Category Archives: Sport

Games Lessons in the 1950s at Sir Philip Magnus school, London

Posted on February 16, 2018 by odeboyz

I have never liked sporting events, especially team games. Every Wednesday afternoon my class, of around 28 pupils from Sir Philip Magnus school in North London had to muster outside the school gates for the obligatory torture session. All or … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiography, School, Sport | Tagged , , , | 15 Comments

Competitive Advantage and Drugs in Sport

Posted on January 26, 2018 by odeboyz

Sporting bodies uniformally prohibit non-medical drug use. Why? Drugs are prohibited because they enhance performance. Drugs, in brief, hold a unique place amongst all the other competitive advantages. Elite athletes have many advantages apart from drug use. Drug use however … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Walter Tevis~ The Hustler

Posted on October 17, 2017 by odeboyz

It’s a disappointing thing to have to say in a book review that Tevis is unknown but the film with Paul Newman is a classic. He also wrote ‘The Color of Money’ and he’s unknown for that as well. So! … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Paul McGrath~ Back from the brink: The Autobiography (2006)

Posted on August 22, 2017 by odeboyz

Paul McGrath’s autobiography is a must read. It’s honest, brutally honest and oh-my-god honest. McGrath was brought up in a children’s home where discipline was ‘robust’. As a black boy, in racist Catholic Ireland, McGrath suffered tremendously. His natural athleticism … Continue reading →

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Stage Winner: Tour de France

Posted on July 4, 2017 by odeboyz

Expectation embraced him, Ethereal forward movement knowing His moment. The peloton glowed on the Empty road, a heavenly glow. A road; surfaceless; frictionless. Exquisite athleticism. Supernatural being in and on a bike Human fragilities disappeared Transcended into a new dimension … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry, Sport | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

An Australian golfers priorities

Posted on June 19, 2017 by odeboyz

A Catholic priest, an Indian doctor, a rich Chinese businessman and an Australian professional golfer were waiting for a particularly slow group of golfers in front of them. The Aussie fumed, ‘What’s with those blokes? We must have been waiting … Continue reading →

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Peter Crouch: Stoke City superstar

Posted on June 13, 2017 by odeboyz

“…Peter Crouch is essentially a humorous player, a 6ft 7in (2 metres) centre forward made of elastic bands and old deckchair parts who resembles less a real-life Premier League all-star than a satirical cartoon of an English footballer produced by … Continue reading →

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The MCC, social-class and English Cricket in the 1960s

Posted on June 2, 2017 by odeboyz

The MCC* ruled English cricket with an iron fist in the 1960s. County cricket administrators were a version of the MCC, using their social-class and status as Gentlemen to control cricket. Professional cricketers were regarded as social inferiors because they … Continue reading →

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Tiger Woods on white male golfers

Posted on April 11, 2017 by odeboyz

“Hockey is a sport for white men. Basketball is a sport for black men. Golf is a sport for white men dressed like black pimps.” Chris

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Paolo Maldini: a great Italian defender

Posted on March 21, 2017 by odeboyz

In football, successful defenders can be a nightmare for [gambling] statisticians. During his playing years for Milan and Italy, Paolo Maldini averaged one tackle every other game. It wasn’t because he was a lazy player; it was because he didn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Sport | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment