The Daily Bee (November 30, 2020): Schalke Unintentionally Clowned by Fifth-Tier Tasmania Berlin

Good morning, Fear the Wall.

As many of you know, the club known as FC Schalke 04 is in something of a sub-optimal run of form. After falling once again at the hands of Borussia Monchengladbach yesterday, our great friends from Gelsenkirchen have gone winless in 24 consecutive matches in the Bundesliga. They are only seven more winless matches from the Bundesliga record of 31 consecutive matches without a victory. This record was set by SV Tasmania Berlin way back in 1966. For Tasmania Berlina, who have had to carry that badge of dishonor for 54 years, you might think that Schalke approaching that record would bring some measure of relief.

And you would be wrong! As it turns out, Tasmania Berlin have learned to embrace their record over the years. According to ESPN, the club’s executive director believes that this record is part of the club’s identity, and that it helps maintain the club’s notoriety.

“It’s been part of our identity for so long,” Almir Numic, the club’s executive director, told ESPN. “This record helps us. When we sit down with sponsors, we don’t have to explain who Tas are. The first thing you see on Sportschau [a popular German football highlights show] every year is our crest. That’s just cool. It’s become part of what we are.”

You might say that this is the very definition of a small club mentality, but at the end of the day, Tasmania Berlin are just that - a small club, and with them playing all the way down in the 5th division, this is just about their only claim to fame at this point.

So there you go Schalke. While most of the league laughs at your ineptitude, just know that there’s a small contingent in Berlin that wants nothing more than for you to win a game and keep the status quo intact.

The Daily Buzz

How many turkey sandwiches have you eaten in the last three days? I’m sitting on six right now.