Controversy seems to follow Kieren Fallon’s career one furlong at a time. This time however the County Clare native seems blameless as the latest headline grabbing event happened over the weekend at Lingfield when he was hit with a punch by owner David Reynolds. A punch which according to a bystander “made a noise so loud you could have heard it in the weighing room” – at t... »
Lionel Messi has now scored 79 goals in 133 games for Barcelona, including 10 in his last 4. Despite Wayne Rooney having his best season yet it pales into insignificance when you compare it to the feats and skills of Messi. Take a look at the highlights of his hat-trick against Real Zaragoza last night – and the full highlights of his efforts. »
Steve Staunton faces the dole queue once again today after another in a series of sackings, dismissals call it what you want. Darlington, bottom of the Football league have decided to dispense with Stan after losing at home in front of a record low crowd, it seems the very fans who welcomed him as we convered before on balls.ie, deserted him so readily in recent weeks. Usually the affairs of the D... »
Most non-sporting tv events that feature Rio Ferdinand are held in the same regard as the cinematic explanations on how to turn off your phone and eat quietly but the following is different. This short featuring Smithy from Television’s Gavin and Stacey debuted last night at the Sport Relief event on BBC1 – »
In terms of affairs and scandal, cricket often takes a backseat to the likes of Football and Basketball but not to be outdone by Wayne Bridge, the Australian vice captain Michael Clarke has gone one better. Pictured here with his ex-fiancee Lara Bingle, they are the pride of their nation at the moment with Clarke having fired a century against New Zealand despite everything thats going on around h... »
What happens in the dressing room unfortunately for Tony Pulis won’t be staying in the dressing room. An internal investigation is underway at Stoke City after James Beattie began “grievance procedures” against his current boss over an incident way back in December when it is alleged he was head-butted by Pulis after a game with Arsenal. Beattie wasn’t concerned about the t... »
We’ve tried at everything at Cheltenham this week, but to no avail. No winners yet, nothing but torn up betting slips and abuse for the gmbling gods. Thankfully our strategy of betting stupidly has proven about as fiscally wise as backing the favourites. Chaos has been the order of the week. Why should today be any different? Well the Gold Cup always seems to follow a certain logic. We must hope t... »
A manager who has taken coke in the last 12 months. Ron Washington fallout: Of blackmail, support, job security and his future (This is the first in an on-going series) »
In the dark, black and white days of newspapers, I used to spend an inordinate amount of time with the Newark Star-Ledger’s sports section. There was one page in particular that always worth reading – Summing Up Sports. Here you’d get the league tables, schedules and the latest results from every important sport in the world. New Jersey is very conscious of its immigrant population and even before... »
Two days down at Cheltenham and only two second places to show for ourselves. But the eternal optimism of the bad gambler cannot be quenched. After serious consultation last night, our bad tipsters are certain they have cracked the secret logic of today’s racing. There is always a hidden theme, and today it’s Hollywood. Read it and weep. 1.30 Jewson’s Novice Hurdle Working Title (40/1) A nearly Ho... »
There are no words.. »
There’s a history of writers who double as goalkeepers, such as Camus, Pope John Paul II (all his book’s are shit), to name two. Perhaps it comes down to a writerly defensive agility: who knows. Strangely, we can think of no keepers who are also good writers – Campos, Pol Ó Muiri, not even Bonner. This week, we make an unlikely addition to our first list: one of the great dames of Canadian l... »
It’s International Day of Paddywhackery, and there will be no shortage of leprechauns in the terraces of Cheltenham this afternoon. With this in mind, it seems fated that this will be a day of monumental success for horses whose names come tfrom the sentimental cesspool of paddwhackery. Thus, our tips for Day 1: 1.30 National Hunt Chase Abbeybraney (8/1) Tinakellylad is in the running here – the p... »
Forget about Chris Barry or Adrian Kennedy, when times are tough and when life is dealing you 22 over and over it's time to turn to Andrey Arshavin. Not content with being just a free scoring attacking midfielder on an Arsenal team suprisingly challenging for the title, Andrey is lending his ear to help solve the world's problems. »
