Vettel is on the brink of missing the British Grand Prix, Ricciardo and Verstappen are transforming Red Bull’s outlook and Stroll is proving his critics wrongThere was clear disappointment for Lewis Hamilton after his charge in Baku ended in him dropping a further two points to his title rival Sebastian Vettel but, moving on from it and the acrimonious exchanges between the pair, the British driver emerged looking the stronger and more rounded. It was the loose headrest that had actually cost him the win and he took it on the chin and did not apportion blame. “I know the team will be devastated about the issue with the headrest,” he said. “We all feel that pain but it’s on...
It may lack the glitz of the New York derby or the grudge match in the Pacific north-west but the Texas clubs are producing fine play on the fieldThe rivalry between the Houston Dynamo and FC Dallas lacks the pageantry of, say, the Sounders-Timbers feud up in the Pacific north-west. Though an official attendance of 22,115 showed up for Friday night’s showdown at BBVA Compass Stadium – Houston’s first announced sellout since July 2015 – the atmosphere was still somewhat short of raucous, and a sprinkling of bright-orange empty seats stood out from the crowd.Houston-Dallas lacks the big city sparkle of the New York City FC-Red Bulls games, and the historical weight of matches pitting Toronto against Montreal. What the...
This week’s roundup also features a perpendicular putt, purple umbrellas and mountain bike legend Rachel Atherton going through the pain barrier1) The wait is almost over; the first Lions test against the All Blacks kicks off this Saturday. The last New Zealand tour back in 2005 was a painful one, not least for Brian O’Driscoll, whose tour was ended by an infamous tackle in the opening seconds of the first Test, which ended in a 21-3 defeat. The second Test was even worse, Dan Carter inspiring a 48-18 thrashing in one of the all-time great No10 displays, before the tourists’ misery was completed in the third fixture at Eden Park. Lions fans looking for a little cheer might enjoy England’s...
Rare is the player who arrives in the NBA ready made for greatness, so how do teams ensure their draft picks have the tools to thrive in the pros?Predicting NBA performance from a handful of NCAA games is, at best, an imperfect science. And identifying and drafting talent is only half the equation, trusting the process requires time and patience. This is especially true in today’s NBA, where seven-footers are expected to shoot threes and handle the ball, and point guards have to be ready to match up with bigger players off the pick and roll. So often, especially with younger players entering the NBA, there are weaknesses — shooting, ball-handling, physicality — that need to be corrected. Rare is...
The Philadelphia 76ers have moved up to pick first in this week’s draft. But sports teams are often blinded by the prestige of a No1 selectionEngland World Cup teams, New Year’s Eve parties and DC Comics movies. The list of massively hyped things that almost always disappoint probably starts with those three. But right behind them on the list has to be No1 overall draft picks. Having that No1 overall draft spot is the goal of every fan whose team falls far short of the actual goal of winning a championship. It’s where franchise saviors and generational talents are supposed to be found. The NBA even promotes its annual draft lottery order reveal as a major, live television event, complete...