Curse has thrown everything it's got at the Washington Redskins. The Jinx that has bedeviled defending champs for 15 years has never been in better form". The phenomenon is attributed by football commentator and former NFL manager Charley Casserly to such elements as "a shorter offseason, contract issues, [and] more demand for your players' time". Casserly also notes that "once the season starts, you become the biggest game on everybody's schedule." Alleged curse notwithstanding, multiple teams have indeed repeated as Super Bowl champions, including the Green Bay Packers in the first two Super Bowls, the Pittsburgh Steelers twice in the 1970s, the Miami Dolphins also in the 1970s, the San Francisco 49ers in 1989 and 1990, the Dallas Cowboys in the 1990s, the Denver Broncos also in the 1990s, and the New England Patriots in the 2000s (decade), and there are multiple cases of teams reaching the conference championship or further up to four times in a row, including the 1990s Cowboys and Buffalo Bills, the 2000s Philadelphia Eagles, early 2010s San Francisco 49ers, the late 2010s-early 2020s Kansas City Chiefs (the latter two coached by Andy Reid), and most notably the 2010s New England Patriots who went to 8 straight AFC title games from 2011 through 2018, including three straight Super Bowl appearances from 2016 to 2018 winning two of them (Super Bowl LI) at the end of the 2016 season and Super Bowl LIII following the 2018 season.


title: Sports-related curses

text: Online users and tabloid journalists have written of a "Curse of Ramsey", in which celebrities die within hours of Welsh footballer Aaron Ramsey scoring regardless of where he plays. The phenomenon has been brought up after such high-profile deaths as those of Ted Kennedy, Osama bin Laden, Muammar Gadaffi, Steve Jobs, Whitney Houston, Robin Williams, Paul Walker, David Bowie, Alan Rickman, Nancy Reagan, Chester Bennington, Tommy Smith, Gregg Allman, Roger Moore, Stephen Hawking, Eric Bristow, Burt Reynolds, Mac Miller, George H. W. Bush, Keith Flint, Luke Perry, Gugu Liberato, Hosni Mubarak, Max von Sydow, June Brown & Olivia Newton-John.


title: Sports-related curses

text: In a story told in Johnny Warren's 2002 autobiography, "Sheilas, Wogs and Poofters", during a trip to play against Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) in the 1970 Mexico World Cup qualifiers in Mozambique, members of the Australia national soccer team (nicknamed the "Socceroos"), including Warren, consulted a witch doctor preceding their game. The witch doctor buried bones near the goal-posts and cursed the opposition, and Australia went on to beat Rhodesia 3–1 in the decider. However, the move backfired when the players could not come up with the £1000 demanded by the witch doctor as payment, so he cursed their team instead. Subsequently, the Socceroos failed to beat Israel and did not qualify.


title: Sports-related curses

text: Whilst the curse is used as an explanation for Australia failing to qualify for the World Cup for 32 years, including in the last match in the 1994, 1998 and 2002 qualifications, it is used in particular reference to the circumstances in which they failed to qualify for the 1998 tournament: needing a win against Iran in the final match of qualification, they drew 2–2, despite having led 2–0 in the second half of the match.


title: Sports-related curses

text: The curse was supposedly lifted by John Safran during episode 7 of his 2004 TV series "John Safran vs God". After reading the story in Warren's book, Safran travelled to Mozambique and hired a new witch doctor to channel the original to reverse the curse. The following year, the Socceroos not only qualified for the 2006 World Cup, but reached the second round before being beaten by eventual champions Italy in Kaiserslautern. The Socceroos have since qualified for the 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022 World Cups.


title: Sports-related curses

text: Australia did appear in the 1974 FIFA World Cup after the curse had been placed. However, they failed to score a goal in any of their three opening round matches, and were eliminated.


title: Sports-related curses

text: German Bundesliga club Bayer 04 Leverkusen were given the nicknames "Neverkusen", "Vizekusen" ("vize" meaning "second" in German) and "Bridesmaid of Europe" for its record during the 1990s to 2000s of reaching finals of major tournaments but failing to win, or finishing runner-up in the league. Bayer were runners-up in the Bundesliga for three out of four seasons between 1998–99 and 2001–02) and as of the 2022–23 season, have yet to win the title. The nicknames were popularised after the 2001–02 season when the club finished runner-up in the two major domestic competitions (league and cup) and the Champions League. Additionally, the German national team which finished runner-up to Brazil at the 2002 FIFA World Cup featured five Leverkusen players.


title: Sports-related curses

text: Béla Guttmann, a former Hungarian footballer and then manager, joined Benfica in 1959 and coached the Portuguese club to two Primeira Liga titles, one Portuguese Cup and two European Cups. In 1962, after his second European Cup title, he reportedly asked for a pay raise but had his request turned down despite the great success he achieved at the Lisbon club, also having his contract terminated. Then, he allegedly said: "Not in a hundred years from now will Benfica ever be European champions." Benfica has appeared in five European Cup/UEFA Champions League finals and three UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League finals since 1962 and did not win any. The alleged curse also extended to the UEFA Youth League, as Benfica's under-19 team lost three finals before winning the competition in 2021–22, thus breaking the "curse".


title: Sports-related curses

text: The veracity of this "curse", however, is disputed, as in April 1963, in an interview to "A Bola", Guttmann stated: "Benfica, at this moment, are well served and do not need me. They will win the Campeonato Nacional and will be champions of Europe again." According to David Bolchover, in his biography of Guttmann, the alleged curse was first mentioned in May 1988 by newspaper "", the day Benfica played their fifth final. The "curse" had its origins in March 1968 when "A Bola" published a loose and unsigned translation from German to Portuguese of an interview given by Guttmann to "" five months earlier, in October 1967. Moreover, in November 2011, Eusébio, who was coached by Guttmann, also denied the existence of the curse, calling it a "lie".


title: Sports-related curses

text: English football side Birmingham City F.C. played 100 years under an alleged curse from 1906 to 2006. As the legend goes, the club moved from nearby Muntz Street into its current location at St Andrew's, building the stadium on land that was being used by the Romani people. After they were forced to move, the angry Romani people put a 100-year hex on the stadium.


title: Sports-related curses

text: Throughout the years many Birmingham City managers would try to remove the curse but with little success. Former manager Ron Saunders tried to banish the curse in the 1980s by placing crucifixes on floodlights and painting the bottom of his players' boots red. Another manager, Barry Fry, in charge from 1993 to 1996, urinated in all four corners of the pitch after a clairvoyant said it would break the spell. On Boxing Day 2006 the curse was finally lifted and on that day Birmingham City celebrated a 2–1 win over Queens Park Rangers F.C. Just over four years after the alleged curse ended, Birmingham City finally won the first major final in their history – beating Arsenal 2–1 to win the 2010–11 Football League Cup. Birmingham City were relegated to the Football League Championship later that season, and have not been promoted back to the Premier League since.


title: Sports-related curses

text: Origins of the curse began during the final of the Mexican League winter tournament in 1997, contested between Cruz Azul and Club León in a two-legged match. At the time they were the 3rd and fourth teams with the most league championships in Mexico respectively. Both teams were tied until the last moments of the second leg when Leon's goalkeeper Ángel Comizzo kicked Cruz Azul's star striker Carlos Hermosillo in the face, causing Hermosillo to bleed profusely inside the penalty area, leading to a foul and a penalty kick in Cruz Azul's favor. As the penalty was given, the referee asked Hermosillo to wipe the blood from his face, but Hermosillo ignored him and took the penalty kick, scoring a late winner. Cruz Azul became league champion for the eighth time in club history, but fans believed that both teams were cursed by the blood. Leon was then relegated to an inferior league in 2002 but since 2012 they were promoted back to the now-renamed Liga MX (formerly "Primera División") and would later become back-to-back league champions after defeating Club América in the 2013 Apertura playoffs, breaking their part of the curse.


title: Sports-related curses

text: On the other hand, Cruz Azul had lost several finals in the Mexican league, the CONCACAF Champions League, and the Copa Libertadores, many of them at the last minute, which had their part in the curse hold true. While Cruz Azul won the 2013 Clausura edition of the Copa MX and the CONCACAF Champions League in 2014, the club had yet to win their first league championship since 1997. Their multiple losses and inability to win any league championship has rival club fans bestow Cruz Azul with the mock title ""Sub-Campeonísimos"" (literally "Supreme Runner ups".) Additionally, the term "'Cruzazulear'" (Cruzazul-ing) was coined to describe whenever the team (or any team in general) loses in a humiliating fashion at the last minutes. The word is now in observation by the Royal Spanish Academy


title: Sports-related curses

text: The "curse" was eventually broken at the end of the 2021 Clausura finals, when Cruz Azul defeated Santos Laguna 2–1 on aggregate, thus achieving their first league title in over 23 years, and ninth overall.


title: Sports-related curses

text: English football side Derby County were placed under a curse by a group of Romani Gypsies who were forced to move from a camp so that they could build their stadium, the Baseball Ground. The curse was that Derby County would never win the FA Cup. This mirrors the curse placed on Birmingham City F.C.


title: Sports-related curses

text: Despite reaching six FA Cup semi-finals between 1896 and 1903, including three finals, they never managed to win the trophy. The next time they reached the final was in 1946 against Charlton Athletic. In the buildup to the final, a representative from the club went to meet with Gypsies in an attempt to lift the curse. During the match, with the score tied at 1–1, the ball burst. It has since been seen by fans of the club as the moment the curse was lifted. Derby County went on to win the match 4–1.


title: Sports-related curses

text: Prior to the 2018 FIFA World Cup England hadn't won a game on a penalty shootout since 1996. The curse was broken with a penalty victory against Colombia in the 2018 World Cup round-of-16. Subsequently, England lost the UEFA Euro 2020 Final to Italy in a penalty shootout.


title: Sports-related curses

text: Starting in 2002, European winners of the FIFA World Cup have frequently been eliminated in the group stages of the next World Cup. As of 2018, Germany became the third World Champion in a row to bow out at the group stages of the World Cup, and the fourth in five competitions.


title: Sports-related curses

text: The curse was broken in 2022 when the 2018 winners France qualified for the Round of 16 after finishing first in their group.


title: Sports-related curses

text: Appearing on the cover of EA's popular "FIFA" video game series has sometimes been said to represent a curse, with players experiencing injury, poor form or other controversies in the year following their appearance on the cover. Of course, as with the "Madden" and "Sports Illustrated" cover jinx, a player who appears on the cover of "FIFA" is likely to be at the peak of his career, so there is only one way to go from there — downward. Allegedly cursed players include:


title: Sports-related curses

text: Since the first edition of the FIFA Women's World Cup in 1991, it is believed that a curse exist for every host country when they reached the quarter-finals of the FIFA Women's World Cup, with five out of six hosts failed in the last eight, except for the United States (which hosted the 1999 and 2003 editions and also the most successful one). This pattern began with China losing to Sweden in 1991, before losing again in the same stage to Norway in 2007. Sweden, as hosts of the 1995 tournament, lost to China after penalties. Germany, meanwhile, suffered the most shocking quarter-finals elimination by far, losing to Japan after extra times despite being the defending champions and hosts of the 2011 edition. Canada, hosts of the 2015 edition, fell to England in the same stage. Most recently, France, hosts of the 2019 edition, were eliminated by the United States in the last eight.


title: Sports-related curses

text: Scottish football side Hibernian endured a 114-year wait to win their third Scottish Cup, eventually doing so against Rangers in the 2016 final. Prior to this success, Hibs had lost ten Scottish Cup finals in a drought stretching back to 1902. Hibernian's hoodoo was made all the more noteworthy by their relative success in other major Scottish footballing honours - the Leith side won four league titles and three league cups whilst remaining fruitless in their search for Scottish Cup glory. In spite of remaining a prominent force within Scottish football and building notoriously excellent sides such as the Famous Five and Turnbull's Tornadoes, Hibs were for so long unable to lift the oldest trophy in world football.


title: Sports-related curses

text: Some Hibs fans attributed the absence of Scottish Cup success to a curse which a gypsy woman allegedly placed upon the club during the chairmanship of Harry Swan. Whilst renovation works were being carried out at Hibernian's Easter Road stadium in the 1950s, a harp crest – which had been displayed on the South Stand symbolising Hibernian's founding Irish roots – was removed and subsequently did not reappear when work had finished. During the 2015-16 season, Hibs' modern day badge (which includes the harp) was placed upon the facade of the West Stand at Easter Road. Less than eight months after the harp had been reinstated onto the walls of Easter Road, Hibernian were once again Scottish Cup winners after more than a century in the making.


title: Sports-related curses

text: For 15 years, J1 League team Nagoya Grampus, after getting shut out 5–0 against the Kashima Antlers at the Antlers' home stadium, Kashima Soccer Stadium during the 1993 J.League season opener, lost to the Antlers every time they played at Kashima Soccer Stadium for 22 straight games, including Emperor's Cup and J.League Cup matches. Grampus would finally win over the Kashima Antlers at Kashima Soccer Stadium on August 23, 2008.


title: Sports-related curses

text: Don Revie, manager of Leeds United from 1961 to 1974 and known for a having an array of superstitions and phobias, attributed a poor run of results in 1971 to a gypsy curse. The curse was apparently placed when a group of gypsies were evicted from the land upon which the Elland Road stadium was built in 1890. Revie thus invited a fortune teller named Gypsy Rose Lee to Elland Road. She went to all four corners of the pitch, scratched the grass and threw some seeds down, and over a cup of tea afterwards informed Revie that the curse had been lifted.


title: Sports-related curses

text: Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar claimed in interviews that the reason why Liverpool hadn't won the league since the 1989–90 season was because a witch-doctor put a curse on the club from ever winning the league in a testimonial match for Grobbelaar in 1992 and that the only way to break the curse was to urinate on the four goalposts at the Anfield stadium. In a December 2019 interview, Grobbelaar revealed to have splashed urine on all four goalposts at Anfield after a charity match in May; he had been caught urinating on the posts at the Kop end in 2014. His confession came as Liverpool won the 2019–20 Premier League with 99 points.


title: Sports-related curses

text: The Mexico national football team have been eliminated from every FIFA World Cup at the round of 16 stage from 1994 to 2018, with the first incident happening in the 1994 FIFA World Cup when the team lost to Bulgaria through a penalty shootout, and since then were eliminated at the same stage from every tournament afterwards (losing to Germany in 1998, the United States in 2002, Argentina in 2006 and 2010, Netherlands in 2014, and Brazil in 2018). Mexican fans name it "«The curse of the Fifth game»". At the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Mexico did not advance from the group stage. Consequently, Mexico could not compete in the round of 16 and were eliminated after group play for the first time since 1978.


title: Sports-related curses

text: When singer Mick Jagger openly supports a team or attends a game supporting a team, the supported team has suffered losses. The curse was widely speculated and reported on during the 2014 and 2018 World Cups.


title: Sports-related curses

text: The Netherlands national football team has been a frequent participant in the FIFA World Cup, pioneered the concept of "Total Football", and produced players such as Johann Cruyff, Marco van Basten, Johan Neeskens, Dennis Bergkamp and Ruud Gullit, but has never won the trophy. The team were runners-up in 1974, 1978 and 2010. The women's team had managed to reach the same final in the equivalent FIFA Women's World Cup when they did it in 2019, but also failed to win the trophy.


title: Sports-related curses

text: Teams who traditionally wear red and white striped shirts and black shorts are said to be cursed in the English Football League play-offs. Between the inception of the play-offs in 1987 and 2020, clubs who use those colours made 33 play-off appearances and all failed to win promotion. In that time, Brentford and Sheffield United both lost in four play-off finals, and Exeter City, Sunderland and Lincoln City lost three finals apiece. One exception occurred in 1990, when Sunderland lost to Swindon Town, but were subsequently awarded the promotion place due to financial irregularities involving Swindon. The curse was beaten in 2021, when Brentford beat Swansea City to win promotion to the Premier League. A day later, Lincoln City lost the League One play-off final to Blackpool. In 2022, Sunderland ended their own curse with victory in the League One play-off final. As of 2022, teams who wear red and white striped shirts have a play-off success rate of 8.8%.


title: Sports-related curses

text: The Scotland national football team has participated in eight FIFA World Cups, as well as three UEFA European Championship, but has always been eliminated from the first round regardless of any competitions they have participated. The same issue happens to the Scotland women's national football team, when it was eliminated from the group stage of UEFA Women's Euro 2017 and 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup despite having chances to progress.


title: Sports-related curses

text: The South Korea national football team won the first two editions of the AFC Asian Cup title, in 1956 and 1960. On the latter occasion they were also the host nation. After winning in 1960, the entire team went to receive their gold medals, only to find the medals were fake, as the money for real gold was stolen by a corrupt official. The players then demanded that the Korea Football Association acquire real gold medals, but no one took responsibility for the issue for 50 years. Some Korean fans believed the national team was cursed by this action of the KFA – the national team has not won an Asian Cup title since. In that time South Korea lost four finals, against Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Australia. The KFA tried to undo the curse by giving medals to the surviving players of 1960 and their relatives (still not completed), but as of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, they have still failed to win it again.


title: Sports-related curses

text: Since rebranding in 1992, no teams in the UEFA Champions League, except for Real Madrid, have managed to defend the trophy they won in the previous season.


title: Sports-related curses

text: In the 39-year history of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, no team won successive titles. Eight teams reached the following final as winners of the previous edition, including the first two defending title holders, but none successfully retained the trophy.


title: Sports-related curses

text: For a long time, the SANFL club the Port Adelaide Magpies had a period of prolonged dominance at Alberton Oval. It was widely commented that opposition teams became cursed as they passed by Cheltenham cemetery on the way to the ground.


title: Sports-related curses

text: Malcolm Blight, as coach for Woodville, played up the curse for his players in the lead up to a match, parking the bus in front of the cemetery, and making his players walk past it. Woodville lost the ensuing match, but Blight maintained that the team would have lost by more if he had not forced the team to walk past the cemetery.


title: Sports-related curses

text: The Colliwobbles refers to the failure of the Collingwood Football Club to win a single premiership from the years 1958 to 1990, despite appearing in nine Grand Finals during that time. Following their famous upset victory against Melbourne in 1958, Collingwood went on to lose the next 8 grand finals, including a hat trick of losses in 1979, 1980 and 1981. Two particular examples of the supposed curse include 1970, where Collingwood were leading arch-rivals Carlton by 44 points at half time, but went on to lose the match by 10 points (the largest half-time turnaround in Grand Final history), and in 1977, wherein Collingwood drew with North Melbourne in the Grand Final, before losing the replay the next week by a hefty margin, The term Collywobbles was first coined by Lou Richards. The curse was ended in 1990 after Collingwood ended their 32 year long drought by defeating Essendon. However Collingwood has continued to be cursed when playing grand finals in September having lost 4 grand finals since 1990 such as 2002, 2003, 2011 and most notably 2018 where after kicking the first 5 goals of the match they lost by 5 points thanks to a kick from Dom Sheed in the dying minutes of the game to seal a famous victory. Collingwood's only other premiership came in 2010 following a draw the week before. Collingwood only two premiership since 1958 have both occurred in October.


title: Sports-related curses

text: The Curse of Norm Smith is the name given to the curse that was supposedly behind the Melbourne Football Club's premiership drought from 1964 until 2021. Partway through the 1965 VFL season, the Melbourne Football Club sacked coach Norm Smith. The sacking came as a massive surprise, as Smith was and still is considered one of the greatest coaches in VFL/AFL history, and under his tenure Melbourne were the most dominant club in the competition, participating in 8 Grand Finals, including a record seven consecutive grand finals from 1954 to 1960, for six premierships. The reasons for the sacking were vague, but mostly centered around concerns that his personality was becoming bigger than the club itself, as well as an incident in 1963 where he was sued by umpire Don Blew for defamation. Smith was soon reinstated after fan backlash and a collapse in the team's performance, however the damage was done and his relationship with the Melbourne board was ruined, he left for good in 1967. The ignominious way in which the sacking was performed has become fodder for a "curse" within club folklore as the reason behind the club's inability to win another premiership for 57 years. Melbourne would fail to make the finals for the next twenty-two seasons (1965 to 1986). They also won seven wooden spoons and only appeared in two grand finals (1988 & 2000, in both instances being beaten by large margins) from 1965 to 2020.


title: Sports-related curses

text: Numerous other unfortunate events in the history of the Melbourne Football Club have also been attributed to the curse, such as Jim Stynes' after the siren free kick giveaway in Melbourne's 1987 Preliminary Final match against the Hawthorn Hawks, which allowed Hawthorn player Gary Buckenara to kick the winning goal, as well as serious knee injuries to players including David Schwarz and Christian Petracca. In 2021, after 57 years (ironically the same age of Smith when he died in 1973), the curse was broken when Melbourne won the 2021 AFL Grand Final over the Western Bulldogs by the biggest margin in the club's history, in a game played in Perth.


title: Sports-related curses

text: This is the name given to AFL club 's 11 match losing streak against rivals , from the 2008 AFL Grand Final to the 2013 preliminary final. After the Hawks won the 2008 premiership, then-Hawthorn President Jeff Kennett proclaimed that Geelong "lacked the mentality to defeat Hawthorn in big games". From that time, however, Geelong defeated Hawthorn eleven times in a row, most games being decided by 10 points or less. The winning streak was also attributed to comments made by Paul Chapman that the Cats will "never lose to them again" following the 2008 Grand Final. Chapman missed Hawthorn's curse-breaking win in 2013 due to suspension.


title: Sports-related curses

text: Some allege that there was a curse placed on the Boston Red Sox, who failed to win a World Series after 1918, apparently due to the selling of Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees. Before the sale, the Red Sox had won four titles in seven years (1912–1918). After the sale, the Yankees went on to win 27 World Series Championships. The "curse" was broken when, after 86 seasons, the Red Sox defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 4 games to 0 in the 2004 World Series (before the Series, the Red Sox had come back from a 3-games-to-0 deficit, a first in Major League postseason history, to defeat the Yankees at the original Yankee Stadium for the American League pennant).


title: Sports-related curses

text: Both of Chicago's baseball teams were involved in supposed curses. The Chicago Cubs, after benefiting from a baserunning error by New York Giants' Fred Merkle during the last couple of weeks in the season, won the 1908 World Series. From 1909 to 2015, the Cubs did not win a World Series, despite participating as the National League (NL) champion seven times between 1910 and 1945. The 1945 World Series appearance was most notable because it marked the start of the Curse of the Billy Goat. That incident involved Billy Sianis, owner of the Billy Goat Tavern, who was asked to leave a World Series game vs. the Detroit Tigers because his pet goat's odor bothered other fans. From 1946 to 2015, the closest the Cubs had advanced to the World Series was five outs away in game 6 of the 2003 NLCS vs. the Florida Marlins, when Steve Bartman, a Cubs fan, attempted to catch a foul ball. The Cubs defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2016 National League Championship Series (NLCS), winning the organization's first National League (NL) pennant since 1945. The Cubs finally won the 2016 World Series against the Cleveland Indians, their first championship in 108 years.


title: Sports-related curses

text: The Chicago White Sox were said to have been cursed because of their role in fixing the 1919 World Series. As a result, the Cincinnati Reds won that series in eight games, and eight White Sox players were banned by baseball for their actions in throwing the series. The White Sox wouldn't win another World Series until 2005, when they swept the Houston Astros in four games.


title: Sports-related curses

text: This curse supposedly prevents the Cleveland Guardians (formerly Indians) from competing in a pennant race, reaching postseason play, or winning the American League (AL) pennant and/or World Series. The origin of this curse dates back to , when the then-Cleveland Indians traded outfielder Rocky Colavito to the Detroit Tigers for outfielder Harvey Kuenn. Cleveland played in and lost the World Series in , , and , blowing a 3–1 series lead in the latter. The last time they emerged victorious in the World Series was in .


title: Sports-related curses

text: This curse was supposedly cast on the Hanshin Tigers by Colonel Harland Sanders (the founder and mascot of Kentucky Fried Chicken) after fans of the team threw his statue into the Dōtonbori Canal while celebrating the Tigers' 1985 Japan Championship Series, not to be recovered until 2009.


title: Sports-related curses

text: This curse is an alleged hex placed on the San Francisco Giants following their move from New York City and refers to Coogan's Bluff which is a cliff that overlooked the former site of the Polo Grounds, which was the Giants' home in New York. In 1921, the Giants honored Eddie Grant, the first Major League Baseball player killed in World War I, with a plaque in centerfield, but the plaque was lost during the field invasion by fans that followed the Giants' final game at Polo Grounds at the end of the 1957 season.


title: Sports-related curses

text: Since then, the Giants, who had won five World Series titles, all but the first with the Eddie Grant plaque in centerfield, lost in their next three World Series appearances, including the '89 Series that was delayed because of the Loma Prieta earthquake. Two of those series losses were in the seventh game.


title: Sports-related curses

text: The Giants were approached on multiple occasions with offers to replace the plaque, but the management refused, citing a preference to keep the team's New York history separate. But the team eventually relented, installing a replica of the original plaque in AT&T Park on Memorial Day, 2006. A club official at the time said, "Baseball fans are so superstitious, and players are too, so you have to take this stuff seriously. And if by putting up a plaque we can break some sort of curse, who's to say it's not the right thing to do?"


title: Sports-related curses

text: The Giants won their first World Series in San Francisco in 2010, followed by World Series victories in 2012 and 2014. It should be mentioned that all three victories were won on the road, away from San Francisco.


title: Sports-related curses

text: The Curse of '51 allegedly prevents Mayo from winning the Sam Maguire Cup ever again, or at least until the death has occurred of every member of the last winning team from 1951. It remains unbroken—despite the team reaching the final on eleven occasions since then, they have either completely collapsed on the day or been undone by a series of other unfortunate events.


title: Sports-related curses

text: The legend tells us that while the boisterous Mayo team were passing through Foxford on the victorious journey home, the team failed to wait quietly for a funeral cortège to pass by on its way to the graveyard. The presiding priest consequently put a curse on Mayo football to never win a subsequent All-Ireland Final until all members of the 1951 team are dead.


title: Sports-related curses

text: In 1989, Mayo reached their first All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final since their last victory in 1951 only to lose to Cork. In 1996, a freak point by Meath at the end of the final forced a replay, which saw Mayo concede another late score that would deny them victory. Kerry bridged an 11-year title gap against them in 1997 with a three-point win, before torturing them by eight points in 2004 and thirteen points in 2006.