Book review: Let me tell you a story, by Red Auerbach and John Feinstein

John Feinstein has made a career of being a "thinking man's" sportswriter.  He shot to prominence with the oustanding 1986 Season on the Brink, which detailed a season spent with Bob Knight and the Indiana Hoosiers.  Some of his other works have been critically acclaimed as well, but have on occasion - eg. The Punch - tended to be too po-faced and serious for their own good.

Let me tell you a

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Short Pitch: On Mickey Arthur, Darren Lehmann and the Australian way of death

At least it was quick.

Mickey Arthur's eighteen month spell as Australian coach was terminated on Sunday, seventeen days before the first of ten consecutive Ashes Tests.  The South African has been almost instantly replaced by cult favourite Darren "Boof" Lehmann.  Arthur's reign was a fraught one, lowlighted by "homeworkgate" and four Australian players being dropped for failing to submit their

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European Goalkeeper Stats 2010-11

The following is a list of (barely) advanced Goalkeeper stats for the four major European leagues for season 2010-11.






2011
Keeper
Games
Conceded
Saves
GAA
Save %
SPG


Arsenal
Szczesny
15
19
43
1.267
0.694
2.87


Arsenal
Fabianski
14
14
36
1.000
0.720
2.57


Arsenal
Almunia
8
9
14
1.125

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European Goalkeeper stats 2011-12

This post details some (barely) advanced statistics for goalkeepers from the 2011-12 European football season.






2012
Keeper
Games
Conceded
Saves
GAA
Save %
SPG


Arsenal
Szczesny
38
49
84
1.289
0.632
2.21


Aston Villa
Given
32
45
98
1.406
0.685
3.06


Aston Villa
Guzan
6
8
20
1.333
0.714

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European Goalkeeper Stats 2012-13

The following post is essentially a list of numbers, from which you can make what you will. It details each goalkeeper's individual performance over the course of the season - and, by extension, the performance of each club's defence over the season past.



Click past the byline to see the (rather lengthy) statistics.







Team
Player
Games
Conceded
Saves
GAA
Save %

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Socceroos bound for Rio despite managerial misgivings

After cutting it far too fine for comfort, the Socceroos can finally begin to prepare for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. An eighty-third minute headed goal from Joshua Kennedy sealed a 1-0 victory against old rivals Iraq and progression from the final round of Asian Qualifying. While the display against essentially a second-string side was hardly awe-inspiring, it was enough and the antipodeans

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When the going gets tough, Luis Suarez gets out

When the going gets tough, the tough get going.



Those sounds you hear emanating
from Liverpool aren’t Billy
Ocean’s 1985 hit*, but of Luis Suarez’s discontent.  The going’s gotten tough – and now he wants
out.



The Liverpool forward – who came
within a suspension of claiming the 2012-13 Premier League Golden Boot – has this
week repeated
his statements that he wants to leave England due to

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Summer's transfer "saga" candidates

Each year, one player’s future
whereabouts overshadows the impending destinations of all others.  Over the years, that player has been Dimitar
Berbatov, Carlos Tevez, Cesc Fabregas and Robin
van Persie; each of whom left the club at which they made their name for pastures
and challenges new.  It’s time to run our
eye over the candidates for this year’s edition of “Summer’s Biggest Transfer”.

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