As the title of this one suggests, there is a something of a thread. As the Guardian’s Andy Bull notes, most sledging in cricket is really weak stuff about biscuits and mothers. In the NFL, taunting can get you in trouble – just for bobbing your head about a bit. Tanking, though, is properly naawty. And Nick Kyrgios is taking it to a new level.
But before the essential reading of the week – a quick note on MY BOOK Sports Geek which is out tomorrow. It was described by Chris Evans as “the perfect toilet book” and he meant it nicely. I agree. Do buy it. And then tell 10 people about it. That’s how things go “viral”, apparently.
CYCLING
There’s no love lost in British cycling. Froome “raises questions” over Wiggins and TUEs. Ouch.
CRICKET
Sledging has always been shit. Here’s how shit.
Best-33? Strike Rate Ratio? Weighted Wicket Probability? Some excellent ideas for a new cricket stat.
NFL
I actually hadn’t heard of the penalty for “taunting” in the NFL. In general, there’s an exuberance crackdown that seems rather a shame.
In other NFL news, they went 15-1 last season and reached the Super Bowl. But the Carolina Panthers’ season is pretty much over, as they have lost four of their first five games. What the hell has gone wrong?
TENNIS
Nick Kyrgios is never far from the naughty step. Check out his latest drama. Does he owe us, the public, to play to his best, or just himself?
BASKETBALL
LeBron James 2.0 is still going to be pretty amazing.
FOOTBALL
Arsene Wenger and the ‘dark yellow‘.
Xi Jinping’s dream of making China a soccer superpower is turning into a nightmare.
How video games have changed football.
RUGBY
Rugby woes. On the pitch: South Africa; off the pitch: New Zealand.
Cheers, see you soon, yeah?
