Sports Poets Society

Prefazione di Phil Jackson Mi piace molto l’idea dei 75 for 75, la selezione dei migliori giocatori in settantacinque anni di storia della National Basketball Association. A suo tempo mi hanno chiesto di far parte della giuria per sceglierli, ma ho declinato l’invito. Ricordo il cinquantesimo anniversario e i cinquanta entrati in quel computo. Red Holzman, mio allenatore ai New York Knicks , mi raccontava di due guardie con cui aveva giocato nei Rochester Royals , Bobby Wanzer e Bobby Davies , e a meno che non mi sbagli il primo non era stato incluso. I Royals erano una squadra da titolo prima del periodo d’oro dei Minneapolis Lakers e poi del filotto di successi dei Boston Celtics ; Red mi spiegava che, da riserva di quei due, aveva potuto studiarseli bene, e secondo lui Davies era più forte di Bob Cousy .  A ogni modo il mio amico Sam, quando ci siamo visti a pranzo nella sua annuale capatina a L.A., mi ha proposto di unire le forze per chiacchierare e scrivere dei settantacin...

Prefazione di Sam Smith Una volta John Havlicek mi ha raccontato della sua breve esperienza in NFL. In un’azione di corsa sull’esterno, uno sweep, dalla posizione di ricevitore stese un linebacker, aprendo la strada a una cavalcata di 48 yard di Jim Brown . Esatto, al college il leggendario campione dei Boston Celtics era stato anche uno dei migliori quarterback dell’Ohio , guadagnandosi la chiamata al draft da parte dei Cleveland Browns . Nell’azione successiva, a 2 yard dalla linea di touchdown, John fu schierato da tight end contro ‘Big Daddy’ Lipscomb , al tempo l’unico giocatore di NFL sopra i 135 chili . «Spazzava via come niente interi gruppi di avversari, poi si buttava su quello in corsa» ricordava Havlicek. «Io finii in fondo al mucchio, e quasi persi il casco». I Browns riuscirono comunque a mettere a segno un passaggio da touchdown, ma quella partita di preseason fu sostanzialmente l’ultima di John da giocatore di football . Di lì a poco la squadra lo tagliò, preferendogl...

Cyrille Guimard tient son maillot jaune du Tour 1972 sous les yeux de  son  équipier  Raymond Poulidor , qui n'aura jamais l'honneur de le porter  Sur cette photo, le Miroir titre: «Le rêve est passé... ». Cyrille Guimard stringe la sua maglia gialla al Tour 1972 sotto gli occhi del compagno  di squadra Raymond Poulidor, che mai avrà l'onore di indossarla.  Su questa foto, il Miroir titola: «Il sogno è svanito...». Bernard Chambaz Miroir du Cyclisme - L'histoire d'un magazine mythique, Son genou avait tenu le pays en haleine. Le druide, qui n'avait pas encore le statut de druide, aura échappé à la querelle du crépuscule. Dès le mois de juillet 1972, une hyperbole. « Guimard passa dans la légende », pour sa victoire au sprint sur le vélodrome de Saint-Brieuc devant Merckx, qu'il dépossède de sa tunique, pour un chassé-croisé durant la première semaine, pour sa maîtrise de la descente du col de l'Aubisque où il reprend en cinq kilomètres la minute qu'...

https://www.mitchellandness.com/en/the-first-nba-game/x-27912341+z-9034069-2391168968 On November 1st of 1946, the first NBA game was held as the New York Knickerbockers face the Toronto Huskies. 7,090 fans were in the stands at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. The Huskies would have the two leading scorers of the game, with 18 and 16 point performances from their stars. However, it was Leo Gottlieb who would score 14 points to lead New York to victory . He was supported by Ossie Schectman, who made the first bucket in NBA history and added 11 points for the Knickerbockers. What may be most surprising for the NBA fans of today are the prices and promotional ads featured in that game. Anyone taller than Toronto’s big man would would be granted free admission. Otherwise, seats were sold for as little as 75 cents, $1.25, $2.00 and $2.50! In 1996, the NBA began their 50th Anniversary season by “replaying” that first game. The Raptors played the Knicks in Toronto at the Sky Dome, both teams w...

United cleaned the air 29 Oct 2026 - The Guardian Jamie Jackson Michael Carrick and Bruno Fernandes have held clear-the-air talks after the Manchester United captain criticised the head coach’s tactics last week, with the player now expected to start at Chelsea on Saturday. Carrick and Fernandes met before training on Tuesday at United’s Carrington training base. The 32-yearold captain, it is understood, offered assurances that he is fully committed and intent on trying to turn the team’s season around. There was also a squad meeting with Carrick at which the rest of the players made the same vow. Dismal results have left Carrick’s job in the balance. Later on Tuesday it emerged that the 45-year-old will remain in charge for the trip to Chelsea after Jason Wilcox, the director of football, decided he should be given more time. But to remain as the head coach for the long term, Carrick has to start winning games. So having dropped Fernandes, considered United’s best player, for the 3-0 ...

JADE GAO/AFP/GETTY IMAGES Mbappé’s face is a common sight on buses and in subways in China.  His commerical deals may be worth £22.6m annually Sorry state ‘It’s a race to cut ties the quickest,  who can be the most patriotic’ 29 Oct 2026 - The Guardian Rebecca Bailey It’s been a bad start to the week for the Kylian Mbappé. The France forward missed out on the Ballon d’Or and instead became the latest addition to a less illustrious list – that of foreign brands and individuals charged with “hurting the feelings of the Chinese people”. The saga began when a video of the player making light of a meme involving him and China’s former leader Mao Zedong began spreading. Mbappé found himself condemned online, dropped by brands, then held responsible for state television suspending La Liga from its schedule. On Tuesday Mbappé apologised – “My comment was ill-judged, and I now understand that it hurt many people in China” – as did La Liga, which released a statement saying it “deeply r...

FOTO ANP - De wedstrijd SC Cambuur-Feyenoord werd in augustus  onderbroken vanwege het afsteken van vuurwerk door Feyenoord-supporters. De pro-actieve aanpak van de club na inferno met vuurwerk bij Cambuur droeg bij aan milde straf. 29 Oct 2026 - NRC Joost Pijpker en Steven Verseput  AMSTERDAM - De ophef was groot, in de laatste week van augustus. Wat de harde kern van Feyenoord zag als sfeeractie, om de spelers op te zwepen voor een uitwedstrijd tegen SC Cambuur in Leeuwarden, liep uit op een inferno van vuurwerk, met zeven gewonde fans van de thuisploeg tot gevolg. Ruim twee maanden later is de sanctie duidelijk : 7.500 euro boete, en een voorwaardelijke straf met een uitduel zonder publiek. Zo’n 750 Feyenoord-fans zaten op zondag23 augustus in het Kooi Stadion, toen na twaalf minuten voetballen in het uitvak vuurwerkfakkels werden ontstoken. Ze gooiden die ook naar het veld en een vak met Cambuursupporters, wat leidde tot onder meer gehoorschade, brandwonden en oogletsel. F...

À la veille du départ du Tour d'Italie 1980,  le Miroir prédit une bataille à trois entre Giuseppe Saronni ,  vainqueur sortant, Bernard Hinault et Francesco Moser . Alla vigilia della partenza del Giro d’Italia 1980, il «Miroir du Cyclisme» pronostica  una  sfida a tre tra Giuseppe Saronni , vincitore uscente, Bernard Hinault e Francesco Moser . Bernard Chambaz Miroir du Cyclisme - L'histoire d'un magazine mythique Avant même les années 1960, avant même la naissance de Miroir du cyclisme , le Giro m'a fait battre le cœur. Miroir-Sprint y a forcément sa part. Le récit de Bobet dans la « Bibliothèque verte » a laissé une trace aussi ténue qu'indélébile; il y raconte comment il l'a perdu pour 19 secondes et qu'il ne s'en console toujours pas : je peux encore voir le parcours sur une carte de la péninsule et la date du départ, le 18 mai 1957, je peux redécouvrir à chaque fois les péripéties et le rêve de ce maillot rose, que j'oserai porter plus souven...