When Miami signed Chris Bosh and LeBron James in July last year, not only sports fans but the world sat up and took notice. The best player in the league changed teams of his own volition and took deserved heat (oww ... unintentional pun) for leaving his hometown club for beaches and booty. And rings.When the Heat filled out their roster with a few role players - Mike Miller and Udonis Haslem -
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Balanced Sports is now on Twitter!
Posted on 9:10 AM by Unknown
Balanced Sports is now on Twitter!Our feed is called balanced_sports, and you can follow us by clicking this link.Context, (poor attempts at) humour, irreverence and sport, all in 140 characters or less. Who could say no?
Paul Scholes Retires
Posted on 8:49 AM by Unknown
Paul Scholes has retired and suddenly, Manchester United's summer transfer activity has become much more frantic. The Great Ginger One has been irreplaceable for nearly twenty years and it is now that Sir Alex is finally forced to choose a successor. It speaks volumes of Paul Scholes that the search for his replacement will include only the world's very best players. They still may not fill
Posted in England, Fabio Capello, Fergie's Fledglings, Man Utd, Manchester United, Paul Scholes, retirement, SAF, Sir Alex, Sir Alex Ferguson
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Saturday, May 28, 2011
My Favourite Cricketer: Brian Lara
Posted on 8:12 AM by Unknown
The first Balanced Sports and World Cricket Watch: "My Favourite Cricketer" is penned by the editor of WCW, David Siddall. It features the Samba King of West Indian batsmanship, Brian Lara.From the age of 13-18 this aspiring top order batsmen would spend their summer holidays practically living at the Stoughton and Thurnby Cricket Club nets. Honing the particularities of your batting technique
Welcome to My Favourite Cricketer
Posted on 7:43 AM by Unknown
Welcome to My Favourite Cricketer. This is a special feature which Balanced Sports and World Cricket Watch where we're inviting several of the world's leading cricket writers to submit pieces which explain the romance of their favourite cricket players.This series will run throughout the Northern Summer/Southern Winter and week by week, piece by piece, will build a complete picture of some of
Thursday, May 26, 2011
The undeserved revisionism of Barcelona FC
Posted on 12:24 PM by Unknown
It's popular assumed knowledge that this current incarnation of Barcelona are one of best teams in football history. In this case, popular assumed knowledge is correct: Barcelona are one of the all-time greats.
What they aren't though, is deserving of the revisionism that circulates in some - minority and usually Real-supporting - areas which suggests they are unworthy of such a place in the
What they aren't though, is deserving of the revisionism that circulates in some - minority and usually Real-supporting - areas which suggests they are unworthy of such a place in the
Posted in Bad Boys, Barca, Barcelona, Darth Vader, Detroit Pistons, diving, Los Merengues, Real Madrid, revisionism, Sergio Busquets
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Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Man U need efficiency to beat Barcelona in Champions' League Final
Posted on 12:09 PM by Unknown
Sir Alex Ferguson says that his oppoenets are stronger, having grown in strength since their last encounter. That match, the 2009 Champions' League final, was almost the archetypal Barcelona symphony: composed by Pep Guardiola, conducted by Iniesta and Xavi and ultimately won through brilliant solos by Messi and Eto'o. United were second best that day, suffering from a lack of match-fitness and
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Newsflash: Joel Selwood is not perfect. Just very close.
Posted on 4:26 PM by Unknown
As far as youthful members of the AFL's elite, there are few who compare with Geelong's favourite son, Joel Selwood. Since his debut during that magical 2007 season, he's gone from the anointed "potential captain" to "talisman" to now a probable second to Cameron Ling in the Sleepy Hollow leadership. A popular early-season pick for the Brownlow Medal, his game has grown at nearly the same rate
Posted in AFL, Aussie Rules, Cats, Gary Ablett Jr., Gary Ablett Sr., Geelong, Geelong Football Club, Jimmy Bartel, Joel Selwood, Wayne Carey
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The Ten-Year Premiership Table
Posted on 1:45 PM by Unknown
We've been working hard and mindlessly to bring you special stats pages on Balanced Sports. You can find out all about which players contribute most to their team scoring, how the English Premiership ladder would look over a decade, rather than a season, or how each EPL Goalkeeper performed last year compared to his peers.Our newest addition is the 2002-11 Cumulative EPL Table. Take a peek to
Posted in admin, Balanced Sports, cumulative table, EPL, GAA, Goalkeeper, Premier League, Premiership, Save Percentage, Scoring Stats
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Monday, May 23, 2011
What next for Birmingham City?
Posted on 5:56 PM by Unknown
As part two of a three-part series, we investigate what the best options are for the relegated clubs to bounce straight back into the Premiership.
Sort out the Finances.
This is a tough one to figure and has overarching ramifications for everything that follows. Apparently Carson Yeung has had to sell shares in order to finance the club's expenditures this year and his - and the entire
Sort out the Finances.
This is a tough one to figure and has overarching ramifications for everything that follows. Apparently Carson Yeung has had to sell shares in order to finance the club's expenditures this year and his - and the entire
Sunday, May 22, 2011
An Open Letter to Cricket Australia
Posted on 10:38 AM by Unknown
by Balanced Sports columnist Ben Roberts Dear Cricket Australia, As a cricket fan who grew up loving the greatest era of Australian cricket ever, throughout the 1990s and 2000s, I run the huge risk of being labelled the fairest of fair weather supporters by writing this. But I continue at this great personal risk. From now I am reneging my emotional attachment to the Australian Cricket team
Friday, May 20, 2011
Time for Wigan to accept their destiny: The Championship
Posted on 12:33 PM by Unknown
The Premiership is richer for the passing game of Blackpool and Wigan Athletic. The same could be said about their respective locations, nestled in smaller markets in England's Northwest. The Latics and the Tangerines don't necessarily bring a lot of fans, but they certainly offer a different feel to big-city clubs like the clubs' possible replacement QPR. What they may subtract from the
Posted in Blackpool, Dave Whelan, EPL, Latics, Mauro Boselli, Premier League, QPR, relegation, Roberto Martinez, Swansea City, Tangerine, Wigan Athletic
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Thursday, May 19, 2011
What next for West Ham?
Posted on 8:55 AM by Unknown
This weekend, three of Europe's more famous clubs - Sampdoria, Frankfurt and West Ham - were condemned to the second divisions of their respective countries. Perhaps the smallest reverberations came with West Ham's demotion: the Hammers struggled all season long under a hangdog, lame-dog manager and if the same the lack of spirit shown by several senior West Ham figures is reproduced next year,
Balanced Sports on Soccerlens & The Roar
Posted on 8:49 AM by Unknown
Balanced Sports has been published on Australian sports opinion website The Roar, with pieces by Matthew Wood on Bobby Davis and how the 2011 edition of the Geelong FC being "Crap Invincibles".We've also been published on Soccerlens, detailing how West Ham can bounce straight back up from relegation to the Championship.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Applying NHL Goalkeeper stats to the English Premiership
Posted on 12:07 PM by Unknown
In the English Premiership, goalkeepers often face the most scrutiny and pressure. It's a simple truth of football that custodians need to maintain concentration during long periods of inactivity and then make a save, clear a ball or claim a cross. When they fail, often it costs their team a goal. In short, to have a reliable man between the posts is the foundation of a solid defence.There
Posted in David Stockdale, EPL, GAA, Goalkeeper, NHL, Premiership, Save Percentage, Vezina Trophy
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Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Obituary: Remembering Bobby Davis
Posted on 9:50 AM by Unknown
Today the tributes flow for Bob Davis, "The Geelong Flyer", as well they should. Davis passed away yesterday at the age of 82. With it, he leaves behind a legacy as Geelong's favourite son. The reason Bob Davis is so fondly remembered isn't his footballing ability, though he had loads. Neither is it his coaching, which delivered in 1963 Corio Bay's last flag for the twentieth century. It
Posted in Bob Davis, Bobby Davis, Geelong, Geelong Football Club, League Teams, obituary, Premiership, Three Wise Monkeys
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Monday, May 16, 2011
Geelong, like Manchester United, are the "Crap Invincibles"
Posted on 3:43 PM by Unknown
Geelong's unbeaten start to the AFL season has surprised many. Even so, their gritty three-point victory on Friday night perhaps stamped them again as a viable Premiership threat. Pre-season the Cats were daubed old, one-paced and vulnerable not for any lack of skill - they still boast players such as Enright, Corey, Chapman, Scarlett and golden child Joel Selwood - but because they'd lost
Posted in AFL, Cats, Chris Scott, Collingwood, Crap Invincibles, EPL, Fergie, Geelong, Manchester United, Premier League, Premiership, SAF, Sir Alex Ferguson
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Friday, May 13, 2011
What does it take to stay up?
Posted on 1:45 PM by Unknown
Over the past decade, thirty clubs have been promoted from the Championship to the Premiership. Some take with them solid financial footing, others acquire it with the TV rights riches that accompany such a promotion. Occasionally, clubs will try to set out all stops to defend their territory, fearing leaking goals is a surefire route back to the second tier. Others – like Owen Coyle, Tony
Posted in Burnley, Owen Coyle, promoted, promotion, relegation, Stoke City, Tony Pulis
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Balanced Sports on Soccerlens: Championship Promotion Playoffs analysis
Posted on 11:49 AM by Unknown
Balanced Sports has again been published on Soccerlens, this time a piece by Matthew Wood analysing what makes a successful club in the Championship Promotion Playoffs.
Posted in Balanced Sports, Cardiff City, Championship, Matthew Wood, Nottingham Forest, playoffs, promoted, promotion, Reading, Socerlens, Swansea City
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Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Book review: The Willow Wand, by Derek Birley
Posted on 12:03 PM by Unknown
This is a re-post from our affiliate book review blog, Books with Balls. There, you'll find the literature from a number of guy-friendly genres thoughtfully reviewed. Recent posts include this one, a review of the memoirs of late night TV's Craig Ferguson and a series of pieces on renowned historical fiction author Bernard Cornwell.by Ben RobertsThe Willow Wand's aim is to explore some of the
Posted in Ben Roberts, book review, Books with Balls, County Cricket, Derek Birley, myths, The Willow Wand
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Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Fulham to join Stoke and Birmingham in Europa League?
Posted on 2:35 PM by Unknown
As the Premiership season hurtles to a satisfying conclusion, few may be more sated than Mark Hughes. The Welshman, in his twelfth year of management, has led Fulham to tenth place so far this season, boasts a +4 Goal Difference and a fair play record which sees them firmly in contention for European football next season. Roundly pilloried in his early days at Craven Cottage - for a
Balanced Sports on The Roar: The Demise of the Second Team
Posted on 1:17 PM by Unknown
Balanced Sports has once again been published on the Australian Sports commentary and opinion site, The Roar - this time regarding AFL fans' reluctance to embrace a second team.
Monday, May 9, 2011
AFL: The Demise of the Second Team
Posted on 4:50 PM by Unknown
Perhaps it's just that I'm getting older. It could be that people are more focused as myriad media sources clamour for our time. Maybe it's the sociopolitical economy that drives the AFL. But as I've aged, I hear less and less about that schoolyard phenomenon of the "second team". I'm not talking about Fremantle, Port Adelaide, the Suns or even the foetal Greater Western Sydney but the
Friday, May 6, 2011
Blackpool, Premiership strugglers, stick to their (pop) guns
Posted on 9:56 AM by Unknown
Though Ian Holloway has earned plaudits for his attacking play and forthright press conferences as well as Charlie Adam for his "wonderful left peg", it could be that their Blackpool team are doomed to relegation from the Premiership this season. Holloway's philosophy, which he said came about after a period out of the game where he watched too much boring football, is to attack at all costs - a
Posted in Blackpool, Charlie Adam, DJ Campbell, EPL, Goal Difference, Ian Holloway, Olly, Premier League, Premiership, relegation
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Thursday, May 5, 2011
NBA: Never Been Altered
Posted on 10:55 AM by Unknown
Ben Roberts I potentially risk the ire of Balanced Sports' editor-in-chief with the following reflection. Having been on paternity leave recently an old flame has been reignited. Probably it has been since the Chicago Bulls collected their first 1990s 'three-peat' when I last engaged with Basketball and watched the NBA consistently. Not only have I been taken in by the current play-off series
Posted in basketball, Ben Roberts, Chicago Bulls, Michael Jordan, NBA, Wilt Chamberlain
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Balanced Sports on Soccerlens; Has Cristiano Ronaldo Evolved too far?
Posted on 7:20 AM by Unknown
Balanced Sports has once again been published on the leading soccer blog Soccerlens. Matthew Wood examines whether Cristiano Ronaldo has evolved too far to be credited as the World's best player.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Balanced Sports published on The Roar
Posted on 10:54 PM by Unknown
Balanced Sports has been published on The Roar, a leading Australian sports opinion blog. This time, we examine how the NBA Playoff matchup between the Memphis Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder is viewed in the Pacific Northwest.
Posted in Balanced Sports, NBA, playoffs, Seattle, The Roar, Vancouver, Vancouver Canucks
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Memphis Grizzlies vs. Oklahoma City Thunder a sad Pacific Northwest Basketball tale
Posted on 2:42 PM by Unknown
This year's NBA Western Conference Semifinal series between Memphis and Oklahoma City is a particularly painful one for many NBA afficionados to watch. Not for the quality of the play: the Grizzlies cuurently may be playing the best basketball in the West, while Oklahoma City's roster includes superstars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook combined with feel-good role players like Serge Ibaka and
Posted in lockout, Memphis Grizzlies, MLS, NBA, Oklahoma City Thunder, relocation, Seattle, Vancouver, Vancouver Canucks
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Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Lambert engineers Norwich City's Premiership promotion
Posted on 11:58 AM by Unknown
How much credit a manager can take for a club's results finds its definition with Norwich City boss Paul Lambert. Yesterday, his Canaries defeated Portsmouth 1-0 away to clinch promotion to the Premiership. In doing so, they secured their second successive promotion, the first time such a feat has occurred since the Premiership's bourgeousie nouveau riche Manchester City did so in 2000.
Posted in EPL, Grant Holt, Norwich City, Paul Lambert, promoted, promotion, relegation
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Monday, May 2, 2011
France's racial quota system, unraveled
Posted on 1:30 PM by Unknown
It was alleged recently by the website Mediapart that some high-up officials within the France national football setup investigated capping the number of "ethnic" players allowed places in national Youth training schemes. This cap, it has been suggested, would enable more white players to progress to the France international team. According to The Guardian, the French football federation is
Posted in bigotry, France, France football federation, Laurent Blanc, Patrick Vieira, racism, World Cup, Zinedine Zidane
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