Nick Walshaw makes a good enough point when he exposes sportsmen whining about 24X7 publicity for what they are. In fact any professional athlete who finds the incessant media glare too much would be well served to memorize the following:
“Of course, athletes whingeing about the fishbowl is like carpenters with splinters. Or call girls complaining of sore backs”
An extract from Trescothick’s autobiography “Coming back to me” – brave, emotional and gut wrenching:
“The next thing I knew for sure I was following the doc, Peter Gregory, out of the hotel lift towards his room. The moment he let me into his room I broke down. In between the sobs and tears I told him: "I feel sick. I feel anxious. I feel really nervous, I feel homesick and I'm missing Hayley. I'm missing Ellie and every time I see these kids begging at the side of the road I just want to cry. It busts my heart."
"What do you want to do?" he asked me. "Do you want to go home?"
"No," I said. "I can't leave the tour."
I'd been through some tough nights before. But what happened between now and the following morning was unlike anything I had experienced.
I started sweating heavily. I started shaking. I felt myself losing control. I was petrified. Then came the pictures in my head, specific, enormous, terrifying images. Sometimes, with the covers pulled tightly over my head, I would try and hide from the thoughts, Then, sometimes out of bed, almost blind with fear, I tried to run from them. Sometimes, I would stand stock still and imagine I could fight the fear with my bare hands”
This is one book I might just run out and buy.
Do we live in such a racially sensitive world that a marketing campaign which encouraged spectators to turn up for the NZ – WI test match decked in all white becomes a subject of controversy?
Either people have too much idle time on their hands or too thin a skin. I frankly cannot comprehend what the fuss is all about!?
If the old Brass Spittoon and the Old Oaken bucket don’t ring a bell and you are a Hoosier, then you should definitely check this out. A fascinating gallery of all the old quirky trophies which abound in American College football.
As a side note , the Old Oaken is not something the Hoosiers would want to talk about now after being savaged at Purdue.
Comcast carrying NFL network on a digital premium tier had raised the hackles of NFL head honchos who cited unfair discrimination. With the FCC making an initial ruling in its favor the NFL had everything going for it. But as all good things come to an end, a FCC appeals panel has ruled that the initial judgment was given in haste and a full hearing is required before things are sorted out.
Watch this space for more on the tussle between NFL and Comcast.
Atherton has been one of the better commentators in recent times and has actually done justice to the adage that retired cricketers make better commentators. In his latest piece in the Times, he argues the case that Pietersen must change his rather obstinate view of the tweakers or face much heartbreak in India.
My pick in the article
“On my first and only tour to India 15 years ago, I recall standing in the middle of Eden Gardens in Calcutta, staring at a dry, cracked pitch and wondering why, when India had just announced a team that included three spinners and one quick bowler, we were about to send out a battery of four quick bowlers. For the first two weeks of this tour it has been a case, as the great Yogi Berra said, of déjà vu all over again.”
Tom Crean , the Hoosiers new basketball coach talks about the challenges which the Hoosiers reputed basketball program faces in the short run.
The Indian morality police gone bonkers. Coming up next – Indian umpires in Langotas.
Indian cricket gets cheerleaders but without the skimpy costumes - Telegraph
The next time you spend ages lining up that putt or fairway drive you are actually ruining your chances of a good score. Don’t believe me? Check out Speed Golfing where you don’t think ( I would not have a problem with that ) but just play.
A rare interview with the head honcho of the NCAA as he discusses the challenges before him. Interesting read.
NCAA's Miles Brand Discusses Football Playoff, More - WSJ.com
Looks like all is not well in Putin country with private investors developing cold feet over their promised investments in Sochi for the winter Olympics. From the housing markets to winter Olympics, where will it all end?
