A Conversation About: Tiger Woods

Down Sainsbury’s the other day reading the label on a jar of Patak’s Balti sauce, trying to discern its nutritional merits, when some kid no older than three, waddles up to me licking this massive round lollipop...

A Conversation About: Fabrice Muamba

I’m swishing about in the bath last night and I hear this voice, only a little voice, calling to me from somewhere but I look around and there’s no-one there so I carry on soaking, getting nice and relaxed but the voice comes back. And I realise it’s the rubber duck and he’s asking me about Fabrice Muamba...

Sport 4 Thought Presents New Guest Writer

Andrew Hatch

Sport 4 Thought has made an incredible impact in 2012 claiming 3,000 hits since launching two months ago and in order to accommodate such a rapidly increasing audience, I am delighted to present a new guest writer to the world’s premier sports blog.

Andrew Hatch is an experienced writer and avid sports fanatic who combines his limitless knowledge of sporting trivia with a unique style of prose to compose compelling, thought provoking pieces.

Andrew’s writing will offer an alternative view on hot topics in the sporting world and his series entitled ‘A Conversation About’ will be a regular feature of the new-look Sport 4 Thought blog.

Written by Dom Wallace

Tiger Woods in the Rough is Great to See

The long-running Tiger Woods saga has been saturated with more drama than your average soap opera. Woods, once a superstar golfer, lost everything in a flash and is now on an epic journey to claim back not only his status on the course, but his reputation off it.

Tiger's first Masters victory

We have witnessed Woods' rapid rise to stardom with success at a young age, a battle with career-threatening injuries, a scandal that rocked the world, deep remorse and acknowledgment of previous faults, which leaves only one missing scenario — a fairytale ending.

Tiger, one of the United States' most famous embodiments of the American Dream, must now seek to emulate his initial rise to greatness once again, and this resurgence mission gathered great pace on Sunday.

Shooting a 13-under par 275 at Bay Hill to claim victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational by a 5-shot margin, Woods claimed his first PGA Tour victory since September 2009 at the BMW Championship to draw a line under what has been the lowest point of his career.

It all began when he crashed his Escalade outside his home in November 2009, but got worse with numerous reports of infidelity, a high-profile divorce, public defamation by former caddie Steve Williams and a damning description of events in former coach Hank Hanley’s recently published novel.

Doomed to fail

Woods hit rock bottom in sensational fashion with arguably the biggest public fall from grace of any superstar past or present. But, he is determined to prove that his troubled times are over and that such misdemeanours are a thing of the past.

Tiger Woods' attempts to bring himself full circle in an unbelievable restoration of faith and fortune is the sequel to his incident-filled first episode, and the setting for his latest chapter is Augusta.

The Masters is a modern representation of a reality show, incorporating drama and comedy in an action-filled adventure towards the capture of the romanticised green jacket. Taking the stage, Woods, who has, up until last weekend’s victory, been considered unlikely of success, will enter the tournament as 3/1 favourite. 

He will understand that he has much improved competition at The Masters, especially in the form of Rory McIlroy, who won the U.S. Open last year — the youngest player to do so since Bobby Jones in 1923. McIlroy boasts a longer stretch of form and recently held off Tiger’s dramatic surge of a last-round 62 to claim victory at the Honda Classic in Florida.

At the other end of the scale, 41-year-old veteran and psoriatic arthritis sufferer Phil Mickelson will also pursue Woods. Mickelson, inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame last year, is a three-time Masters champion, who claimed his 40^th PGA Tour victory last month in the ATT Pebble Beach Pro-Am and knows Augusta inside out.

McIlroy will be biggest threat

The Tiger Woods show lacks traditional themes, for he is no hero and does not chase villains, but it is by far the most eagerly anticipated programme on the PGA’s listings and Woods’ recent victory has sent media speculation into overdrive.

Whether Woods manages to secure his fifth green jacket at Augusta or not, The Masters will benefit just from his presence. When he missed the 2011 U.S. Open in Bethesda, Maryland, due to injury, ratings fell by a staggering 26 percent, illustrating just how influential his participation is on spectatorship.

So as the viewing public prepares to witness the next chapter of the Tiger Woods chronicle, there are two main schools of thought among the audience.

Some brand Woods as a golfing genius who must be given the plaudits he deserves for his achievements on the golf course — because this is the reason people grew to love him — and believe his "private" life is none of our business.

Is this how it ends?

Others see a man who betrayed not only his wife, but the public, who heaped adoration on Woods, helping him to become the iconic figure that he was, and feel a person so morally bankrupt as he appears to be deserves little respect after such transgressions.

Whether you see the good in a man who has trodden a long path of repentance to seek forgiveness for his sins, or the evil in a man who committed crimes so drastic they cannot be forgiven, one fact remains: Golf with Tiger Woods is a must-see event.

Written by Dom Wallace

Why Messi Isn't The Greatest Ever

Lionel Messi registered a record-breaking five goal haul last Wednesday, as a boisterous Barcelona swept aside a baffled Bayern Leverkusen outfit, to march promptly into the Champions League Quarter-Finals.

Barcelona's old No.10

Messi once again exhibited his undeniable quality and complete understanding of the modern game, bringing to the boil the debate that has simmered under the surface since he adopted Barcelona’s number 10 shirt from the majestic Ronaldinho in 2008.

That season saw a 21-year old Messi score 38 goals on his way to claiming La Liga, Copa del Rey and Champions League trophies and the youngest top scorer in Champions League history picked up the UEFA Club Forward of the Year and UEFA Club Footballer of the Year awards, coming runner-up in the 2008 FIFA World Player of the Year.

Having received a staggering 46 accolades since then, netting another 153 times in just 157 appearances for Barcelona, Messi has proven to football spectators worldwide that he is a truly unique talent.

But, is Lionel Messi 'The Greatest Footballer Ever'?

Last May, Wayne Rooney was helpless to prevent the Argentine running rings around his teammates at Wembley, once again crushing his dreams of Champions League success. Despite such a brutal infliction of pain, Rooney found only pure pleasure in observing Messi’s latest masterclass, tweeting “Messi is a joke. For me the best ever.”

Messi makes it look so easy

When talking of all-time greatest footballers the same names inevitably arise such as Pele, Cruyff, Maradonna, De Stefano, Puskas, Beckenbauer, Platini, Eusabio, Francescoli and Best.

Having scored a mind-blowing 1,283 career goals in 1,363 appearances, Pele is considered by many as the number one footballer ever, when forced to choose. The so-called ‘King of Football’, who famously quipped, “I was born for soccer, just as Beethoven was born for music”, has his own views on whether Messi is eligible for the title of ‘Greatest Ever’.

In January Messi scooped the FIFA Ballon D’or award for the third successive year and Pele was present at the ceremony to admit, “I like Messi a lot, he’s a great player. Technically we’re practically at the same level.”

However, the Brazilian legend asserted, “When Messi’s scored 1,283 goals like me, when he’s won three World Cups, we’ll talk about it.” He further clarified, “He’s a great player for Barcelona, but when he plays for Argentina, he doesn’t have the same success.”

Maradonna is an admirer

The 71-year old global football icon displayed his sense of humour, claiming “People always ask me: ‘When is the new Pele going to be born?’ Never.  My father and mother have closed the factory.”

Joking aside, Pele makes a valid point given that his 77 goals in 92 international appearances, including three World Cups and countless international records vastly outweigh Messi’s 22 scores in 67 games, boasting only one tournament victory in the 2008 Olympics.

Messi supporters would argue that at 24 years of age, assuming he remains injury-free, he will have every opportunity to meet and exceed the numerous achievements made by the Brazilian.

This statement holds great truth and it is impossible to construct arguments that successfully derail the assertion of Messi as the ‘Best Player of the Modern Era’.

As a generation we must acknowledge how privileged we are to witness such aristocratic displays of ingenuity on the football field.

We must also recall that our knowledge of Pele’s greatness is formed from vivid recollections passed down by those fortunate enough to have seen him perform or through rare clips of his wizardry, but primarily from reading of his accomplishments statistically.

Still the greatest... for now...

Granted the wealth of modern technology enables us to chronicle Messi’s career in a more comprehensive manner, but when the final whistle blows the bare bones of a legendary striker’s career is exposed through numbers.

Lionel Messi is an exceptionally gifted talent who has the world at his feet, but his sensational career record of 254 goals in 384 games still falls tremendously short of Pele’s, who can rest assured, temporarily, that he remains 'The Greatest Footballer Ever’.

Written by Dom Wallace

Who Dares Cross the Bridge?

An unhappy ending

With Andre Villas-Boas becoming the seventh manager to lose his job since the Roman Abramovich regime commenced in 2003, speculation surrounds who is being lined up to cross the bridge that has seen so many stumble and fall. The following candidates top the Chelsea wish list:

JOSE MOURINHO – 49, Real Madrid

The main target

‘The Special One’ is the players and fans favourite to return to Stamford Bridge, where he previously won six trophies, including two Premier League titles, crowning him Chelsea’s most successful manager ever.

Mourinho has made no secrets of his desire to return to the Premier League and amidst rumours of increasingly strained relations with Real Madrid’s big name stars, he was spotted house-hunting in London last week.

However, with Arsene Wenger’s job in the balance at Arsenal and the possibility of Harry Redknapp trading Tottenham for England, the media frenzy has flown into overdrive.

Mourinho has also been linked with both Manchester clubs, although with Man City’s current form and Sir Alex Ferguson’s good health, these posts are showing little sign of availability.

With a history of achieving his goals and moving swiftly on, Mourinho has suggested his next visit to England will be in a long haul capacity, citing Ferguson’s reign as inspiration.

The problems at Chelsea cannot be immediately resolved and the Chelsea faithful will be hoping this is the perfect project for him to take on with his experience and deep-rooted love for the club.

Although there would be the small task of resolving ‘philosophical differences’ with Abramovich...

PEP GUARDIOLA – 41, Barcelona

Highly regarded

Despite boasting the capture of every possible trophy as both player and manager at Barcelona, Guardiola has always kept his options open, only ever signing one-year contract extensions.

He openly admits a fondness of Premier League football, expressing a desire to tackle alternative cultures and if Barcelona win their third Champions League title in four seasons this year, it might be a perfect way to move on.

However, with Real Madrid looking favourites to win La Liga, this would be considered a low point and it remains hard to see him parting company with what is arguably one of the greatest football outfits of all-time.

Does he really want to confront the headache of a floundering Chelsea team in desperate need of refurbishment - a role offering an average shelf life of under 12 months?

RAFAEL BENITEZ – 51, Unattached

Controversial choice

Most short-term memories of Benitez are not particularly impressive, with an unsuccessful short-lived spell at Inter Milan and a troubled time prior to his departure at Liverpool.

Those whose football knowledge extends further than this will vouch for Benitez and his tactical shrewdness which saw a prosperous tenure at Valenica before guiding Liverpool to Champions League success in 2005 and running Manchester United close for the Premier League title in 2008/09.

Benitez has the experience of winning the Champions League, the trophy that Abramovich so desperately wants to capture and also has the ability to get the best out of fellow Spaniard Fernando Torres who has so-far flopped at Chelsea since his £50M transfer.

The biggest issue with this appointment would be how the Chelsea fans would greet a man who they associate with relative failure at Liverpool. Benitez was also a hate figure for Chelsea fans during his time at Liverpool following controversial Champions League semi-finals in 2005 and 2007.

This will not concern Abramovich, though he may do well to remember the sour relationships Benitez formed with board members at Valencia and Liverpool, concerning his campaign for increased control of transfers.

FABIO CAPELLO – 65, Unattached

Outsider

Recently standing down from his post as England manager, Capello has reappeared on the market and may offer Abramovich just what he needs.

Capello is hard-headed and refuses to be flustered by big egos and the diva-like behaviour that seems to accompany modern football’s superstars.

A Champions League victory with AC Milan over Barcelona in 1994 and domestic success in Spain with Real Madrid combine with his role as England manager to complete an extremely well-rounded CV.

Capello in an unemotional figure who always put the team’s fortunes ahead of personal battles and this could be the refreshing approach that Chelsea are in need of.

ROBERTO DI MATTEO – 41, Chelsea (Caretaker)

A passionate figure

Still popular at Stamford Bridge, Di Matteo is most notably remembered for his two FA Cup-winning goals for the Blues in 1997 and 2000.

Di Matteo is currently installed in a caretaker position and has recruited fellow ex-Chelsea midfielder Eddie Newton to form a management duo that aims to use knowledge and passion for the club, which seems to have lost all sense of identity, to turnaround their old employer’s fortunes.

Di Matteo had a successful role at Milton Keynes Dons and started brightly at West Bromwich Albion before a rapid decline in form saw him relieved of his duties less than a year into his contract.

Di Matteo is unlikely to carry this role any further than the end of the season, although if he were to guide Chelsea to the much coveted fourth position or even mastermind a victorious cup campaign, Abramovich may be persuaded that someone with long-standing ties to the club is the answer to the new revolution.

A self-inflicted headache

Whether any of these candidates are available or suited for the role is debatable but one certainty remains. Whoever Roman Abramovich chooses, we can safely assume the next appointment will be made on the basis of experience and not potential.

Written by Dom Wallace

Redknapp Can't Rescue English Expectations

On Wednesday night England conceded three goals at Wembley for the first time since 2007, heaping more misery on the national team’s build-up to Euro 2012. Still void of a manager and with the tournament only 14 weeks away, the outlook for the England football team is grim at best.

Robben goes Double-Dutch

Stuart Peace was employed in a caretaker role as England’s lack of class was once again highlighted by a Dutch side who never really hit fifth gear. Cruise control was enough to steer past an England side whose late double was unable to derail the World Cup finalists.

As the FA continue deliberating over the appointment of a new boss for Euro 2012, the vast majority of English fans only have one suggestion.

That man is Harry Redknapp.

Whilst it is hard to disagree that he holds the best credentials for the job, it would be a huge mistake for both the FA and Redknapp to appoint him.

Fan's favourite

It seems the expectations are for Redknapp to waltz into the camp and totally transform the English team’s fortunes. He has admitted an interest in taking on the role, but the timing is surely so wrong for all parties involved.

Yes, Redknapp’s Tottenham have played the best football in the Premier League this season, but this would not necessarily transfer to the national side and he would not want to jeopardise all the progress he has made at White Hart Lane.

As for the FA, the pressure remains to recruit successfully and although these are desperate times, patience could be the virtue they require. If England fail to perform at Euro 2012, appointing Redknapp now before the disappointment would further tarnish their reputation.

However, appointing Redknapp after Euro 2012, whether successful or not, would bring great energy to the build up to the World Cup in 2014. The current youthful England squad has a lot of potential stars and by 2014 it will undoubtedly be a greater force than at present.

Capello fell from grace

Let us not forget that a popular Fabio Capello was named BBC’s Sports Coach of the Year for England’s successful qualifying campaign prior to the World Cup in 2010, praised for his disciplinary skills and rewarded with a contract extension.

Such is the cut-throat nature of modern management, that just several weeks later, due to a pathetic display by the English players in South Africa, the fans were calling for his head.

I have no doubts Redknapp will manage England one day but now is not the right time. He surely does not want to risk people doubting his ability before he has had a chance to prove himself.

There has been so much controversy surrounding an England side lacking an abundance of raw talent, that their chances of success at Euro 2012 are slim.

So,does it really matter who is in charge?

True, Harry Redknapp is the only fit contender for this post but even he is not a miracle worker. It will take time to reinstall the relevant mindset and beliefs that are required for success with England's national team.

Familiar disappointment for English fans

Just as important as the manager is the quality of the players, which in England’s case is somewhat lacking. A midfield of Gerrard, Parker, Barry and Johnson is non-comparable to Spain’s Xavi, Iniesta, Silva and Fabregas.

The biggest fear for English football fans should not be who will manage the team at Euro 2012, but how they will manage their own expectations. 

Supporting your country wholeheartedly is what these tournaments are all about, but English fans must learn to be realistic. Whether Harry Redknapp leads England to Euro 2012 or not, they must not expect to win.

Written by Dom Wallace

In Arsene We Trust?

Arsene Wenger’s 16-year reign as Arsenal manager is at an all-time low and the steady decline of a previous powerhouse of English football has now reached crisis point.

Tough times for Wenger

In the space of four days Arsenal have been dumped out of the FA Cup by a mediocre Sunderland side and emphatically thrashed by AC Milan to all but end their hopes of progression in the Champions League. Sitting 17 point adrift of league leaders Manchester City they have little to play for and facing a seventh straight season without a trophy, some supporters are now suggesting Wenger’s time is up.

The Gazzetta dello Sport described Arsenal’s 4-0 thrashing by AC Milan in the San Siro, their heaviest ever European defeat,  as “Una delusione totale” which requires little translation. Ex-captain Patrick Viera was quick to defend his old boss, stating on Twitter, “There was a lack of leadership, you cannot blame only Arsene, the players must take some responsibility.”

Embarrassed in Milan

Not many expected Arsenal to win in a tough away fixture to a side that currently tops Serie A, but this was not just a loss. Wenger admitted, “The result is a disaster, although the season is not finished… We need to show something completely different on Saturday.”

There were many differences in the game on Saturday, the most noticeable being the quality of Arsenal’s opposition, but the outcome was the same. Granted they were unlucky at times, but in what former midfielder Emmanuel Petit classified as the worst season of Arsene Wenger’s career, he pinpointed their problems. “They’re playing like they don’t know what’s going on… Mentally they’re very weak.”

Arsenal hit rock bottom

Wenger claimed, “We had a lot of possession, didn’t create a lot…” His methods have been criticised in the past for promoting style over substance and Highbury hero Dennis Bergkamp was quick to acknowledge that “Sometimes you need more of a winning mentality than a passing mentality… I’m not sure if Arsenal have enough of that.”

Arsene Wenger, labelled a “miracle worker” by former vice-chairman David Dein, won the double with Arsenal in 1998 and 2002. He became the only manager ever to achieve an unbeaten season in the Premier League in 2004 and reached the Champions League Final in 2006.

Duo are so badly missed

This success was built around experienced players and big characters, who gave Arsenal a ruthless sense of drive and determination. Think Seaman, Adams, Keown, Viera, Petit, Henry and Bergkamp among others. Now compare this to a current Arsenal outfit, which, aside of Robin Van Persie, struggles to boast a single outright leader.

Wenger has become widely known for his failure to bring in big name signings and his inability to hold on to his top talents. This season Arsenal lost the services of two of their outstanding players in Cesc Fabregas and Sami Nasri who moved onwards and upwards to Barcelona and Manchester City respectively.

Speculation continues to surround the future of Van Persie, who is still yet to sign a new contract and if Arsenal fail to qualify for next season’s Champions League, they would surely be waving goodbye to the man who has single-handedly dragged them up to fourth in the league table.

Arsenal's only hope

Having signed five players in a frantic final 48 hours of the last transfer window, none of any notoriety, Arsenal fans have been left once again to wonder why Wenger, a Master of Economics, refuses to spend the money that chief executive Ivan Gazidis announces is available for transfers.

Petit stresses, “They have to spend money to get the big names.” But with the possibility of no Champions League football next year and the lack of willingness to offer lucrative contract deals such as in the case of Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United, Arsenal may be facing a dilemma of not being able to attract top class footballers.

To add insult to injury, Arsenal’s apparent decline appears to be coinciding in perfect unison with the rise and rise of bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

Tottenham flying high

Third in the league, still in the FA Cup and playing the most attractive football in England, Harry Redknapp’s men are taking great delight in the shift of footballing fortune in North East London. 

In contrast to Arsenal, Spurs have been able to retain their best players in Gareth Bale and Luka Modric and bring in proven talent such as Rafael Van der Vaart and Emmanuel Adebayor. One of Europe’s hottest prospects Eden Hazard also recently expressed his desire to ply his trade at White Hart Lane.

Arsenal have won only five of their last ten Premier League matches and scoring only twice, they have conceded six goals in their last two competitive outings. With the next three fixtures lining them up against Tottenham, Liverpool and AC Milan, the outlook is bleak.

A team void of any confidence, have a manager in Wenger who openly admits, “It’s very difficult to say where it leaves us and what we will do.”

The glory days are a distant memory

Whilst many have lost faith in the man who brought such success to the club in his early years, there is no hiding behind the facts. Arsenal have finished in the top four of the Premier League in every single season since Wenger arrived in 1996. They have also been involved in the Champions League 14 years in a row under Wenger, despite having only 12 European ventures in total previous to his tenure.

Petit believes “Arsene is still the solution” and many fans maintain faith in a man who has done so much good for Arsenal Football Club, but it is impossible to ignore the doubt in the voices of Wenger’s followers as cries of “IN ARSENE WE TRUST” are replaced by murmours of “In Arsene we trust?”

Written by Dom Wallace

British Boxing on the Ropes

Dereck Chisora and David Haye are at the centre of a scandal that has jeopardised the future of British heavyweight boxing.

Chisora and Haye square up

Chisora clashed with Haye at the post-fight press conference following his bout with WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko.

Former WBA heavyweight champion, Haye, appeared to have turned up uninvited to address Klitschko’s manager Bernd Boente who previously attempted to have Haye ejected from his ringside seat during the fight.

Haye claims Boente agreed the terms of a fight with Vitali Klitschko in December, but has since expressed his desire to re-negotiate financial terms.

In a bizarre turn of events, Chisora then entered a war of words before going to confront Haye in the auditorium, where the brawl ensued.

Chisora slaps Klitschko during weigh-in

While Klitschko looked on with pleasure, the two British fighters totally embarrassed themselves, proving that adding to a lack of talent, neither is fit to be champion.

Chisora and Haye will now await the outcome of police investigations which could see the pair charged with malicious injury and making a threat and grievous bodily harm, offences that potentially carry five and ten year sentences respectively.

This was not the first time Chisora has been in the limelight over issues surrounding his fight with Klitschko.

At the weigh-in, Chisora slapped the defending champion in an unprovoked attack. The challenger then spat water into the face of brother Wladimir Klitschko in the ring before the bout began and continued his verbal assault after the fight, refusing to accept defeat gracefully.

Chisora spits in the face of Wladimir Klitschko

The combined effect of such behaviour has left many disgusted with Chisora and Haye’s actions, questioning how British boxing can move forward from these tasteless incidents that have brought the sport into disrepute.

There is no doubt these men acted without the maturity or respect that grown men are obliged to display in public and one could never condone their actions.

However, this act of raw passion, something that has been non-existent in the modern generation of heavyweight boxing, gave fans a taste of what the sweet science was once all about.

In a sport that has been as good as dead for a decade, a controversy such as this could be just what the heavyweight division needs to reignite the flame that has barely flickered for so long.

Booth on the receiving end

In the 1990’s alone we were blessed with so many memorable, natural heavyweight champions in Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, George Foreman, Riddick Bowe and Oliver McCall.

During this era, heavyweight boxing consisted of two brutal beasts donning a pair of leather mitts and going toe-to-toe until only one was left standing.

In 2002, a brawl involving Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis erupted at a press conference inside New York’s Hudson Theater during a promotional event for Lewis’ penultimate championship fight.

At this conference, Tyson attacked Lewis with a ferocity that makes Chisora and Haye’s scuffle appear like a lovers tiff. In Germany, Haye’s trainer Adam Booth came off worst, picking up a cut to the head.

Tyson and Lewis brawl

In the New York melee, Tyson bit a chunk out of Lewis’ leg before unleashing a foul-mouthed, homophobic, racist monologue, threatening to rape and kill a particular member of the press. The WBC president Jose Sulaiman was even knocked unconscious after hitting his head on a table and was treated for concussion at hospital.

Sulaiman exclaimed “It would be discriminatory to single out Mike Tyson because many other boxers have behaved similarly at other press conferences.”

Tyson went unpunished because this was considered part and parcel of the boxing industry. These are the actions that wow spectators and so much of boxing’s popularity is owed to what happens outside the ring.

This has been true ever since the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time, Muhammad Ali, used verbal assaults to intimidate his opponents.

The greatest trash-talker

He suggested, “Frazier is so ugly that he should donate his face to the US Bureau of Wild Life.” Ali also promised “I’ll beat him so bad he’ll need a shoehorn to put his hat on,” when quizzed on his proposed bout with Floyd Patterson.

As with many sports in the modern age, boxing is primarily a business and all businesses rely on effective marketing for success. Boxing has had little in the way of unique selling points over the last ten years and this may just be the unexpected breakthrough disillusioned consumers had hoped for.

Dereck Chisora and David Haye offer little in the way of reasons to support their actions inside or outside of the ring and will have done their already controversial public personas no favours.

However, their sacrifice of personal popularity, intentional or not, appears to have created a newfound buzz in the boxing industry, providing a global interest, not previously generated by events inside the ring.

Klitschko shows why he is champion

Not many would admit to a soft spot for convicted rapist and drug user Mike Tyson, but an even smaller percentage could argue against his legendary status in the world of boxing and the unbridled entertainment value he brought to the sport.

Men who attempt to brutally disfigure others for pleasure cannot possibly be considered as potential role models.

We must refrain from viewing them in such light and hope their barbaric acts serve merely to spark life into a sport, which is well and truly on the ropes.

Written by Dom Wallace

Lin Breaks Records and Racial Stereotypes

The NBA is currently in a state of shock after a series of devastating performances from the new rising star of basketball, New York Knicks point guard, Jeremy Lin.

Lin at Harvard

The 23-year-old, American-born Taiwanese superstar has beaten all the odds to defy his critics and smash NBA records, scoring 136 points in his first five career starts – a record that eclipses previous heroes of the sport including Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal and Allen Iverson.

Just two weeks ago, Lin was considered a third-choice point guard in danger of being cut for the third time this season, yet in an unlikely turnaround, he now has the fastest selling NBA jersey and crowds of people chanting his name in adoration.

Lin failed to receive any Division I collegiate scholarship offers out of high school and went undrafted in the NBA draft, being cut by two teams, but his obvious abundance of talent has left many fans questioning his recent emergence, wondering what has held back such an explosive performer until now.

The man of the moment

Listening to Lin followers in Taiwan’s capital, Taipei, it becomes clear that racial stereotyping has much to answer for in the delay of Lin’s rise to becoming an NBA great.

Basketball is dominated by African American and Caucasian professionals, but Lin is finally managing to do what many Asian’s before him have failed to.

Lin himself referred to racial issues in a recent interview, admitting, “I feel like Asians in general don’t get the respect that we may deserve whether it comes to sports, basketball or whatever it might be… Maybe I can help break this stereotype.”

Passionate performer

This issue of race has been a long-running dilemma for Lin who chose to attend Harvard in a hope to get noticed. Over four years the man who received zero scholarship offers after high school, scored a staggering 1,483 points, 487 rebounds, 406 assists and 225 steals.

This still failed to gain interest from NBA scouts and going undrafted in 2010, Lin signed for the Golden State Warriors, but he was offered minimal playing time and only managed an average of 2.6 points per game, being released in December.

Shortly after, he was signed up by Houston Rockets, but was again released before the season commenced.

Winning the fans love

Having been unemployed for almost a month, New York Knicks gave Lin a lifeline, agreeing a non-guaranteed contract and having been a whisker away from being cut for a third time, the opportunity to prove his worth arrived on February 4^th.

Lin took his chance in emphatic style, producing a stunning 25-point performance against the New Jersey Nets, but he was only getting started.

Houston Rockets Daryl Morey regretfully claimed that he “Did not know he was this good.”

Kobe learns a lesson

Surely his excellent high school and Harvard records were an indication of his talents. He clearly should have received a scholarship and a draft in the NBA, with opportunity to play last season.

This said, Lin is still young and the delay in his arrival on the NBA scene has only served to make his impact even more explosive.

Lin is no longer concerned with the past and is using his on-court ability to do his talking. The new star of the game has led the Knicks to a 6-0 record in their last six games, with an average of 27 points, 8 assists and 4 rebounds.

On February 10^th Lin scored a sensational 38 points against NBA giant Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers, before scoring the winning three-point basket against the Toronto Raptors on February 14^th to solidify his popularity across the globe.

Media madness

With his refreshing, if not old-fashioned pass and shoot style, Lin is reminding basketball fans of the importance of the fundamental principles of the game. He is also giving hope to all young basketball stars worldwide.

In just two weeks Lin has set records, won games and sold jerseys. But, much more than this, he has provided hope.

Jeremy Lin has transformed the outlook, not only for Asian Americans in the NBA, but for racial stereotyping on a global scale. A truly remarkable story, dubbed ‘Lin-sane’ by American media has left us all believing a little more in ourselves.

Jiayou Jeremy.

Written by Dom Wallace