Is it time for Wenger to change his philosophy?
As I watched Arsenal surprisingly lose the English League Cup final to Birmingham on Sunday, I remembered an old tale from Hans Christen Andersen called “The Emperor’s New Clothes.”
You may know about this story from the legendary Danish writer which illustrates how intellectual vanity can lead someone into believing in something that everyone else can see is not true.
In my perspective, Arsene Wenger is guilty of this behavior, and let me be the one to point out and say, “but he isn’t wearing anything thing at all, he’s naked!” FULL POST
Should minor nations play at the Cricket World Cup?
The International Cricket Council has decided that the 2015 World Cup will involve just 10 teams – four fewer than this year.
It’s a decision which has been endorsed by Australia captain Ricky Ponting, who believes the so-called "minnows" of the game just aren’t competitive enough and that one-sided matches compromise the tournament.
Cricket is a massive sport, but its popularity is restricted to certain pockets in the world. For many people outside these areas, the game is like a foreign language – very difficult to understand. So shouldn’t organizers be trying to encourage cricket's global growth rather than discourage it? It is called the "World" Cup, after all! FULL POST
Will French barbs derail England's rugby revival?
When you say you don’t like your opponent, just days before a potentially championship-deciding match, it’s going to create a stir. But I believe England’s rugby players couldn’t care less about Marc Lievremont’s provocative remarks.
Not only did the France coach express his dislike for England, he also claimed the other four teams in the Six Nations tournament felt the same way. According to Lievremont, his cross-channel neighbors are “insular.” FULL POST
 |
Posted by Filed under: Rugby |
Vote for Blatter – or 'None of the Above'?
The bid by Grant Wahl to oppose Sepp Blatter in this year’s FIFA presidential election might seem like a humorous act of self-publicity by the Sports Illustrated magazine journalist, but it’s very much in keeping with the spirit of the times.
I’m not putting the battle for world football's top job on a par with the life and death struggle for democracy in the Middle East, but the tide of people power sweeping through countries such as Tunisia, Egypt and Libya can’t help but inspire a “we can” mentality among some of us watching the drama unfold. FULL POST
Have Formula One's new riches come at a cost?
So, the Formula One season will now start in Melbourne, Australia, on March 27th. As Red Bull's Aussie driver Mark Webber put it: "Back to the good old days."
Australia has become used to kicking off the annual Formula One circus since 1996, but the emergence of a new track in Bahrain, whose backers have seemingly bottomless pockets, changed all that.
 |
Posted by Filed under: Motorsport |
Have football clubs lost all national identity?
Last week's Champions League victories by Arsenal and Shakhtar Donetsk over Barcelona and Roma had football pundits around the world praising the exploits of the English and Ukrainian clubs.
However, as impressive as those wins were, it's debatable how much credit those two nations deserve for their clubs' successes. FULL POST
Is the NBA All Star-weekend basketball's Superbowl?
I've covered FIFA World Cup football finals, UEFA Champions League finals and a fair few other high-profile tournaments in my time, but I was not quite sure what to expect when I was asked to attend my first ever NBA All- Star weekend here in Southern California.
Of course, I had a reasonable idea in one respect given the location of the event - Los Angeles, Hollywood. And we all know that nobody does showbiz or razzamataz quite like the Americans. There was a celeb sighting pretty much every which way you looked and the legions of young fans following Canadian singing sensation Justin Bieber were not disappointed with his appearance on court during the All- Star Celebrity game.
 |
Posted by Filed under: U.S. Sport |
Bangladesh excited to host Cricket World Cup
It's hard to travel around Dhaka this week without running into Stumpy, mascot to the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup. The city is dotted with posters of the upbeat, cartoonish blue elephant. In each one, he's holding a cricket bat-shaped clock, counting down to the second the World Cup begins.
As if anyone in cricket-mad Bangladesh could forget. FULL POST
Why Gattuso has to lose his cool
Don’t expect Gennaro Gattuso to change even if UEFA punishes him for his aggressive behavior in Tuesday's fiery Champions League encounter at the San Siro stadium in Italy.
The footage of AC Milan’s captain grabbing Tottenham’s assistant coach Joe Jordan by the throat and, later, head-butting him is sure to be a hit on video sharing websites, and a massive talking point in offices around the world. FULL POST
|
|
Posted by Filed under: Football |
Can Murray become a grand slam champion?
Some may describe him as sulky, some as dour. Both are sometimes right – but there’s a lot more to British tennis star Andy Murray than his on-court persona.
Not only is he said to be a popular member of the dressing room – and often seen to crack a smile or two - he’s also, as we saw recently at Melbourne Park, a really good player. FULL POST
