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New York Times
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
The Premier League satisfaction-o-meter 2024-25: Joy, misery and gallows humour
'Are you taking the p***?' This is David L. And David L is asking an entirely reasonable question. Because David L is a Manchester United fan and, as a Manchester United fan, David L is not entirely happy about a request from The Athletic to offer some feedback on the season just gone. Because the season just gone has been a total f***ing omni-shambles for Manchester United and so being asked to rate his satisfaction level feels futile and offensive to David L, like one more jab to already fractured ribs. Advertisement And so, in the comment section, David L unburdens himself and he howls in anguish. And here in the comment section, David L is far from alone. Sihan T says, 'Is this a joke??' Steve S says, 'FFS! Is this a windup?' Enzo D says, 'The Athletic going full troll mode with this one,' a statement that, at the time of writing, has been liked 139 times. To which, in response, we can only say: we see you, we hear you, and we understand. But this is science, David L. This is statistical purity. In our laser-focused drive for truth, we take no account of the colour of your shirt, the stripes on your back, the badge on your chest, the good or bad. There is no bias here. We have asked the same basic question of each and every club in the Premier League, we have crunched the numbers and built a table and, without fear and without favour, we present the results in all their stark simplicity. We capture a moment in time and record it for posterity. And then — but only then — do we actually take the p***. With that out of the way, it is a hearty welcome to The Athletic's inaugural Premier League satisfaction-o-meter, the older, greyer, wearier, grumpier, angrier (and much less snappy) sibling of the hope-o-meter that we inflict upon you every August, gauging your mood as the whole shebang lurches into action. Hope is often beautiful and deluded, fleeting and fragile and precious, but satisfaction and its opposite are real. It is based on what has happened rather than what might happen and, as we all know, reality is quite often bloody awful. Let's head back to the Manchester United comments. This, from Edward S, has been edited for hilarity. Sorry, sorry — I mean brevity. 'Very satisfied — I love relegation form. I enjoy the anaemic, s*** passing. I enjoy a formation that lets you finish 17th and knocks you out of Europe so you can practise it more the next season without annoying European matches getting in the way of learning it more. I like the fact that INEOS have saved us from the Glazers' mismanagement. I like (Ruben) Amorim's hair and his press conferences. The team plays like they're in the (National League), but he's gorgeous to look at.' Advertisement For the record, Edward S may not be wholly sincere (or actually very satisfied). He is also not wholly correct, because they finished 15th. As should be crystal clear by now, when it comes raging, fulminating discontent, Manchester United sit in the relegation zone of the satisfaction-o-meter; 88.3 per cent of respondents to our survey describe themselves as very dissatisfied with the season and 7.7 per cent are merely dissatisfied which, in turn, means that remaining four per cent surely pressed the wrong button by accident. Hey, we all make mistakes! Particularly Manchester Uni… no, that's just too easy. As it goes, in places the satisfaction-o-meter reflects the Premier League table, which is entirely logical. Liverpool finished top and 99.5 per cent of their supporters feel shades of satisfaction. Southampton finished bottom and 88.9 per cent feel shades of dissatisfaction. Smart, forward-thinking clubs like Brighton, Bournemouth, Brentford and Fulham take evident pleasure from reaping the rewards for doing things differently, and why shouldn't they? And then there are the other trophy-winners, with Crystal Palace (FA Cup) and Newcastle United (Carabao Cup), overwhelmingly happy. In the Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur lost 22 matches and finished 17th, one spot above the relegation places, but then they beat Manchester United (paging David L) in the Europa League final and more than 90 per cent of their fans count themselves satisfied. It hangs by the slenderest of threads, but glory trumps it all. At this point, some apologies are due. Ten months ago, Nottingham Forest supporters topped our hope-o-meter with a whopping 95 per cent and my riposte was a snarky 'What is all that about?' Well, George, you total buffoon, it's all about having a really good team with a really astute manager and the best and most generous and handsome owner in the world, so please don't ban us like you did with Gary Neville. Forest fans are 96 per cent very satisfied, which feels 100 per cent right. Another big sorry goes out to Rob Tanner, The Athletic's brilliant Leicester City writer. Having called out Rob for his portents of misery and strife in August — 'The promotion party is well and truly over,' he said, bleakly — the brutal accuracy of his prediction is now evident. What came up went juddering back down; that 32.3 per cent of our Ipswich Town responders declare themselves satisfied with the season is surely novelty speaking. On that front, they will come to learn. Advertisement In other regards, self-congratulation is in order. In terms of hope, Arsenal were second in our pre-season table, 'which is absolutely perfect,' I wrote, 'because they will forever be second.' And, with crushing inevitability, Arsenal did indeed finish second in the Premier League and, apparently, second is the antithesis of hope for Arsenal, because when it comes to overall satisfaction, Arsenal are very much bottom half. So perhaps you could call these thoughts second thoughts. Credit to our Manchester City subscribers, who placed 13th when it came to optimism and who finish the season in a firm state of dissatisfaction. Neither one thing nor the other are Chelsea — albeit the survey was taken ahead of their participation in the UEFA Conference League final, which is pretty crucial — and Wolverhampton Wanderers, who ended the season strongly (at least until the very end), but began it in a state of frozen animation. Timing is everything in football; how different would these results look if we had first posed the question on Monday, when Aston Villa had missed out on the Champions League by the skinniest of margins, rather than last week? Elsewhere, results calcified. West Ham United's overall dissatisfaction of 97.6 per cent was a league high (or low), while optimism bloomed at Everton as they said farewell to Goodison Park and said welcome home to David Moyes, a juxtaposition of past and future. Nothing is eternal; not stadia, not managers, not Manchester City's dominance and not even Newcastle's long wait for silverware, which some of us had accepted as a lifetime's burden. Somewhere, sometime, somehow, Rob Tanner's face will break into the loveliest smile, Arsenal will no longer be second and maybe Manchester United will stop being quite so bad. And then, David L, it will be your gift, your joy, your inalienable right, nay your solemn duty as a football fan, to take the p*** out of somebody else. (Top photos: Getty Images)
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
FlatRate Moving Joins Elite Federal Movers List with GSA Approval
NEW YORK, April 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- FlatRate Moving is proud to announce its official approval to participate in the General Services Administration (GSA)'s Centralized Household Goods Traffic Management Program (CHAMP) Domestic Program. This designation recognizes FlatRate's exceptional standards of service, operational reliability, and compliance with the highest levels of federal moving and logistics requirements. As an approved Transportation Service Provider (TSP), FlatRate joins a select group of movers entrusted with managing household goods relocations for federal agencies. The company's inclusion in the CHAMP program reflects its outstanding capabilities, customer satisfaction, and track record of managing large-scale, secure relocations with professionalism and precision. "Being accepted into the GSA's CHAMP program is an exciting milestone," said David L. Giampietro, General Counsel & Chief Administrative Officer at FlatRate Moving. "It affirms our commitment to excellence and highlights the trust that public institutions place in our services." FlatRate continues to elevate its role as a premier logistics partner for government operations, offering best-in-class moving solutions tailored to the demands of federal contracts. For more information, visit Media Contact: David L. GiampietroGeneral Counsel & Chief Administrative OfficerFlatRate Moving (718) 475-5790(646) 596-2638davidg@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE FlatRate Moving
Boston Globe
01-04-2025
- Climate
- Boston Globe
April can spring some weather surprises on New England, but mainly it's equal showers and warmer days
The official forecast from NOAA this year calls for equal chances of above or below-average temperatures and precipitation. Often when we sit in the middle like that, we typically end up with an average month. In other words, not excessively wet or dry and not too cold or warm. This doesn't mean we couldn't see a few days of any of that type of weather; it's just that the odds favor a less extreme April. The forecast calls for equal chances of above or below-average temperatures for April. Boston Globe Advertisement April may bring average precipitation across New England with more rain across the middle part of the country. Boston Globe One thing that is consistent in April is the inconsistency. During this spring month, we have seen temperatures as hot as the mid-90s - as recently as 2009, it reached 93 degrees on April 28. And there's the famous 94-degree reading in 1976 that hit just before the Boston Marathon that year. On the opposite spectrum, Boston experienced a cold 16 degrees during the second biggest April snowstorm back in 1982, and in 2016, it reached 22 degrees on April 4. The years 1999 and 2001 saw just under nine-tenths of an inch of precipitation for the entire month, while 2004 had over 9½ inches for an abundance of April showers. Advertisement Snow in April? Of course, there has been snow in April: Most famously, the Since then, there have been Aprils with some snow, but with the warming climate, snow in April is becoming less and less likely. Although, it's not out of the question. Kids sled down Garden Street in Beacon Hill after the April Fool's Blizzard of 1997. RYAN, David L. GLOBE STAFF Glorious daylight We gain an hour and 15 minutes of Once we get past the threat of a hard freeze, if you move your house plants outside, it's a good idea to put them in the morning sun for a few days before exposing them to the strengthening ultraviolet rays. If you're looking to get some color in the ground during April, there are hardy annuals that you can plant. Pansies, of course, are one of the ubiquitous flowers this time of year. Alyssum, violas, and snapdragons can also handle the chill of spring. Advertisement Thoughts turn to flowers and gardening with the arrival of April. Dave Epstein The
Boston Globe
29-01-2025
- Climate
- Boston Globe
Born in Maine, trained in climate chaos
Much of the reason for the extreme fluctuations we experience is due to geography. In Massachusetts, we have areas close to the ocean, others that are farther away, places with deep valleys, and cities like Worcester Advertisement Spring Uniformly, it is likely more people anticipate spring than any other season. My guess is it also disappoints the most as well. Meteorologically, spring arrives March 1, and astronomically, it gets here three weeks later. If your idea of spring is sunshine with temperatures in the 60s, you're going to be really disappointed living around here. Ocean temperatures are near their minimums in March, and that cold pool of Atlantic water influences our Lenten season. To embrace spring is to notice the light increasing, surpassing 12 hours in the middle of March and nearing 15 by the end of May. March can bring snow and cold, but it can also usher in unusual heat. Keep the winter tools close at hand, and don't be ruffled if you're shoveling one day, cursing the weather gods, and heading to the beach the next. Advertisement People were sledding in Beacon Hill after a blizzard pummeled the area on April 1 in 1997. It had been sunny and in the 60s the day before. RYAN, David L. GLOBE STAFF Spring can also bring longer bouts of drizzle, clouds, and raw temperatures, which feel like you can't even warm up. In this type of weather, the crocuses last a little longer, the daffodils shine with small droplets of moisture, and the birds are singing up a storm, from an early March crescendo into a cacophony of music throughout May. Sea breezes are a hallmark of this part of the country. From Gloucester through Lynn into the city of Boston, south to Scituate and Marshfield, and onto Cape Cod, temperatures can struggle out of the 50s on an April day, while inland areas along Interstate 128 westward to Route 495 and to the southwest can enjoy temperatures in the 70s and even near 80 degrees. While you may curse the sea breeze in April, you'll rejoice for it in July. The Boston Marathon takes place on Patriots Day, and weather is big business for the race and can mean the difference between slogging in a sweat or dashing in dampness. Summer Over the past 30 years, our summers have continued to grow warmer. A season in which air conditioning was more of a luxury in the middle of the 20th century is now a necessity. Afternoon temperatures are routinely in the 80s or higher for much of July and August, but it's the nights that have really warmed up. The humidity can be oppressive, keeping midnight temperatures over 70 degrees and making it difficult to sleep. Advertisement The good news? The ocean remains chilly for the first half of summer but warms to comfortable swimming levels throughout July, warmth that can linger past Labor Day. QUINCY - Beach-goers flocked to Wollaston Beach during a heat wave last June. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff Whereas rainy days can be a staple of the spring, summer precipitation comes in the form of showers and scattered thunderstorms. As these make their way toward the Atlantic, they often fall apart quickly, with the stability of the Atlantic air eroding the moisture and lift so necessary in warm season precipitation. If you are a gardener, be prepared to get out the hoses, and in a wet summer, fungus will abound. Some of these thunderstorms can become quite severe, and while not common, a tornado or two spins up somewhere in the area in most years. Extreme heat can also be a part of summer, with the mercury reaching the century mark as it has done 27 times in Boston. The highest ever, 104 degrees, was set on July 4, 1911. Perhaps it's the reason why the saying 'as hot as the fourth of July' came about. That summer was a scoahchah , with four days of 100-degree weather in just over a week. The hottest corridor of Massachusetts stretches from the Merrimack Valley down to the southwest suburbs of Boston. This area runs north through Manchester and Concord in New Hampshire and then into the western part of Cumberland and York counties in Maine. The summer heat and humidity do eventually break — sometimes just for a couple of days — but by September the chances of heat and humidity start to diminish. Autumn F. Scott Fitzgerald may have been talking about New England when he wrote in 'The Great Gatsby' that, 'Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.' If you polled folks on what their favorite season is, I surmise that many would say autumn, with September leading the list. Advertisement SALEM - A nonnative bald cypress provided the last of fall foliage color at Greenlawn Cemetery in October 2023. Lane Turner/Globe Staff The ninth month means windows are open, there is less humidity, and shadows are longer; yet don't be surprised if you get a beach day, too. An early morning walk might require a light jacket, but shorts can be donned most afternoons. If you live on the coast, an ever-present eye to the tropics is warranted this time of year. Although the last hurricane to reach New England hit in late August, perhaps the most famous storm came on shore across Connecticut as a Category 3 on Sept. 21, 1938, dropping trees like matchsticks and flooding Narragansett Bay with a storm surge of 12 to 15 feet. The storm submerged downtown Providence with nearly 20 feet of water. Falmouth and New Bedford had about 8. Hurricanes are rare in this part of the world but should not be discounted, as we are long overdue. The second half of autumn turns colder, and by Halloween, there's already a slight risk of snow. Thanksgiving brings the start of 'stick season,' with more clouds and precipitation, mostly in the form of rain. There is a gloominess to the decreasing light and early sunsets, but November can also be beautiful, with the crunch of leaves underfoot and a crispness in the air, a warm fire, and the comfort of bulkier sweaters to hide the results of your holiday feasting. Winter It's perhaps the least-liked season, although it's one I love. Advertisement There's high variability, and it's the toughest one for forecasters. A slight wobble in a storm track can mean the difference between a major snowstorm and rain. Even a forecast of a plowable storm can result in just a few flurries. Stay tuned to the latest predictions, and expect them to change day to day and sometimes in just a few hours. Christmas is notoriously disappointing for folks wanting the ground to be white, with more than three-quarters of the years showing bare ground, not sleigh-ready surfaces for Santa. Daylight reaches its absolute minimum in the middle of December, although in a ray of hope for those suffering from seasonal affective disorder, the sunsets actually start getting a little bit later by the ninth of December. But the morning darkness continues to grow until early January. Bird feeders help to liven up the doldrums of winter. If it's cold enough, the ice can grow to multiple inches thick and allow for pond skating. Winter walks in the afternoon in late January and February can still be taken up to and even past 5 p.m. Just after Valentine's Day, you'll begin to hear the morning sounds of singing birds seeking out a mate with the hopeful promise of another spring. Send comments to .
