It’s been ages since I last did the newsletter – so welcome to the new people. Due to the long hiatus, a quick recap: I pick interesting sports stories that you should read. That’s it. I try and group them by sport, usually, but not always.
With no further ado, this is the best of the last few months. Savour.
GOLF
How crass can you get? The Tiger vs Phil bet-athon showed that golf has decided to learn all the worst bits from boxing – and still get it wrong. (Note – golf can’t afford to lose Woods).
FOOTBALL
The 36 hours that shamed Argentine football.
It’s 4 years – just 4! – until Qatar completely ruins the World Cup for ever more. I’ve always been a sceptic about Qatar, but I thought Russia would be awful, and it wasn’t, so I could be wrong. However, the Guardian wrote a rather flattering puff piece, which I thought was an advertorial initially, accompanied by a much more hard hitting one on the workers. Odd. The i just went straight for the jugular.
News – Fifa to stage WC every 2 years? 48 teams? They can’t leave a good structure alone.
I’m not sure you can make this argument with a straight face, but apparently Lionel Messi is underrated…
RUGBY
Ireland are the best. Here’s how and why.
NFL
You may have missed it, but the recent Rams v Chiefs game was astonishing. This is the new NFL model.
BASEBALL
Meanwhile, baseball is in trouble. Name a famous player? See. Plus, there are now more strike outs than hits.
US
Sports have become video games. Which is to say, the tactics have caught up with the video game age.
CRICKET
The story behind Australia’s great scandal.
TENNIS
There are still no major winners born since 1990. WTF?
DOPER
The Armstrong comeback. Really.
