sport & selling

"A sporting colossus suffers while an unaccountable cadre of administrators prospers. It is the eternally English way." Boom. A recent sign-off from London-based broadsheet sports columnist, Oliver Brown. The legend that is England Test captain Ben Stokes. Forced out by backroom chicanery. All cricket fans feeling for him

Well, that was a rollercoaster. Ingerlund got a W under their belt from the first World Cup game. Croatia put to the sword. As many a pundit suggests, it is strangely taking a non-English manager to finally unlock England playing in the gung-ho manner of our gangbuster world-leading Premier League.

“Well done, you didn’t repeat anything I said or describe what I could see for myself.” Recollection of live punditry debut feedback to a then just-retired player from that rarest of pros, a brilliant sport commentator. Having recently been reminded of the broadcast genius of cricket's Richie

Luckily, I had a boss at Sky, Andy Melvin, who taught me: ‘Don’t just criticise, tell me why it’s bad and why it might get better.’ Here is a career insight from a much maligned live sport tv host. As with many a-thing, you don't get

The snooker world championship is as thrilling as ever. You can see how the game is slowly but surely spreading. There's already reportedly been an incredible TV audience on CCTV5 for the blockbuster all-chinese Second Round affair of 180 million. The former champs I hear commentate usually put

Disastɑr, geddit?! Sporting commentary and punditry. Any good for you? I very much miss being able to watch along choosing the fleeting, now deleted option for 'stadium effects'. Only hearing what the pitchside mics pick up. There's a reason why much research concurs that only ten

How often do we take something from those that finish second? Sometimes the focus on only the Number Ones can restrict. For plenty a Silver also has an incredible story to tell. With many a facet that - alone or combined with others - can certainly reap glory for us.

As Ulsterman McIlroy tore up the year's first golf Major, breaking records on a huge halfway lead, broadsheet sport columnist par excellence Oliver Brown asked him how it felt to be in this zone, whether he was even conscious of outside distractions; “The only way I can describe

"When you have to rely on a slide show to explain your strategy then you are in real trouble as leaders of a sᴀʟᴇs team." I've duly altered the above opening from an English broadsheet column by a former Ashes winning captain. Swapping in the label

I cannot remember when last I enjoyed ninety minutes of sport as much as Sunday lunchtime. Born an Englishman, when feeling you've won the lottery of life proves elusive, at least we've lottery-funded Olympic sports that can come through and shake up the traditional big-hitting nations.