The NBA is coming to the UK

Okay, it’s a money making and marketing scheme, much like the NFL games that have been taking place at Wembley the past couple of years. But who cares – it means genuine, something-to-play-for top class basketball here in England, and that can’t be a bad thing.

By Simon Rice | Sport | Monday, 6 September 2010 at 5:58 pm

Watch out! Development coming up behind you

I had a very strange journey to work this morning. I walked out of my apartment in Bangalore, along the pavement at the side of the road, and to the cab rank where the autos were all in a neat row, out of the way of other traffic in an area designated by painted [...]

By Grace Boyle | Notebook | Monday, 6 September 2010 at 5:30 pm

Rentoul suffers cognitive dissonance

I have just had one of those near-life-changing moments. One of my most solid political convictions was nearly overturned this morning. A lot of people seem to be getting their Labour leadership ballot papers today (a bit later than I thought), and it emerged in separate conversations with two highly-intelligent party members that they do [...]

By John Rentoul | Eagle Eye | Monday, 6 September 2010 at 3:13 pm

Taking the Blair bait

I don’t deny that several newspapers,not to mention lots of commentators, have it in for Blair. And much of the criticism is grossly over the top. But I also feel that he overdoes it when he accuses the British media, as a whole, of being biased against Blair.

By Ben Chu | Eagle Eye | Monday, 6 September 2010 at 1:59 pm

Footballers having affairs and the common denominators

Footballers don’t have sex, they romp. And when they romp, they are always, always ‘love-rats’.
The News of the World’s revelations about Wayne Rooney’s private life, in which it’s claimed he paid a prostitute for sex while his wife was pregnant, followed a very familiar format.
The four bullet points that summarise the story in a quick, [...]

By Simon Rice | Sport | Monday, 6 September 2010 at 1:52 pm

Hart and Johnson give England hope

The wheels of progress are in motion. As England began their drive along the road to Euro 2012 on Friday, Fabio Capello will take heart from the fact that Adam Johnson and Joe Hart, two international fledglings, helped England flourish during his side’s four-goal win over Bulgaria.
The formation was old but the impetus new. Initially [...]

By Giles Lucas | Sport | Monday, 6 September 2010 at 12:48 pm

A good start by England, but let’s not get carried away

It was always going to be an improvement on England’s woeful experience in South Africa. I still cannot believe the blind support Fabio Capello is receiving but give the manager and players credit on Friday. 4-0 is a very good scoreline in a competitive match.
Bulgaria were clever but Jermain Defoe scored [...]

By Gary Newbon | Sport | Monday, 6 September 2010 at 12:42 pm

“An intense psychological discomfort redirected”

My good colleague and fellow Eagle Eye blogger Ben Chu has asked the question, “Is the British press biased against Blair?” in the hope of making an unexpected entry in my well-known series.
I am afraid his application has been rejected by the committee, on the grounds that the Pope’s religion is well known. Ben makes [...]

By John Rentoul | Eagle Eye | Monday, 6 September 2010 at 11:53 am

Independent/Yoosk Labour Video Hustings

Just in case you haven’t yet had enough of the Labour candidates, here’s a quick-fire hustings with a slight difference. Questions chosen by Yoosk (“you ask, we connect, they answer”); answers on YouTube video and collected here for your discriminating decision-making.
Do you think you would be well placed to lead a coalition government?

Ed Balls starts [...]

By John Rentoul | Eagle Eye | Monday, 6 September 2010 at 10:15 am

Is the British press biased against Blair?

Perhaps we should be sceptical of the hysterical argument made by some of his ardent supporters that the media as a whole has it in for the man.

By Ben Chu | Eagle Eye | Sunday, 5 September 2010 at 7:36 pm