The Best Stories Of The Week Featuring Outrages, Shots Fired And 'Bantah'

It's been quite a week of sport, and it's only natural that you may have missed some of the best stories, funniest anecdotes and impressive features all throughout the sporting world.

Never fear, we're here to make sure you have the best bits of all the sports in the best stories of the week.

Football

It may transfer silly season, but the most interesting stories of the week concerned one James McClean. Sure there was the thing at the West Brom pre-season game at the anthem - but the responses are what tells you most about what's going on.

First - the West Brom fans came up with the greatest chant to make light of the situation:

While this Telegraph article is an excellent read on why people should be less offended over a national anthem 'snub'.

In an age when footballers are becoming increasingly anodyne, there is something refreshing about one who believes in something; anything.

Elsewhere in the world of football, Aston Villa's new signing made a big boo-boo in his first interview at the club - which is always amusing.

Whilst this extremely in-depth article from the Bleacher Report about the infamous Luis Figo transfer from Barcelona to Real Madrid is captivating:

According to Gaspart, the Portugal international begged him to undo the deal with Perez.

WWE

It was a big week in the world of WWE, especially for a pair of veterans to the sport - for very different reasons.

The week started of great with the Undertaker's spectacular return to the WWE, that shocked everyone - including Brock Lesnar: (Click on the image to go to the article)

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Speaking of shock, news that Hulk Hogan had been wiped from the WWE archive and his association with the industry terminated was right up there.

Hulk's daughter penned an emotional poem about the controversy on her facebook page:

~If You Knew My Father~
By Brooke Bollea

If you knew the dad I knew,
you'd know his tender heart.

He'd never want to hurt his fans,
or family from the start.

If you knew my father,
you would know how hard he fought...

and the way it brought a smile to people light, medium and dark.

We always fight a battle
that people never see,

and sometimes when you're hurting, you don't think logically.

Read the full poem here.

Boxing

Irish boxing is really looking forward to Andy Lee's homecoming in Thomond Park. The news that Katie Taylor could be on the undercard was exciting, but that was overshadowed by Lee's opponent Billy Joe Saunder's comments about women:

All jokes aside, that's my opinion on women, but I'm just... eh... a sex maniac.

The full video is here, and it's really something else.

MMA

Things quitened down on the UFC front this week, with McGregor now on a medical suspension after his awesome bout with Chad Mendes.

With Ronda Rousey preparing for her next fight in Brazil next week, she took some time off to speak of her admiration of McGregor - which was nice.

I really appreciate the respect he has shown me and it's definitely mutual.

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But hey - us Irish love compliments about other Irish so.

Joseph Duffy was the main Irish UFC fighter in Glasgow last Saturday, and his fight was the most popular MMA story of the week which lead to this thought:

Rugby

This week's rugby can be summarised in two words: 'bantah', and contracts.

First, the contract stuff - Joe Schmidt signed a contract extension with the IRFU (which almost definitely rules him out of the Lions job), Kane Douglas left Leinster, and Toulon are threatening to sue.

Then, the *sigh* 'bantah'. Simon Zebo and Robin Copeland took to instagram to draw some laughs from the public over the new Munster jersey release.

And the gem that is this Kane Douglas's chant was discovered right as he left. Still, there's always time for some Men At Work.

Golf

One week ago, Paul Dunne wasn't known by too many outside of Greystones and the Irish amateur golf circuit.

A lot changes in a week, as the 22-year-old was everywhere - including receiving praise from golf superstars, and BBC trying to claim him.

Dunne impressed with the poise displayed in his interviews:

The debate about when he should turn professional has already started.

Other golfers were in the news too, including another bizarre incident for Robert Allenby, and the South Korean golfer who is being forced to serve his mandatory two-year military service.

Cycling

If you were listening to Off The Ball during the week, you may have heard David Walsh and Ger Gilroy go toe to toe about drugs in cycling - and it's an absolutely fascinating discussion.

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