A reminder

It's still international Talk Like a Pirate Day, so if you still have the urge to drink rum in low company, it's not too late.

People have always been fascinated by pirates, even in their heyday when Captain Johnson's A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pirates was a best-seller which did much to create the popular image of the swash-buckling rebel. But, remember, this fascination can be taken too far, as in the case of one the most unfortunately named sports teams ever: the Butte Pirates. You can probably do your own jokes about plundering booty and all the rest of it.

PS: I first encountered the Pirates in this list of the worst sports names of all time. This list is, however, sadly parochial and misses some even more ridiculous names from outwith North America. Admittedly pirates don't feature. But with teams like the Mysterious Dwarfs of Ghana, shirt sales favourites Deportivo Wanka of Peru and the unbeatable* Dangerous Darkies of South Africa, who needs them?

*In footballing terms they are very beatable. As this old league table shows. They've been declining ever since and have a limited web presence.