FORUMS FORUMS






RLFANS.COM
Celebrating
25 years service to
the Rugby League
Community!

   WWW.RLFANS.COM • View topic - iPitch
J20 
User avatar
RankPostsTeam
Player Coach6096No
Team
Selected
JoinedServiceReputation
Apr 15 200916 yearsN/A
OnlineLast PostLast Page
20th Jun 15 18:0111th Oct 14 08:08LINK
Milestone Posts
5000
10000
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
W-I-D-N-E-S!
Signature
This isn't a sleeping giant, it's a giant! Denis Betts Nov 2010

Twitter: @JoeyViking

Re: iPitch : Thu Feb 09, 2012 10:39 am  
kinleycat wrote:
I cant recall a serious game of sport being abandoned for a tib and fib injury.
TBH ive played in games where such injury's have occurred at amateur level and not ever seen it.


Really? It's common place especially when the majority of the game has gone (as in this place) so the result can stand.
User avatar
RankPostsTeam
Player Coach9974
JoinedServiceReputation
Feb 07 200916 yearsN/A
OnlineLast PostLast Page
18th Feb 19 20:425th Feb 19 20:58LINK
Milestone Posts
5000
10000
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
In the shed aerating my wort!!!
Signature
READ THE AUP:
//forums.rlfans.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=438945&tsmp=1381997916

Re: iPitch : Thu Feb 09, 2012 12:43 pm  
J20 wrote:
Really? It's common place especially when the majority of the game has gone (as in this place) so the result can stand.

If it's so common I'm sure i could recall some, but i can't.
I'd say its almost certainly unprecedented, i am more than happy to be proved wrong of course.
J20 
User avatar
RankPostsTeam
Player Coach6096No
Team
Selected
JoinedServiceReputation
Apr 15 200916 yearsN/A
OnlineLast PostLast Page
20th Jun 15 18:0111th Oct 14 08:08LINK
Milestone Posts
5000
10000
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
W-I-D-N-E-S!
Signature
This isn't a sleeping giant, it's a giant! Denis Betts Nov 2010

Twitter: @JoeyViking

Re: iPitch : Thu Feb 09, 2012 1:33 pm  
kinleycat wrote:
If it's so common I'm sure i could recall some, but i can't.
I'd say its almost certainly unprecedented, i am more than happy to be proved wrong of course.


I've played in games were we have moved onto a next pitch and carried on? Clearly this wasn't an option here.

As Rich said in those conditions too would probably need a full warm up to go back put for last 15 mins and I dint think the clubs fancied risking their young stars.
User avatar
RankPostsTeam
Player Coach9974
JoinedServiceReputation
Feb 07 200916 yearsN/A
OnlineLast PostLast Page
18th Feb 19 20:425th Feb 19 20:58LINK
Milestone Posts
5000
10000
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
In the shed aerating my wort!!!
Signature
READ THE AUP:
//forums.rlfans.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=438945&tsmp=1381997916

Re: iPitch : Thu Feb 09, 2012 2:18 pm  
J20 wrote:
I've played in games were we have moved onto a next pitch and carried on? Clearly this wasn't an option here.

As Rich said in those conditions too would probably need a full warm up to go back put for last 15 mins and I dint think the clubs fancied risking their young stars.


I'm not convinced, i have never heard of a game being called for a broken leg ever, even a bad one like this.
They happen fairly often at football, i have seen a few on TV and never has a game been called, i have personally played (albeit RU) in a couple of games where players have been ambulanced off with suspected broken back and neck injuries and the game still played on.
So sadly I'm not buying it, i aren't saying the injury was caused by the pitch/weather combination, not at all but i am saying it IMO played a part in the decision or the psyche of the person/people involved in calling the game off rightly or wrongly.
Under these circumstances the game would have normally continued, i don't know of any other example of a game being called off in this way.
User avatar
RankPostsTeam
Player Coach246No
Team
Selected
JoinedServiceReputation
Jan 30 200619 yearsN/A
OnlineLast PostLast Page
7th Jan 15 21:3521st Nov 14 16:25LINK
Milestone Posts
200
250
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530

Re: iPitch : Thu Feb 09, 2012 2:37 pm  
I've watched Pro RL and Amatuer RL since a kid, I've been there at games where they've been abandoned, never a pro (or academy/reserves)

I'd say about 5 in my lifetime, plus a couple more where the games moved to an adjacent pitch

If the medical staff present are not confident in moving the individual they would await an ambulance, dependent on the time between the ref then chooses to abandon. Due to the weather and the prolonged gap I supposed it made sense to abandon the game.

Are you Wakey fans thinking you had a chance to get back in the game? ;-)
User avatar
RankPostsTeam
Club Owner599No
Team
Selected
JoinedServiceReputation
Oct 10 200321 yearsN/A
OnlineLast PostLast Page
21st Jul 12 07:269th Jul 12 14:47LINK
Milestone Posts
500
1000
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Signature
This is history. This is history. Right here. Right now. This is history.

I thought it was Widnes?

[quote="BIGAL1"]All games are winnable, whats hard to understand about that.

Wakefield turn over a big club every season and i see no reason why Widnes can't do the same.[/quote]

Re: iPitch : Thu Feb 09, 2012 3:30 pm  
kinleycat wrote:
I'm not convinced, i have never heard of a game being called for a broken leg ever, even a bad one like this.
They happen fairly often at football, i have seen a few on TV and never has a game been called, i have personally played (albeit RU) in a couple of games where players have been ambulanced off with suspected broken back and neck injuries and the game still played on.
So sadly I'm not buying it, i aren't saying the injury was caused by the pitch/weather combination, not at all but i am saying it IMO played a part in the decision or the psyche of the person/people involved in calling the game off rightly or wrongly.
Under these circumstances the game would have normally continued, i don't know of any other example of a game being called off in this way.


If you are that concerned then write to your local MP. :roll:
RankPostsTeam
Player Coach3941No
Team
Selected
JoinedServiceReputation
Jan 10 201015 years341st
OnlineLast PostLast Page
21st Jun 24 04:2513th Jun 24 23:40LINK
Milestone Posts
2500
5000
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530

Re: iPitch : Thu Feb 09, 2012 3:36 pm  
I think Leigh East have been playing on an I Pitch for a few years.Maybe they can say what think?
Pepe 
User avatar
RankPostsTeam
Player Coach5870No
Team
Selected
JoinedServiceReputation
Apr 18 200619 yearsN/A
OnlineLast PostLast Page
29th Jan 16 18:1511th Aug 14 17:23LINK
Milestone Posts
5000
10000
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
God's little green acre - Widnes!
Signature
Image
On thread drift:
tb wrote:
Tough. Conversations develop. It's their nature.

Little Pepe went to nursery school one day wearing his Widnes hat. His teacher asked him why he was a Widnes fan. He said, “Because my parents are.” His teacher said, “That’s not good. What would you do if your parents were drug dealers and hookers?” He replied, “Well then I would be a Warrington fan.”

There's a Wooly over there, baggy kecks and feathered hair
with a 3 star jumper half way up his back, that’s a fecking Wooly back!

Oooh-to… Oooh-to-be… Oooh-to-be-a… WOOLY!

Re: iPitch : Thu Feb 09, 2012 4:40 pm  
kinleycat wrote:
I'm not convinced

And you never will be, no matter what. You have already made up your mind, and probably did so before a game was played on the ipitch. After the events of last weekend, you are now outraged and hysterical. The more people try to reason with you, the more angry and entrenched your opinions become.

I am still sceptical about the ipitch, but the explanation of the extreme weather conditions being responsible for the grazes caused to some players, makes perfect sense. Despite the everything, the ipitch still out-performed grass, in those conditions, as it remained soft under foot - unlike turf. The grazing injuries caused are not unlike those caused by turf in those conditions but, because turf will be rock hard, the ipitch is the better option for both joint and impact injury.

If there was any chance that the officials at the game, including those from your own club, thought that the ipitch was responsible for the injury to Thomas Coyle, then an official complaint with a full report would have been made by the Wakefield club and RFL match officials. There wasn't a complaint from anywhere about the pitch being, in any way, dangerous.

The reason the game was stopped has already been explained to you. What your experiences of these situations are, are not relevant in any way. You are not important and not in possession of all the facts. Perhaps you should trust the opinion of the officials and doctors from your own club and stop trying to score some petty trolling points at the expense of Thomas Coyle's terrible, season ending, injury. :?
User avatar
RankPostsTeam
Player Coach9974
JoinedServiceReputation
Feb 07 200916 yearsN/A
OnlineLast PostLast Page
18th Feb 19 20:425th Feb 19 20:58LINK
Milestone Posts
5000
10000
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
In the shed aerating my wort!!!
Signature
READ THE AUP:
//forums.rlfans.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=438945&tsmp=1381997916

Re: iPitch : Thu Feb 09, 2012 6:26 pm  
Pepe wrote:
And you never will be, no matter what. You have already made up your mind, and probably did so before a game was played on the ipitch. After the events of last weekend, you are now outraged and hysterical. The more people try to reason with you, the more angry and entrenched your opinions become.

I am still sceptical about the ipitch, but the explanation of the extreme weather conditions being responsible for the grazes caused to some players, makes perfect sense. Despite the everything, the ipitch still out-performed grass, in those conditions, as it remained soft under foot - unlike turf. The grazing injuries caused are not unlike those caused by turf in those conditions but, because turf will be rock hard, the ipitch is the better option for both joint and impact injury.

If there was any chance that the officials at the game, including those from your own club, thought that the ipitch was responsible for the injury to Thomas Coyle, then an official complaint with a full report would have been made by the Wakefield club and RFL match officials. There wasn't a complaint from anywhere about the pitch being, in any way, dangerous.

The reason the game was stopped has already been explained to you. What your experiences of these situations are, are not relevant in any way. You are not important and not in possession of all the facts. Perhaps you should trust the opinion of the officials and doctors from your own club and stop trying to score some petty trolling points at the expense of Thomas Coyle's terrible, season ending, injury. :?

Pepe you make too many assumptions, all of which are flawed.
I have already extolled the virtues of the pitch at business and community level, I'm just not convinced that it's a suitable surface for RL.
I can guarantee before the game which I attended (if I had made my mind up I probably wouldn't have gone?) I had doubts naturally, as no doubt did you, and every other widnes fan, you'd have to be unbelievably stupid not to.
The pitch and the weather and a combination of both could be argued against ang grass pitch, but the fact that the game has been played on it for over 100 years gives it (grass) credibility.
This surface has no such credibility and as such all aspects of it will be questioned, it happened in football it happened in NFL.
Both the other sports have very different aspects to RL, be that the general dynamics of the game or the kit worn by its competitors, again this is virgin territory for RL.
What calls this pitch into question for me are the reactions on Twitter of players (2 of whom played for you) comments made on sky, and then an air brushing of Saturday by DB when having a dig at Mathers, making out all was fine, when in fact there was contradictory evidence against that claim. No facts but if there was 100% confidence the pitch was blame free why not say "well one game didn't finish and we've a lad with a broken leg" instead of "we've had three games played on this pitch with no problem" I know which I think is the truer reflection of events, even if the pitch was blame free, which in fairness nobody knows.
You've played one competitive game so the jury is still out, your own players took to wearing skins, perhaps because of the weather perhaps not, but as I said to J20 this is only the beginning of the pitch cross examination, and I'd it's a struggle after Wakey god help you when the real moaners come to town.
IMO the real danger of this pitch is that it pre arms the opposition with some ready made arguments and Widnes will become forever a Luton Town known only for a pitch which raised objection.
IMO Widnes need to embrace and investigate all complaints thoroughly for the IPitch's ultimate benefit not go straight on the defensive as DB and people such as yourself are doing, but then again you've already said my opinion counts for nothing, so let's look again at who's made their mind's up before any decision has been reached?
The jury's not only still out, they haven't even sworn on the bible yet, it's going to be a long season, and I fear you have plenty more flack to come.
Pepe 
User avatar
RankPostsTeam
Player Coach5870No
Team
Selected
JoinedServiceReputation
Apr 18 200619 yearsN/A
OnlineLast PostLast Page
29th Jan 16 18:1511th Aug 14 17:23LINK
Milestone Posts
5000
10000
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
God's little green acre - Widnes!
Signature
Image
On thread drift:
tb wrote:
Tough. Conversations develop. It's their nature.

Little Pepe went to nursery school one day wearing his Widnes hat. His teacher asked him why he was a Widnes fan. He said, “Because my parents are.” His teacher said, “That’s not good. What would you do if your parents were drug dealers and hookers?” He replied, “Well then I would be a Warrington fan.”

There's a Wooly over there, baggy kecks and feathered hair
with a 3 star jumper half way up his back, that’s a fecking Wooly back!

Oooh-to… Oooh-to-be… Oooh-to-be-a… WOOLY!

Re: iPitch : Thu Feb 09, 2012 7:11 pm  
kinleycat wrote:
Pepe you make too many assumptions, all of which are flawed.
I have already extolled the virtues of the pitch at business and community level, I'm just not convinced that it's a suitable surface for RL.
I can guarantee before the game which I attended (if I had made my mind up I probably wouldn't have gone?) I had doubts naturally, as no doubt did you, and every other widnes fan, you'd have to be unbelievably stupid not to.
The pitch and the weather and a combination of both could be argued against ang grass pitch, but the fact that the game has been played on it for over 100 years gives it (grass) credibility.
This surface has no such credibility and as such all aspects of it will be questioned, it happened in football it happened in NFL.
Both the other sports have very different aspects to RL, be that the general dynamics of the game or the kit worn by its competitors, again this is virgin territory for RL.
What calls this pitch into question for me are the reactions on Twitter of players (2 of whom played for you) comments made on sky, and then an air brushing of Saturday by DB when having a dig at Mathers, making out all was fine, when in fact there was contradictory evidence against that claim. No facts but if there was 100% confidence the pitch was blame free why not say "well one game didn't finish and we've a lad with a broken leg" instead of "we've had three games played on this pitch with no problem" I know which I think is the truer reflection of events, even if the pitch was blame free, which in fairness nobody knows.
You've played one competitive game so the jury is still out, your own players took to wearing skins, perhaps because of the weather perhaps not, but as I said to J20 this is only the beginning of the pitch cross examination, and I'd it's a struggle after Wakey god help you when the real moaners come to town.
IMO the real danger of this pitch is that it pre arms the opposition with some ready made arguments and Widnes will become forever a Luton Town known only for a pitch which raised objection.
IMO Widnes need to embrace and investigate all complaints thoroughly for the IPitch's ultimate benefit not go straight on the defensive as DB and people such as yourself are doing, but then again you've already said my opinion counts for nothing, so let's look again at who's made their mind's up before any decision has been reached?
The jury's not only still out, they haven't even sworn on the bible yet, it's going to be a long season, and I fear you have plenty more flack to come.


I have already said that I am sceptical about the suitability of the ipitch for RL. I can even understand players being upset with their grazes and tweeting about it. My main criticism of Richie Mathers was the fact he jumped on the back of some players wishing Thomas Coyle well by trying to tie Tommy’s horrendous injury in with what happened to him the night before. He was trying to make capitol out of it. That was utterly vile, imo. He did delete it, but the damage was done.

You are now coming on here trying to make an issue out of the fact the academy game was abandoned, after the injury to TC. You have been told the reasons, but refuse to accept them. As there isn’t a scrap of evidence to suggest any other reason for the games abandonment, I see no reason to bang on about it. The pitch played no part in the injury or the abandonment of the game. If it had, we would know about it. It was abandoned for perfectly logical reasons that were particular to the incident, time constraints and conditions on the day. Anything within your experience is irrelevant. You are just banging on about it to try to make some point about the safety of the ipitch. You weren’t there and lack the first hand knowledge of the events or the expertise to analyze it. I suggest you take the word of the people and officials who were there. As you seem unable to do this, it is clear that your mind is already made up – a fair assumption by me I’d guess. Certainly, there is more basis in fact than your assumptions on the ipitch.

Whilst I do remain sceptical myself, I think, because the massive benefits that the ipitch brings (and they are considerable and could do absolute wonders for the sport) it is worth giving the ipitch the benefit of the doubt until we have more evidence to the contrary.

At worst, a few bandages on knees and elbows are required. Possibly even just a bit of extra Vaseline is all that may be required. This may only be for a couple of games during the early part of the season. When the weather gets better we may not even need that. There is no major health issue other than grazes, so some of the hysterical criticism from some over emotional people is very miss-placed.

If it doesn’t work out, it will be removed by the club and probably re-located at a local playing field the club has earmarked as a possible training facility for the academy teams.
PreviousNext

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 74 guests

REPLY

Subject: 
Message:
   
Please note using apple style emoji's can result in posting failures.
Use the FULL EDITOR to better format content or upload images, be notified of replies etc...

Return to Widnes Vikings


RLFANS Recent Posts
FORUM
LAST
POST
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
12m
DoR - New Coach - Investor & Adam - New signings
Rugby Raider
4007
22m
Fixtures 2025
Faithful One
61
23m
Pre Season - 2025
OmneFC
180
23m
Film game
karetaker
5588
26m
Salford placed in special measures
FIL
94
45m
Assistant Coach - Langley
The Biffs Ba
28
56m
Fixtures
Wollo-Wollo-
9
Recent
Game - Song Titles
Wanderer
40713
Recent
Catalan Away
Dannyboywt1
1
Recent
Noah Booth out on loan
Willzay
16
FORUM
LAST
VIEW
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
1m
TV Games - Not Hull
WIZEB
3079
1m
Transfer Talk V5
Clearwing
494
1m
Fixtures
Wollo-Wollo-
9
1m
Game - Song Titles
Wanderer
40713
2m
Assistant Coach - Langley
The Biffs Ba
28
2m
Accounts
Tony Fax
130
2m
Salford placed in special measures
FIL
94
3m
The Brick Stadium ownership update
Stanfax
52
3m
Pre Season - 2025
OmneFC
180
3m
Call for funds
Brew
191
FORUM
NEW
TOPICS
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
TODAY
Catalan Away
Dannyboywt1
1
TODAY
2025 Betfred Super League Fixtures
RLFANS News
1
TODAY
2025 fixtures
karetaker
14
TODAY
Fixtures
Wollo-Wollo-
9
TODAY
Salford
rubber ducki
8
TODAY
WCC Off
NickyKiss
10
TODAY
Leeds away first up
WT_Midlander
36
TODAY
Jake McLoughlin
Wanderer
1
TODAY
Assistant Coach - Langley
The Biffs Ba
28
TODAY
Noah Booth out on loan
Willzay
16
TODAY
Luke Gale testimonial match
BarnsleyGull
2
TODAY
England 5 - 0 Ireland
Sadfish
1
TODAY
Magic Weekend 2025 - Back To Newcastle
RLFANS News
1
NEWS ITEMS
VIEWS
2025 Betfred Super League Fixt..
236
Magic Weekend 2025 - Back To N..
471
England Beat Samoa To Take Tes..
1235
England's Women Demolish The W..
1063
England Beat Samoa Comfortably..
1297
Operational Rules Tribunal –..
1090
IMG-RFL club gradings released..
1350
Wakefield Trinity Win Champion..
1897
Hunslet Secure Promotion After..
2115
Trinity Into Play Off Final Af..
2358
Wigan Warriors Crowned Champio..
1933
York Valkyrie Win Back to Back..
2168
Hunslet Book Relegation Play O..
2635
Penrith Panthers Secure Fourth..
2060
Wigan Humiliate Leigh For Gran..
2140
RLFANS Match Centre
Matches on TV
Thu 13th Feb
SL
20:00
Wigan-Leigh
Fri 14th Feb
SL
20:00
Hull KR-Castleford
SL
20:00
Catalans-Hull FC
Sat 15th Feb
SL
15:00
Leeds - Wakefield
SL
17:30
St.Helens-Salford
Sun 16th Feb
SL
15:00
Huddersfield-Warrington
Thu 20th Feb
SL
20:00
Wakefield - Hull KR
Fri 21st Feb
SL
20:00
Warrington-Catalans
SL
20:00
Hull FC-Wigan
Sat 22nd Feb
SL
15:00
Salford-Leeds
SL
20:00
Castleford-St.Helens
Sun 23rd Feb
SL
14:30
Leigh-Huddersfield
This is an inplay table and live positions can change.
Mens Betfred Super League XXVIII ROUND : 1
 PLDFADIFFPTS
Wigan 29 768 338 430 48
Hull KR 29 731 344 387 44
Warrington 29 769 351 418 42
Leigh 29 580 442 138 33
Salford 28 556 561 -5 32
St.Helens 28 618 411 207 30
 
Catalans 27 475 427 48 30
Leeds 27 530 488 42 28
Huddersfield 27 468 658 -190 20
Castleford 27 425 735 -310 15
Hull FC 27 328 894 -566 6
LondonB 27 317 916 -599 6
This is an inplay table and live positions can change.
Betfred Championship 2024 ROUND : 1
 PLDFADIFFPTS
Wakefield 27 1032 275 757 52
Toulouse 26 765 388 377 37
Bradford 28 723 420 303 36
York 29 695 501 194 32
Widnes 27 561 502 59 29
Featherstone 27 634 525 109 28
 
Sheffield 26 626 526 100 28
Doncaster 26 498 619 -121 25
Halifax 26 509 650 -141 22
Batley 26 422 591 -169 22
Swinton 28 484 676 -192 20
Barrow 25 442 720 -278 19
Whitehaven 25 437 826 -389 18
Dewsbury 27 348 879 -531 4
Hunslet 1 6 10 -4 0
RLFANS Recent Posts
FORUM
LAST
POST
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
12m
DoR - New Coach - Investor & Adam - New signings
Rugby Raider
4007
22m
Fixtures 2025
Faithful One
61
23m
Pre Season - 2025
OmneFC
180
23m
Film game
karetaker
5588
26m
Salford placed in special measures
FIL
94
45m
Assistant Coach - Langley
The Biffs Ba
28
56m
Fixtures
Wollo-Wollo-
9
Recent
Game - Song Titles
Wanderer
40713
Recent
Catalan Away
Dannyboywt1
1
Recent
Noah Booth out on loan
Willzay
16
FORUM
LAST
VIEW
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
1m
TV Games - Not Hull
WIZEB
3079
1m
Transfer Talk V5
Clearwing
494
1m
Fixtures
Wollo-Wollo-
9
1m
Game - Song Titles
Wanderer
40713
2m
Assistant Coach - Langley
The Biffs Ba
28
2m
Accounts
Tony Fax
130
2m
Salford placed in special measures
FIL
94
3m
The Brick Stadium ownership update
Stanfax
52
3m
Pre Season - 2025
OmneFC
180
3m
Call for funds
Brew
191
FORUM
NEW
TOPICS
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
TODAY
Catalan Away
Dannyboywt1
1
TODAY
2025 Betfred Super League Fixtures
RLFANS News
1
TODAY
2025 fixtures
karetaker
14
TODAY
Fixtures
Wollo-Wollo-
9
TODAY
Salford
rubber ducki
8
TODAY
WCC Off
NickyKiss
10
TODAY
Leeds away first up
WT_Midlander
36
TODAY
Jake McLoughlin
Wanderer
1
TODAY
Assistant Coach - Langley
The Biffs Ba
28
TODAY
Noah Booth out on loan
Willzay
16
TODAY
Luke Gale testimonial match
BarnsleyGull
2
TODAY
England 5 - 0 Ireland
Sadfish
1
TODAY
Magic Weekend 2025 - Back To Newcastle
RLFANS News
1
NEWS ITEMS
VIEWS
2025 Betfred Super League Fixt..
236
Magic Weekend 2025 - Back To N..
471
England Beat Samoa To Take Tes..
1235
England's Women Demolish The W..
1063
England Beat Samoa Comfortably..
1297
Operational Rules Tribunal –..
1090
IMG-RFL club gradings released..
1350
Wakefield Trinity Win Champion..
1897
Hunslet Secure Promotion After..
2115
Trinity Into Play Off Final Af..
2358
Wigan Warriors Crowned Champio..
1933
York Valkyrie Win Back to Back..
2168
Hunslet Book Relegation Play O..
2635
Penrith Panthers Secure Fourth..
2060
Wigan Humiliate Leigh For Gran..
2140


Visit the RLFANS.COM SHOP
for more merchandise!