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This is a book for the sports lover.In an Orwellian Ministry of Sport, what ultimate terror would await you in Room 101? Would Tim Henman's choking crush the spirit sooner than the glacial detachment of his parents? Would the philandering of an Ashley Cole or a Will Carling break you faster than the pipe-smoking prissiness of bowlsman David Bryant or the obese bare-chested Geordie football fan in winter? Would it be Neville Neville's unrepentant siring of Phil that cracked you, or the Charidee Fun Runner doing the marathon in the guise of Spiderman? The nasally overexcited John Motson or the mellifluously smug Peter Alliss? How do you rank the self-pitying lunacy of Arsène Wenger against Alex Ferguson's psychotic ranting? Or the shameful innumeracy of referee Graham Poll against umpire Billy Bowden's sinister crook-finger?Counting down the greatest torments in sport from 101 to number one has been a filthy job. But someone had to do it.
What are the most grating, absurd, and infuriating personalities and phenomena within the world of professional sports? Matthew Norman, a veteran journalist and commentator, applies a satirical lens to the sporting landscape to categorize the specific behaviors, figures, and tropes that drive fans to distraction. By framing the inquiry as a descent into a sports-themed version of Orwell's Room 101, the author evaluates the psychological toll of various sporting irritants, ranging from over-hyped athletes to eccentric commentators and questionable officiating.
What You Will Find
The text functions as a lighthearted, cynical critique of sports culture, likely appealing to readers who enjoy acerbic commentary on the personalities that dominate the back pages. The framing suggests a highly subjective, opinionated collection of essays that prioritizes wit and provocation over objective analysis.
Page Count:
300
Publication Date:
2011-01-01
Publisher:
Fourth Estate Classic House
ISBN-10:
0007438737
ISBN-13:
9780007438730
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