First – apologies to anyone who got last-week’s newsletter yesterday. I screwed up a Mailchimp setting. It won’t happen again (promise).
Now to the sport. Novak Djokovic’s win in Melbourne gives tennis an all-too familiar and predictable feel. Which is a shame, as he’s clearly doing everything right. The strange thing is, the storyline should get way more interesting at the French – yet it probably won’t. Were he to win, the criticism will be that he is too good, making the game boring, too dominant. Lose, and it’s 2015 all over again. Lose-lose. At some point in the not-too-distant future, we will miss him. We just can’t see it yet.
RUGBY
Six Nations is a chance for northern hemisphere clubs to forget World Cup. Except if they can’t, here’s how they lag the southern teams.
CRICKET
Here’s a question that you might not have thought of: Is Virat Kohli a spoiled child or a magnificent, angry stag?
The brilliant Andy Bull writes a beautiful goodbye to Shiv Chanderpaul: “The end of one long rearguard against decline“.
Ben Stokes: his series vs SA was really F-good. Here’s how his career is adding up (me in the FT).
SUPER BOWL 50
NFL teams can’t handle the truth data.
Peyton Manning has had the worst season of any Super Bowl quarterback ever.
Why you shouldn’t be offended by Cam Newton.
We’re living in the golden age of Super Bowls: Ten of the last 15 Super Bowls have been decided by one possession.
The NFL is screwing the world out of watching the only known copy of Super Bowl I.
TENNIS
Novak Djokovic won the Aussie Open last weekend, confirming that 2016 will be pretty similar to 2015 – ie his show. The questions now: will Andy Murray ever be more than the ‘other guy’? Can Novak ever be loved? And is he too late to join the all-time greats?
The indispensable 50 thoughts from Jon Wertheim.
I wasn’t freaking out about upsets in women’s tennis, but apparently some people are, and should stop.
And (great read) an invitation into the shadowy world of match fixing.
FOOTBALL
Karen Brady, Brexit, football.
Roberto Martínez does not like to talk about referees but…
Seriously? Did China invent football?
GOLF
Is Jordan Spieth in danger of burning out?
MISC
A brilliant NYTimes article about Mexico’s great bullfighter.
That’s it – see you next week.