Yahoo News NBA buzzer-beating delirium, Jimmy White and all hail Billy McNeill
1) Hail Cesar! Football this week mourned the passing of Billy McNeill, captain of Celtic’s Lisbon Lions and a serial winner as player and manager for the Hoops. Here’s an exhaustive documentary on his story, and a briefer tribute, featuring then-obligatory champagne glugging in the bath. His finest of many fine hours as a player was that 1967 European Cup final win over Internazionale, while as a manager here’s his side clinching a domestic double in the club’s centenary year, beating Dundee United at the 1988 Scottish Cup final. Margaret Thatcher presented the trophy, to a somewhat less than warm reception at Hampden.
2) There have been some bruised egos this week at the World Snooker Championship, not least that of Ronnie O’Sullivan, but spare a thought for Luo Honghao, who suffered the heaviest Crucible defeat of all time at the hands of Shaun Murphy. The world No 92 could muster only 89 points in his 10-0 drubbing, eclipsing a record set 26 years ago. Murphy was at the top of his game from the start, mind, reeling off this impressive 138 break in the first frame. While we’re at the Crucible, Donald McRae’s compelling interview with Jimmy White this week prompts us to dust down some great Jimmy moments. How about this magnificent clearance against Darren Morgan at the worlds in 1998? White’s popularity was built on the kind of youthful brilliance demonstrated in this sub-five minute century break against Kirk Stevens in 1984, en route to a thrilling final against Steve Davis, which he lost 18-16, the first of six losses at the final hurdle, alas.
3) This is how to win an NBA thriller. The Portland Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard sinks a three-pointer from midcourt to clinch victory and the series against Oklahoma Thunder. The celebrations are worth lingering on too.
4) It’s the London Marathon this weekend, where ruthless champions and breathless charitable fun-runners alike pound the streets. At the elite end, Eliud Kipchoge’s 2016 men’s course record of two hours, three minutes and five seconds will be in the sights of the likes of Wilson Kipsang, Mo Farah and Tola Kitata, while Paula Radcliffe’s 2003 women’s mark still stands, 16 years on. But it’s not all about winning, as Lloyd Scott in his diving suit famously demonstrated 17 years ago, crossing the line six days after starting his “run” for the Cancer and Leukaemia in Childhood charity.
5) How’s this for a hole-out from Angel Yin? one going in off the white (to return vaguely to a snooker tip)
6) Trying a Panenka is always a risky business, but Bendrix Parra’s execution from the penalty spot was so utterly terrible he was sacked by his club after the game. “He is fired because we want to leave this episode behind us,” said the president of Paraguayan club Independiente after Parra’s awful attempt in the shootout against La Equidad of Colombia dumped his side out of the Copa Sudamericana.
7) Anyone for refreshments? Watch a wingsuit pilot deliver an inflight snack to a daredevil plane passenger in mid-air.
Our favourites from below the line last week
1) A documentary about Manchester City from a very different era. All Or Nothing it is not.
2) What it’s like to race on the cobblestones in the Paris-Roubaix.
3) More Richie Benaud love, this time with the great Australian fulminating against Trevor Chappell’s underarm bowling.
4) Some more great own goals for the ages, from York’s Chris Brass and West Ham’s Iain Dowie.
Spotters’ badges: whobroughtoranges, GrahamClayton, posedge, justcanttakenomore, bigginge.
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