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76ers social media storm, white rage and the 'big nothing' of Liverpool's Champions League final defeat

Poor you! It’s the week’s best sportswriting.

OLY1968-200M-SMITH-CARLOS-PODIUM AFP / Getty Images AFP / Getty Images / Getty Images

1. “White America took the protest personally. Writer Jim Graham of the Denver Post called the gesture a “deliberate, calculated insult to the white people of the United States.” Pissing off white America made the two sprinters untouchable. They were going to pay the price. While Carlos still had eligibility at San Jose State, Tommie Smith had to find a job. He had a wife, a newborn baby, and nobody would hire him.

In The Shadow League, Louis Moore asks why the NFL is still colluding against black players with a social conscience 50 years after the Bengals stood alone in offering a try-out space to Olympic sprinter Tommie Smith.

 

2. ”The source explained that they worked in artificial intelligence and, after noticing a “bunch of weird tweets” directed at Sixers writers, used an open-source data analysis tool to link five accounts through commonalities including similarities in who the accounts followed and linguistic quirks… at first glance, I didn’t believe the accounts could be Colangelo. They were too inflammatory, too reckless…”

The curious case of the NBA team CEO anonymously criticising and leaking information about his players on Twitter is expertly investigated by Ben Detrick for The Ringer.

2018 French Open Tennis Tournament. Roland Garros. Paris. France. Corbis via Getty Images Corbis via Getty Images

3.. “It is only when organisations are committed to change, to taking a leap of faith, to investing in identifying and developing talent, that women can truly become equal in sport.”

For The Guardian, Anna Kessell laments the under-representation of women in sport, but it’s no wonder when motherhood is deemed a career killer.

4.

Thousands of people were expressing variations on the basic sentiment “puto rata” in all the languages of the world. This seemed unlikely to bother Ramos, who has won so much by now that he needs the tears of his enemies if victory is to have any savour.”

In The Irish Times, Ken Early embraces the nihilism in Sergio Ramos becoming the hero of Real Madrid’s Champions League success (with a little help from Livia Soprano).

washingtonparkchess / YouTube

5. “With all kids out of earshot, Lewis’ words knife through the sound of squeaking sneakers synchronizing with bouncing basketballs. When the NFL ejected him—when one final undiagnosed concussion sent Lewis spiraling into the abyss—he considered killing himself.

“You think about death,” the former Ravens star says. “I’ve thought about suicide. I’ve thought about ending it all.”

A Super Bowl champion and an NFL offensive player of the year,  yet Jamal Lewis has had to work hard to make the most out of a post-football life, writes Tyler Dunne in Bleacher Report.

6. “After causing a stir last summer by saying that he might become the first high school junior to declare for the draft–and challenge the NBA rule which prevents players in this country from being selected until their high school class graduates–LeBron vows he’ll stick around to get his diploma.”

This Sports Illustrated article by Grant Wahl is 16 years old, but LeBron James has delivered on all the promise that inspired it. 

‘He’s been coaching for two years in our environment’: Schmidt excited to bring Payne’s influence to Oz

‘A fight with Katie Taylor is one of the only fights that will get me back in the boxing ring’

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    Mute Ned Flanders
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    Jun 16th 2018, 9:24 AM

    Seems harsh regardless of 13. His eyes were on the ball.

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Jun 16th 2018, 2:58 PM

    @Martin Quinn: I’ve never understood why the jumping player has no duty of care for himself. Also, I believe the term tackler is not accurate as there was no tackle or player in possession.

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    Mute Michael Wynne
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    Jun 16th 2018, 9:27 PM

    @Martin Quinn: he is not the tackler, he was going for a high ball which does not constitute a tackle.

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    Mute John Craven
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    Jun 16th 2018, 10:07 AM

    Issue here is consistency. Last week that double tackle on the French went unpunished given the lack of intent. Result, double facial fracture for the player. This week, where’s the intent? Possible interference too, clearly accidental. Obviously landing is horrific and we’re all for player welfare but the result is far less severe than what came before. The cancer on the game, Neil Francis aside, is that each week a different referee comes out with his own interpretation and it ruins the game.

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    Mute Fred McHugh
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    Jun 16th 2018, 9:24 AM

    did have eyes for ball which is frustrating for french player but still red

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    Mute David OfBrien
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    Jun 16th 2018, 9:27 AM

    It’s a red. Unfortunate yes. But he took him out in the air and he landed on his head.

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    Mute Olive Barnes
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    Jun 16th 2018, 9:40 AM

    @David OfBrien: that is one of the things that bothers me, David. Barrett landed on his head, yes, but if he hadn’t would it have been a yellow? There has got to be an objective assessment of a tackle being or not being dangerous without consideration of the outcome. I say this because sometimes referees take the outcome into consideration and sometimes not. Then we end up having long discussions on whether it should have been a red, yellow or no card.

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    Mute Joe Kennedy
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    Jun 16th 2018, 9:42 AM

    @David OfBrien: looks like he landed on the top of the shoulders to me but looks horrific all the same. Very lucky not to do more damage. You have to admire the bravery of players fielding the ball like that but could there be something more done to protect them?

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    Mute Conor Flynn
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    Jun 16th 2018, 10:11 AM

    @David OfBrien: Decisions shouldn’t be based on outcomes. Both jumped for the ball, the rules I think are a bit upfair as they sort of say that if you jump the highest, you have licence to do pretty much anything.

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    Mute Luke walkee
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    Jun 16th 2018, 10:13 AM

    @Olive Barnes: 100% agree. Yes the outcome is bad, he clearly landed on head/neck, but as you say if he landed on his side that would have been a yellow. Referees should be officiating on the nature of the tackle and not the outcome.

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    Mute Chris Mc
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    Jun 16th 2018, 10:33 AM

    @David OfBrien: they both went for the same ball. One player jumped the other stayed on his feet. The player who jumps puts himself into danger.
    Completely different if he wasn’t watching the ball.
    But in an accidental collision why should the player who’s least injured the penalised.

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    Mute Daniel Casey
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    Jun 16th 2018, 1:06 PM

    @Joe Kennedy: what’s on top of your shoulders Joe?haha ya I think it was a red. There was no intent to injure the player, but unfortunately the onus is on the player to make sure the opposition lands safely, and he didn’t. The issue here is that Fall didn’t jump for the ball. If he did, it would have been a fair contest and the contact with Barrett would have been higher on his body, so he wouldn’t have flipped like he did. I don’t know if there is anything that can be done to protect the players more in this case to be honest. Just a risk in the game.

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    Mute Bobby Jo Baker
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    Jun 16th 2018, 3:14 PM

    @Olive Barnes: I agree. The tackle on Kearney was a clear spear tackle only Kearney got a shoulder down. Should have also been a red all day long.

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    Mute Summer Bay Devil
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    Jun 16th 2018, 10:08 AM

    Can’t hell but be cynical and wonder what the outcome would have been if the roles were reversed

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    Mute Darren McGuire
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    Jun 16th 2018, 9:37 AM

    Ref never seemed to consider the touch by 13 on Fall. It made him stumble slightly hence his timing for the challenge was all wrong. Bastereud should have brought that to the refs attention rather than the “eye on the ball” excuse. Probably still a red but the French must feel very hard done by. Can see a few scraps before this finishes.

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    Mute s mc
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    Jun 16th 2018, 10:25 AM

    Every 50/50 decision in this game has gone the way of new Zealand. Letter of

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    Mute Andrew Goodman
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    Jun 16th 2018, 10:35 AM

    @s mc: Blame the ref not the players

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    Mute filthypete
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    Jun 16th 2018, 3:07 PM

    @Andrew Goodman: Don’t see where he blamed the players. He made an observation. Kiwi fan feeling persecuted even when its an observation on them receiving the rub of the green!

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    Mute James Thompson
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    Jun 16th 2018, 9:46 AM

    Fall is pushed by NZ no.13 in under Barrett. (In the 2 seconds before this video) Surely this needs to be taken into account.

    It is also clear that something needs to change about the rules…accidental stuff like this ruins a game. Don’t know what the answer is, but it is ruining games.

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    Mute .
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    Jun 16th 2018, 9:50 AM

    Jeez that’s awful harsh. I know player safety is at a premium now but how can you blame him for the way he ended up.

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    Mute Shougeki
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    Jun 16th 2018, 12:00 PM

    It was a red. But after last week they were robbed.
    Seems to be one rule for nz and one for the rest. Also try after was forward.

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    Mute Andrew Goodman
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    Jun 16th 2018, 1:11 PM

    @Shougeki: lies

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    Mute Jim Demps
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    Jun 16th 2018, 10:04 AM

    Might seem harsh if you’re a French fan but it’s the right call by the ref. Players need to be protected in the air.

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    Mute Jg Igoe
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    Jun 16th 2018, 10:25 AM

    @Jim Demps: sorta agree , but this is leading to players jumping early and catching the ball in an unnatural position where they are already leaning backwards as they know that first in the air will get the refs call.

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    Mute Jim Demps
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    Jun 16th 2018, 10:46 AM

    @Jg Igoe: perhaps but the rules are there for the players safety. If you get a chance go back and have a look at warburtons tackle against France in the wc that he got a red card for. At the time there were huge arguements whether it warranted a red or not. On viewing it with today’s eyes it’s a shocking tackle and the game is better off for having stamped it out.

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    Mute Gustave H
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    Jun 16th 2018, 11:10 AM

    @Jim Demps: agree on your general point but I do think the nudge from Lienert Brown means it should’ve been a yellow

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    Mute John A. Dixon
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    Jun 16th 2018, 11:08 AM

    Harsh red card.

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    Mute John Maguire
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    Jun 16th 2018, 10:29 AM

    After the mugging France got from the ref last week no one wanted to see this. But it was a fair call. Refs have to do what they can to protect players. That could have been a serious injury

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    Mute ColmD
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    Jun 16th 2018, 11:37 AM

    France have a bit of pride and spirit now.. Something they have not had in a good few years

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    Mute Chris Tobin
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    Jun 16th 2018, 10:26 AM

    The rule should be red if intentional

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    Mute Jim Downey
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    Jun 16th 2018, 10:28 PM

    Only way to stop this is players cannot jump to catch the ball. Tough I know but it’s all about player safety

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    Mute John O Reilly
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    Aug 23rd 2018, 3:09 PM

    Hub to be buyutb

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    Mute John O Reilly
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    Aug 23rd 2018, 3:22 PM

    Hub to be buyutbbh

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    Mute John O Reilly
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    Aug 23rd 2018, 2:16 PM

    B.B. was

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    Mute John O Reilly
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    Aug 23rd 2018, 2:39 PM

    H

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