Samizdata quote of the day
“When you stop judging men by the content of their character, eventually you’ll run out of men of good character.” – Stephen Green, known to some as “Vodkapundit”, writing about more identity politics...
View ArticleGerman cyclists competing at this year’s Tour de France
Those with French-sounding first names: Marcel Kittel André Greipel Simon Geschke Emanuel Buchmann Marcel Sieburg Those with first names that could be either French or German: Paul Martens Christian...
View ArticleTime for a spot of toxic masculinity
As we have seen recently, Formula 1 has decided to ban the practice of young ladies parading in the grid at the start of a motor race, on the grounds that such behaviour no longer has a place in the...
View ArticleFair play in the Scottish Parliament
In 2011 the Scottish Government Executive* passed the stunningly illiberal Offensive Behaviour at Football Act. Judge it by its defenders: a Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Time to get some strawberries and think of Wimbledon
As is customary on these occasions, I would like to express the hope that it will be over quickly, and that everybody loses. Seriously, though, if the British were serious about Brexit, they would...
View ArticleFootball news for people who aren’t really interested in football
I hear there is a footballing tournament taking place. Apparently the English team is not doing too badly, and some people feel happy about this. Naturally, the Guardian is on the case. Steve...
View ArticleBrexit Britain fails to play the game
But not quite in the sense that the Telegraph‘s Brussels Correspondent, James Crisp, thinks. He has written a piece entitled “Terrible translations of Brexit White Paper make Britain a laughing stock...
View ArticleGlenn Hoddle was treated abominably for his religious views
The football commenter and distinguished former player and manager Glenn Hoddle suffered a heart attack two days ago while at a London TV studio. His life was saved by a sound engineer who knew how to...
View ArticleDiscussion point: what to do about drones being used to disrupt air travel?
According to the BBC, ‘persons of interest’ have been identified as responsible for flying the drone or drones that shut down Gatwick airport. As it gradually became clear that this was going on too...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Hobbs mania: How a cartoon depiction of Mohammad provoked Muslim outrage – in...
I have begun reading Leo McKinstry’s book about Sir Jack Hobbs, whom he describes in his book’s subtitle as “England’s Greatest Cricketer”. So, greater than W.G. Grace then? That’s what McKinstry says,...
View ArticleBritish pushback against the problem of transgender athletes competing in...
News of interest on the Transgender Athletes front, from the BBC: Dame Kelly Holmes, Paula Radcliffe and Sharron Davies say they are going to write to the International Olympic Committee asking for...
View ArticleI seek a software or sporting metaphor to explain why a second referendum...
When discussing Brexit I am often asked, not always disingenuously, “What is so wrong with having another referendum? Is not another vote more democratic by definition? Now that we know more, isn’t a...
View ArticleRomantic sporting essentialism
So South Africa won the rugby. I didn’t watch it myself. Like many (though certainly not all) of those who congregate here I am more into reading a pleasantly dotty analysis of Rugby As A Class...
View ArticleDemocratic workers’ control of football!
Labour promise football fans a say over their club’s choice of manager “Labour will put fans at the heart of football by giving them a far greater say over the way their clubs are run,” she said. “We...
View ArticleLet’s just accept that we live in a low-probability timeline
Continuing my series of “Newspaper headlines mentioning vaguely newsworthy persons that I thought at first sight were jokes but turned out to be literally true”, Prominent lawyer Jolyon Maugham clubs...
View ArticleJurgen Klopp gives a much admired answer to a question he was not asked
The English Football Premier League is one of the world’s great sporting tournaments, and as the current season now nears its end, Liverpool have a huge lead of over twenty points over their nearest...
View ArticleGary Lineker’s own goal
BBC football pundit Gary Lineker just brought the end of the BBC licence fee measurably closer. In this tweet he quoted the BBC Press Office saying he had signed a new five year deal with them and...
View ArticleDefinitions of what is shameful differ
A human interest story from the Daily Record: ‘Kalashnikov councillor’ running for seat in Scottish Parliament after machine gun shame A shamed politician – dubbed the Kalashnikov councillor after...
View ArticleHis offence is “failure to condemn”
“Tory George Eustice fails to condemn Millwall fans who booed players for taking the knee”, the Mirror reports. A Tory Cabinet minister has failed to condemn Millwall fans who booed players for taking...
View ArticleThree cheers for the European Super League!
Nothing official yet but it would appear that there are plans for a European Super League. Yes, I know you’re thinking, “Don’t we already have one of those?” Sort of, except that the Champions League...
View Article