This week’s roundup also features Fury v Wilder highlights, Tony Hibbert scoring and a wind-assisted long-range kick1) Chelsea face Bayern Munich in the Champions League next week, a fixture which immediately recalls this classic final in 2012. Bayern got lukewarm revenge in the 2013 Super Cup, as Pep’s Bayern beat José’s Chelsea on penalties. Let’s not forget the brilliant quarter-final first leg in 2004-05, which ended up 4-2 to the Blues. Chelsea would go on to win the tie 6-5 on aggregate, before going out to Luis García and Liverpool’s “ghost goal” in the semis.2) Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury meet again in Vegas this weekend: here’s a quick refresh on what happened last time out. And why not revisit...
A crucial part of Bryant’s story is upwards of 1,000 more missed shot attempts than any other NBA player in historyOne regular season MVP award, two Olympic gold medals, three consecutive championships, four All-Star MVP awards, five championships in total. In the last couple of days we’ve seen these numbers in the papers, heard them on the news bulletins. And others too, 18 consecutive All Star appearances, 20 years with the Lakers, 39,283 career points, 57,278 career minutes, 122 40-point games, 25 50-point games, six 60-point games, one 81-point game. Caught short by the suddenness of his death, journalists used the stats to underpin their first sketches of Kobe Bryant’s life, a shorthand to capture something of the magnitude of...
The Lakers legend, who died on Sunday, delivered five championships and countless brilliant plays. We run down some moments to savor from his careerFrom throwing paper in a trash can, to playground horse games, to high school, college and professional games, you’re bound to hear someone shout ‘Kobe!’ Bryant’s cold and calculated playing style became the stuff of legend over a glittering 20-year career. Here are some memorable moments from his time on court. Continue reading...
ESPN pundits’ criticism of rookie’s weight draws backlash Williamson delivered on hype with fourth-quarter outburst New Orleans Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson, the No 1 overall pick in last year’s NBA draft who’s been hailed as the best prospect since LeBron James, made his long-awaited professional debut on Wednesday night, a wait that had been made even longer by the team’s cautious approach to his rehabilitation from arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.The 19-year-old prodigy managed to deliver on the extraordinary hype that’s preceded him since high school, whipping the sold-out Smoothie King Center into chants of “M-V-P! M-V-P!” during an electric fourth-quarter stretch where he poured in 17 unanswered points on seven consecutive possessions over a three-minute span.No. 1 overall...
The Rugby World Cup final and World Series went against the form book and most academics regard ‘the M word’ as a trick of the mind“Never underestimate the value of momentum.” That’s what Sir Clive Woodward advised after England’s rugby players lacerated Australia a fortnight ago. And how wise those words seemed when New Zealand were also scattered and flayed, and it seemed England’s name was all but engraved on the Webb Ellis Cup. And then, without warning, the team’s hot hand turned Arctic and the World Cup was ripped from their grasp by South Africa.“Momentum is so important in football.” That’s what Dimitar Berbatov told us on Friday, before predicting Manchester United would win their fourth match on the...