Sports Category
Sports news, commentary and scores with wit and added value. We compare and contrast the best and worst sports reporting in the mainstream press, blogs, TV and online. We love the English Premier League (Arsenal, Liverpool, Spurs, Manchester United and Manchester City) and all things football but we cover cricket, rugby, the Olympics, tennis, golf, F1 and highlights of the sporting year.
Manchester United Balls: After Mata, United Will Raid Man City, Newcastle, Spours, Everton and Southampton
WHY are Manchester United set to buy Juan Mata from Chelsea? Because Terry Venables told them to. Says Terry Venables in the Sun:
ON Saturday, I urged David Moyes to make a move for Chelsea’s Juan Mata. Now it looks like he has listened to my advice and is ready to clinch a £40million deal for the Spaniard.
Terry now says Untied should buy: Yaya Toure (amn City), Tim Krul, Cheick Tiote, Yohan Cabaye (all Newcastle), Adam Lallana, Jay Rodriguez, Luke Shaw (all Southampton), Phil Jagielka, Leighton Baines (both Everton), Paulinho, Mousa Dembele (both Spurs) Stevan Jovetic away from Manchester City?
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Posted: 22nd, January 2014 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment (1)
Australian Open: Ballboy Returns Ball With His Face
MEANWHILE…. At the Australian Open:
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Every True Football Fan Should Stand With Spurs’ Yid Army: Sing What We Want To
GARY Whybrow, 31, of west London, Sam Parsons, 24, of Amersham, and Peter Ditchman, 52, of Bishop’s Stortford, have been arrested and charged with using threatening, abusive or insulting words at football matches. Well, not so much words as a word. That word is “yid”.
The BBC explains it’s meaning to those of you interested in language:
The word, meaning Jew, was allegedly used at Tottenham Hotspur matches against FC Sheriff and West Ham United.
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Posted: 21st, January 2014 | In: Key Posts, Sports, Spurs | Comments (4)
Football’s Worst And Best Spitters
THERE are stop footballers spitting at the match by making it punishable by a fine.
Let’s look at the footballers for whom it was better out than in.
1. El-Hadji Diouf
Sunderland’s new signing is football’s undoubted King of Phlegm. While at Bolton the Senegalese striker was banned, fined and sent to counselling after spitting at Portsmouth’s Arjan de Zeeuw. He was also alleged to have spat at Middlesbrough fans. During his Liverpool days he picked up a fine in court after spitting at a Celtic fan.
2. Frank Rijkaard
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Posted: 21st, January 2014 | In: Sports | Comments (3)
The Plan To Stop Footballers Spitting
ENFIELD Council has sent letters warning football clubs in the north London borough against players spitting. Winchmore Hill FC was once club to have received a letter warning of £500 fines for anyone caught spitting in public – “the bye-law does provide authorised officers with the powers to prosecute those witnessed spitting. Please cascade this information to your players and those of the opposition team to avoid the risk of prosecution.”
The on-the-spot fines business is a bugbear of ours here at Anorak. But we enjoy the use of the words “cascade”, although shower could have been more appropriate.
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Posted: 21st, January 2014 | In: Key Posts, Sports | Comment
Classic Vines: Liverpool Fan Reaches For The Camera As Villa Player Tumbles In The Stands
WHAT do you do when a grown man takes nasty looking fall? This Liverpool supports smiled and reached for his camera. Always good to record any injuries for posterity and insurance claims:
Posted: 19th, January 2014 | In: Liverpool, Sports | Comment (1)
Liverpool Balls: Only Reports On Merseyside Say Suarez Didn’t Dive
Press Association: Liverpool’s Luis Suarez smiles after being brought down by Aston Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzan to earn his side a penalty
DID Liverpool’s Luis Suarez dive to win the penalty – one converted to give the Reds a 2-2 draw with Aston Villa? Let’s see what the local newspapers said:
The Birmingham Mail’s Mat Kendrick reports:
Moments later Liverpool were level. Suarez chased down a long ball from Gerrard, getting there ahead of Guzan, who was penalised for the foul despite a strong suspicion of a dive and Liverpool’s captain’s afternoon improved when he calmly tucked away the spot-kick.
Over in the Liverpool Post, the report makes no mention of a dive. The report doesn’t even mention that Suarez won the spot kick.
However, a fine finish from Daniel Sturridge on the stroke of half-time sparked a stirring comeback which, with Gerrard pushed further forward, was capped by the captain converting coolly from the spot on 53 minutes.
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Posted: 18th, January 2014 | In: Liverpool, Sports | Comments (3)
Embarrassing Endorsements: When A Famous Name Damages Your Brand
THE Nicolas Anelka ‘quinelle’ controversy has taken a dramatic new twist, as West Bromwich Albion’s sponsors have threatened to end their shirt contract if the club continues to pick the French striker.
Zoopla are not the first people to find that association with high-profile individuals can be a double-sided sword…
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Posted: 18th, January 2014 | In: Celebrities, Flashback, Key Posts, Sports | Comment
Italy’s IOC Rep Mario Pescante Says American Gays Not Needed In Sochi
his Aug. 11, 1936 file photo shows America’s Jesse Owens, center, salutes during the presentation of his gold medal for the long jump, after defeating Nazi Germany’s Lutz Long, right, during the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. Naoto Tajima of Japan, left, placed third. The performance of Jesse Owens will be honored in the stadium where he won four gold medals at the 1936 Olympic Games when the world championships are held in Berlin this month. (AP Photo/File)
SAYS the IOC’s Mario Pescante:
“It’s absurd that a country like that sends four lesbians to Russia just to demonstrate that in their country gay rights have (been established). The games should not be an occasion and a stage to promote rights that sports supports daily.”
The US delegation includes Billie Jean King, figure skater Brian Boitano and hockey player Caitlin Cahow.
Pescante wants everyone attending the Games to have only one thought on their mind: win.
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Posted: 16th, January 2014 | In: Sports | Comments (2)
West Ham And Fulham Balls: What Ravel Morrison Wants
WHAT news of West Ham United’s Ravel Morrison?
BBC:
Ravel Morrison: Fulham target committed to West Ham
The Sun reports:
Ravel Morrison has threatened to go on strike at West Ham to force through a move to Fulham
RAVEL MORRISON has threatened to go on strike at West Ham to force through a move to Fulham. The 20-year-old bad boy issued his shock ultimatum to stunned club chiefs yesterday.
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Posted: 16th, January 2014 | In: Sports | Comments (2)
Sing What You Want To: Spurs And Ajax Fans Should Teach Lodz How To Handle Anti-Semitic Abuse
CNN’S James Masters, reports on news that the Polish prosecutor says Lech Poznan fans chanting “Move on, Jews! Your home is at Auschwitz! Send you to the gas (chamber)!” to Widzew Lodz supporters is not anti-Semitic.
Polish football writer Michal Zachodny tells CNN: “This case is being discussed a lot in Poland and rightly causing critique of the system and its decision. Although the PZPN, the Polish Football Association, has introduced stricter laws and are more proactive in dealing with such problems than they were, there is no plan, no willingness to do anything with the problem. There is no special police line to report abuse anonymously.”
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Spurs Balls: Tim Sherwood Steers Tottenham To Double Champions League Victory (And He’s Better An Van Gaal)
Real Madrid’s Christiano Ronaldo of Portugal cries next to his son Ronaldo Junior after receiving the trophy for the world player at the FIFA Ballon d’Or 2013 Gala in Zurich, Switzerland, Monday, Jan. 13, 2014.
LOUIS van Gaal used to manager Bayern Munich. In the vote for FIFA’s player of the year, the Ballon d’Or, Gaal didn’t pick winner Cristiano Ronaldo or runner-up Lionel Messi.
The Daily Mail’s Martin Samuel noted it: in a piece called “Van Gaal’s vote of no confidence”:
Louis Van Gaal was tipped to be the next Tottenham Hotspur manager, before the appointment of Tim Sherwood. Indeed, some Tottenham fans were disappointed that they got a novice, not an acknowledged tactical genius.
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‘Here Goes Something I Guess’: Nine-Year-Old Takes His First Ski Jump
THIS is a delightful video of a nine-year-old taking his first ski jump. Boy, it’s high. The ice is slippery. And the audio makes the video great. If Disney made ski jumps…
Spotter: devour
Posted: 14th, January 2014 | In: Sports | Comment (1)
Newcastle United’s Alan Pardew Calls Manchester City’s Pelligrini Names On Sunday Afternoon Telly – Video
IN this video Alan Pardew, manager of Newcastle United, addresses Manchester City’s Manuel Pelligrini. No subtitles are provided for The Chilean (that’s Pelligrini) to fathom what it is the flat-voweled Pardew is saying on tea-time Sunday telly (before Songs of Praise).
Can you help? What’s that you say TV pundit Jamie Carragher. He’s saying “chooseflug sploonge cluynt”.
Maybe not…
Faces of the Day: Hull City Fans Salute The Sun
FACES of the day: Is this a new answer to the ridiculous quenelle or some other offensive pitch gesture? Are they suggesting that Jose Mourinho suffers from small man syndrome? In the Barclays Premier League, Hull City salute the Chelsea fans in the KC Stadium. Or maybe they’re just shielding their eyes.
Football Balls: Sampdoria Fans Surrounded By Police Protection Away At Roma And Saluting Arrigo Brovedani
THE age-old reply to the Sampa fan’s question “What time does the Roma-Sampdoria game start?” is “What time can you get here?”
A few made it to the Coppa Italia match at the Stadio Olimpico.
That’s not them surrounding the Roma fans in a Ultras siege. That’s them in the middle, shielded from the cheap seats by a wall of yellow bibs.
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Liverpool Balls: Brian Reade’s Bad Maths Makes Andy Carroll Look Good
Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish, center, poses for photos with new signings Andy Carroll, left, and Luis Suarez before a press conference at Anfield, Liverpool, England, Thursday Feb. 3, 2011.
LIVERPOOL FC fan Brian Reade looks away from the hellholes of South London to talk about his team. He writes in the Mirror:
Bonus Brian Reade: Liverpool the ones laughing now over much-mocked January 2011 transfer window
Are they laughing now? Why? Liverpool are the club who spent £35m on Andy Carroll.
Ask anyone what the most laughable performance in the January window was and the answer will be Liverpool’s £35million splurge on Andy Carroll three years ago. And, in isolation, they’d be right. But if you analyse all of the Anfield club’s transfer business that month, it’s becoming one of the most profitable windows ever.
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Posted: 9th, January 2014 | In: Liverpool, Sports | Comments (4)
Revealed: Manchester United’s Chris Smalling Is A Jihadi Pretending To Be A Footballer
MANCHESTER United defender Chris Smalling might be a jihadi. Last night, Smalling and his girlfriend hosted a private fancy dress party to celebrate Christmas and their respective birthdays. Smalling came as ‘The Jagerbomber’. He was the jihadi with Red Bull and Jagermeister cans and bottles strapped to his vestments.
Can it be that in the privacy of his own home, Smalling relaxes in his more usual attire as an Islamist hellbent on the destruction of the West? Is he plotting to bomb Old Trafford, owned by those infidel Jews in partnership with their traditional bedfellow, the Red Devil?
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Posted: 9th, January 2014 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment
Manchester United Balls: Moyes Has £450m To Spend, Experts Say
HOW much money has Manchester Untied’s David to spend on boosting his failing team?
The Sun: “MANCHESTER UNITED’S owners have told David Moyes: Splash the cash. Joel Glazer and his family will give boss Moyes a £50million war chest”
Daily Mirror: “DAVID MOYES has around £100million to salvage Manchester United’s season, but has been told not to spend it on ‘quick fixes'”
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Posted: 8th, January 2014 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment
Dennis Rodman Is Back In North Korea – Photos Of Kim’s Basketball Pal
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, and former NBA star Dennis Rodman watch North Korean and U.S. players in an exhibition basketball game at a sports arena in Pyongyang, North Korea. Rodman arrived in Pyongyang on Monday with three members of the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team to shoot an episode on North Korea for a new weekly HBO series.
DENNIS Rodman has swapped Celebrity Big Brother for another kind of prison. He’s back in North Korea, touring Kim’s Kingdom with his “all-star team” of American basketball players. They’re going to play match to mark Kim Jong Un’s birthday. Kenny Anderson, Cliff Robinson Vin Baker and former Knick Charles D. Smith will shoot hoops without the approval of the NBW, which decrees: “Although sports in many instances can be helpful in bridging cultural divides, this is not one of them.”
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Mini Cab For Moyes: A Look At The Manchester United Manager’s Expressions As The Red Devils Lost To Swansea
MINI Cab For Moyes: A Look At The Manchester United Manager’s Expression As The Red Devils Lost To Spurs Swansea:
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Posted: 5th, January 2014 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment
Greater Manchester: Stockport County Fans Threatened With Eviction For Being Too Smelly
THE note placed on a seat at Stockport County’s Edgeley Park ground, states:
“To the two guys in black leather jackets who have recently started sitting in some of these seats. Sorry. There’s no way to put this without hurting your feelings, but one or both of you stinks and it is ruining the experience of those around you. Many of us are season ticket holders and it is very unfair that we have to spend the best part of two hours every game with a foul smell like this around us. Please either have a good wash and change your clothes or go and sit elsewhere. Thanks. And yes, it is that bad.”
Who wrote the note? And why don’t they move?
Solskjaer Takes Cardiff City Job To Prove Just How Mental He Is
HE may have worked under a demanding boss under Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer must be the most mental, masochistic man in football for taking the job at Cardiff City to work with the batshit Vincent Tan.
Previously, Tan’s money saw him changing Cardiff’s kit from blue to red, because of some bunkum about ‘luck’ and changed the club’s crest while he was at it. Some fans sucked it up because Tan was throwing enough cash at the club to get them into the Premier League. Of course, it takes more than mere pennies to make a side successful (hey there QPR!) and in recently-axed manager Malky Mackay, they had a good head at the helm, popular in football and performing well under a crazy chairman who liked wearing football shirts over a shirt and tie.
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