Share Button

The golf was cold, the cycling was heated, and the cricket completely different to last time. Plus, (and you don’t get to write this every week), urine and cash have both been chucked about. Sport Geek’s take on the week is below. Please feel free to share and spread the word.

GOLF
Damn you, bible-lovin’ Zach Johnson. You’ve ruined Speith’s grand slam dream. To be fair, it wasn’t just Johnson – Speith didn’t even make the play-off (by one shot).

Meanwhile, the other Johnson – Dustin – needs to work out why he keeps on throwing away tournament leads. Phil Mickelson is now pretty irrelevant, except for those in the glazing business. Tiger? “Tiger Woods is starting to sound like a man who has been alone in the wild for too long.” Will he stop saying he’s ‘nearly there’ after this round at the Open? Probably not.

Of course, with all the excitement on the course, there was no need for Peter Alliss to make a stupid remark, was there? Oh.

Can you coach golf via Twitter? Apparently you can, and it works.

Each week I think the whole Donald Trump thing will end. But no. Here he is, being a total jerk again, this time over the Women’s Open.

CRICKET
Talk about a change in Ashes fortunes. Were Australia brilliant, or did England implode? So now it’s England’s turn to look at team changes.  But… whatever the series outcome, at least the commentators can say what they like. Unlike in India.

CYCLING
Boy, that escalated fast. The Tour de France has got heated this year. Froome’s data was hacked (see last week’s Sport Geek), then he had urine chucked at him, then his teammate was punched. Sky go on TV to try and head off the doping rumours.

Behind the news, let’s look at three issues. 1 – can performance alone be enough to condemn a rider as a doper? 2 – what about mechanical doping? and 3 – why does no-one love Chris Froome?

TENNIS
The Davis Cup is wide open this year – can Andy Murray take GB all the way?

Last week I said US tennis had some bright young prospects. This article may kill your hope.

At the moment the score reads Time 0, Serena 1. How long can it last?

Djokovic watch: is he better right now than Federer‘s 2004-07 peak? Why he needs the US Open to really cement his place as one of the greats. And why we must try to love his cyborg-esque play.

What the hell has happened to Australian tennis?

Does tennis have a race problem? Answer: yes.

ATHLETICS
Is Usain Bolt clean? With so many dirty sprinters, it’s hard to have faith.

There goes the women’s 1,500m world record.

FOOTBALL

With so many big money transfers going on, perhaps it was understandable that someone might miss the odd detail… like the fee.

The house that David Beckham will build.

I wasn’t aware of the “Designated Player” rule in US soccer. It isn’t the guy who has to drive his mates to the bar. It’s the guy who gets a lot more money than everyone else.

Asamoah Gyan: what might have been.

Money isn’t a new football phenomenon. Pelé was milked by Santos for all they could get.

Can a German team really come and play in Greece given, you know, everything.

Horrific: underage African footballers ‘trafficked’ to Laos

BASKETBALL
NBA teams shouldn’t plead poverty. But maybe the players should? Here’s an argument that they are underpaid.

FIFA
Comedian chucks cash at Blatter. Blatter responds with unintentionally hilarious quote.

STATS
Comparing across generations of sport isn’t easy.

STADIUMS
London’s £701m Olympic Stadium. So good they built it twice.

Tottenham to groundshare with Arsenal? Can’t see any problems here, no siree.

The Milwaukee Bucks get $250m towards their new home. Doesn’t anyone learn?

F1
Jules Bianchi’s death was tragic, but F1 racing will always carry that risk.

BASEBALL
Fewer drugs = fewer home runs. Ah well.

FINANCE
Real Madrid head the list of the world’s 50 most valuable sports teams.

AMERICAN FOOTBALL
Post-Patriots, which teams will emerge as the NFL contenders for the next decade?

That’s it, thanks and see you next Tuesday. Any suggestions, shout: newsletter@minto.net.