http://www.sportwithoutspin.com Rumour-busting, chat-spotting, plain-talking sport Thu, 09 Sep 2010 06:22:30 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en So John Higgins is exonerated. Almost entirely. It looked incriminating, but an independent tribunal accepts the Scot's explanation that he was under duress and feared for his safety. He brought the game into disrepute but he's not a cheater. Not, as it happens, what Sky Sports News said for one glorious ... http://www.sportwithoutspin.com/2010/09/09/pie-in-the-sky-sources/ There was a fairly sensible column from David Maddock in the Mirror this week explaining the fairly obvious logic that suggests David Moyes won’t be departing Everton for the vacant hotseat at Villa Park anytime soon: Why David Moyes won’t leave Everton for Aston Villa [...] The Goodison manager is unlikely to ... http://www.sportwithoutspin.com/2010/09/02/fantasy-football-moyes-to-villa/ Every time you open the pages of The Sun and consider the possible truth behind a transfer rumour, every time you read a story therein attacking 'overpaid millionaires' for their extravagant lifestyles, every time you consider handing a newsagent a few of your hard-earned pennies to pick up a copy ... http://www.sportwithoutspin.com/2010/08/16/sorry-seems-to-be-the-hardest-word-the-sunwayne-rooney/ Mesut Ozil could be going to Manchester United. The Daily Mail have evidence. Not evidence like quotes or press releases or even a hush-hush tip-off from someone loosely connected with Old Trafford, but this: Manchester United to confirm Mesut Ozil? Club website adds German star to their squad Mesut Ozil ... http://www.sportwithoutspin.com/2010/08/12/poor-foundations-for-a-rumour-the-club-websites-profile-pages/ Horror story about footballers to shake  you to the core this morning in the Daily Star: FOOTBALL stars are so addicted to video games they are wrecking their performances, it was claimed. ... and probably not checked. They stay up into the early hours playing the night before important matches. And sports psychotherapist ... http://www.sportwithoutspin.com/2010/08/11/a-not-especially-disconcerting-or-evidence-based-addiction/ High quality questioning from Sky Sports' reporter at pitchside in the wake of the Community Shield. With man-of-the-match and reluctant talker Paul Scholes in front of him, Geoff Shreeves took the opportunity to ask the question that everyone knew the answer to: Yet again you personally put in a terrific ... http://www.sportwithoutspin.com/2010/08/09/geoff-shreeves-asks-the-question-that-didnt-need-asking/ We couldn't help but be amused that the following two stories appeared within 24 hours of one another. On the one hand, the Independent write a most complimentary piece about the 24 hour rolling news channel Sky Sports News. Above all, what comes across is the desire to be taken ... http://www.sportwithoutspin.com/2010/08/06/on-sky-sports-news-and-journalism/ Some decidely average reporting of the fairly simple story that former Barcelona player Gai Assulin has been on trial at Manchester City and may sign for them. The Mirror doesn't think that's interesting enough in its own right, though: Manchester City set to land Barcelona midfielder Big-spending Manchester City are ready ... http://www.sportwithoutspin.com/2010/08/04/the-anonymous-34m-man/ We're continuing our theme of studying Leo Messi's curious press in England. Well, scratch that - it's not our theme - it belongs to the tabloid press, and particularly Gordon Smart's Bizarre gossip column in The Sun. Of recent times, we've been informed that Messi cannot understand why Theo Walcott ... http://www.sportwithoutspin.com/2010/08/03/things-leo-messi-probably-hasnt-said-about-forming-an-oasis-cover-band/ The trouble with the kind of generic guff that mildly media-trained footballers spout is that it isn't very interesting. Sure, people want to know the innermost thoughts of the players, but almost invariably what they have to say isn't very interesting - and if it is, they'd be best off ... http://www.sportwithoutspin.com/2010/08/02/misleading-headlines-the-role-of-joe-cole/