Weekend Warm-up: How can you not like Bayern Munich’s Niklas Süle?; Cobra Kai’s trailer is straight fire; Bundesliga predictions; and MORE!

If there was any one quote from this week that hit home this week, it came in the wake of Bayern Munich’s 2-0 victory over Lokomotiv Moscow in the Champions League.

“When I play like scheiße, I don’t feel like doing the interviews that much — and when I play well, I don’t feel like doing the interviews either,” Niklas Süle said on Sky after the Lokomotiv Moscow game (as captured by Abendzeitung). “I am very happy that we finished the group with a win. We were just incredibly strong in this competition in 2020. What is written doesn’t mean scheiße.”

And Süle probably has a lot of valid reasons to not give a scheiße about anything involving the media these days. For Süle especially, the media has been even more of circus to deal with. The talented back-liner has seen his fitness and weight criticized of late (then refuted) and also probably seen the stories that Bayern Munich is not yet convinced that he can commit enough to be worthy of a contract extension.

More, Sport Bild led speculation yesterday that Süle is “angry” because of the lack of support he felt from club leadership while his “fitness issues” were slung through the media. No matter how thick-skinned (no pun intended...seriously) a player is, that can all add up.

Despite those stories, though, Süle just keeps pushing forward. The big man on the backline is working his way back to form after a devastating ACL tear last season and for the most part, has been very good. While he did have a lapse last weekend against RB Leipzig, Süle has been very solid otherwise — and also has the requisite size, speed, dribbling ability, and passing touch to be a foundational defensive piece for the Bavarians...even if he (allegedly) carries an extra pound or two at times.

And that’s the rub for us at Bavarian Football Works. We have fun with this those stories because they are completely absurd. I mean, the second any journalist can out-race Süle or check in with a lower body fat percentage...maybe then we’ll start to take those reports a little more seriously.

What is not absurd, though, are the expectations that Hansi Flick has for his players. Flick has exhibited great communication with his roster and appears to be a very supportive manager, who has built up a significant amount of trust with his troops. The 55-year-old does, however, have a stringent idea of what he expects.

If you deviate from that standard, Flick will hold you accountable. From the outside looking in, Flick can be a “praiser” and provide tough love — sometimes even in the same statement. Whatever the case, that approach has worked — and hopefully Süle is growing from it.

Even with a roster overflowing with defensive talent, the 25-year-old could be the key to the club’s defensive future. So, whether Süle gives a scheiße or not about what is written or said, he could be one of the integral players for Bayern Munich for years to come.

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Cobra Kai trailer released

Okay, so you know I’m a fan of the series Cobra Kai, so hopefully you’ll enjoy the latest trailer as much as I did:

There is certainly a lot to unpack there:

• The inevitable team-up of Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso might happen.
• Sensei John Kreese is back and looking more evil than ever.
• More teen drama, including a what has to be a red card of a leg sweep/slide tackle during gym class.
• Some juvenile correction center throwdowns for Robby Keene.
• A garage brawl.
• Some throwbacks to the Karate Kid sequels.
• Dee Snyder?????? (Twisted Sister’s “Stay Hungry” album was one of the first cassettes I owned)
• Maybe an appearance for Ali Mills?

What do you get when jamming all of that together in two minutes and 27 seconds? A very excited me. The only thing missing was more random shots of Johnny drinking Coors Banquet Beer.

I’m all for a sullen Lawrence slamming Banquets like it’s his job. Anyway, I’m going to check out for the rest of the day to start my campaign of getting this trailer nominated for an Emmy.

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It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia gets four more years

If you are a fan of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, then you’ll be very happy. The gang will get four more seasons to regale us with their hijinks and antics. If you — somehow — have never seen the show before, you should immediately put it in your viewing queue.

There are some downright hilarious moments in just about every episode. Aside of the comedic genius that Charlie Day (Charlie Kelly), Glenn Howerton (Dennis Reynolds), Rob McElhenney (Mac), and Kaitlin Olson (Dee Reynolds) put forth, Danny DeVito absolutely steals the show as degenerate-in-chief, Frank Reynolds.

While I can’t say that the show is an exact depiction of Philadelphia and its residents, there are A LOT of storylines, bits, and behaviors that, well, hit a little close to home if you will — in an always hilarious way.

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Predictions

Bayern Munich is working through its rotations and injuries...and still finding ways to be competitive enough to earn draws against with world-class squads like Atletico Madrid and RB Leipzig.

Union Berlin, meanwhile, will be heading into this match-up a little shorthanded as its main man, Max Kruse, is out injured. With Kruse, Union Berlin is a thrill-ride, but he is assuredly the proverbial straw that stirs the drink. Can Der Eisern Union match the Bavarians punch-for-punch?

Probably not.

While Union Berlin will still field some potent offensive players, they’ll be facing an uphill battle without Kruse and Bayern Munich will be raring to go.

Prediction: Union Berlin 1-5 Bayern Munich

Here are the predictions for the rest of the Bundesliga. Let’s hope they are better than my performance last week:

• Wolfsburg 3-2 Eintracht Frankfurt
• Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-1 Hertha Berlin
• Borussia Dortmund 2-1 VfB Stuttgart
• SC Freiburg 3-2 Arminia Bielefeld
• Mainz 05 2-2 FC Köln
• RB Leipzig 3-2 Werder Bremen
• FC Augsburg 2-1 Schalke 04
• Bayern Leverkusen 3-2 Hoffenheim

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Predictions Record

I was awful in the Bundesliga last week. Dreadful, pitiful, brutal...they all apply to my 2-7 performance.

The guest prognosticators finally took an “L” unfortunately with the Bayern Munich vs. RB Leipzig draw. As fun of a game as it was, it cost us our guest predictors...EVERYTHING. In addition, they added another loss with a Borussia Mönchengladbach prediction in the Champions League.

Last Bundesliga match day record: 2-7 (Shameful!)

Last Champions League match day record: 1-0

Overall record: 50-46*

Guest predictors record: 17-3

(*includes DFL-Supercup, DFB-Pokal, and Champions League)