I’ve never been a supporter of teams simply because they look like sure-wins. Instead I look at their fighting spirit and potential to grow together as a team. If they win, it’s a bonus, but my loyalty will remain – unless there’s a fundamental change in the factors that made me support them in the …
These lads aren’t just big on the field, they’re also big-hearted, raising money for a children’s hospital. And they look adorable in their furry costumes! Nicknames I’ve thought of for each of them, based on what they’re wearing: – Theo “the Leo” Walcott – Cesc Fa-bear-gas – waitaminute, is that a bear or a lamb? …
If you watched the US Open ladies’ semifinals match between Kim Clijsters and Serena Williams, you’d have witnessed a stark contrast in mindsets. At some points, it was a close match. But what won in the end was emotional intelligence. After [blogging earlier](http://vantan.org/archives/2009/09/working_with_em.php) about Daniel Goleman’s book, [Working with Emotional Intelligence](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0553378589?ie=UTF8&tag=vantan-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0553378589), I re-read the chapter …
I was about to hit the sack but was jolted by the news that [Chelsea just sacked Scolari](http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SPORT/football/02/09/chelsea.scolari/index.html). There are numerous academic journals that discuss the efficacy of sacking football managers on the basis of improving performance. Some look for a correlation between sackings and performance with inconclusive results while others report that [stability is …
Day 3 began nicely. I arrived at the club early enough to catch captains Annika Sorenstam and Se Ri Pak tee off at the first hole. Before that I was videoing and photographing all the players at the driving range, so by the time I arrived at the hole there was a sizeable crowd in …
**The action** The [Lexus Cup](http://www.lexuscup.com/) is back in Singapore, and finally it’s come to my club, so I no longer am a second-class member of the audience who has to arrive by shuttle, wait in line to pay for food and sweat in the sun while watching people in VIP tents sip beer in air-conditioned …
It’s an exciting time for a spectator like me, as the Euro 2008 football finals loom and tennis stars battle their way to the top at Wimbledon. My favourite for Wimbledon ladies – Jelena Jankovic ([blog](http://www.jj-jelenajankovic.com/eng/blog.php)). Because she’s the only top 3 seed left, after Ana “Girl next door” Ivanovic and Maria “The Screamer” Sharapova …
I’m fine with Maria Sharapova as a tennis player, apart from the shrieking. Now I’m more ingrigued to learn that Maria has now turned to her fans for advice online, since this smells of Web 2.0 spirit. [According to the Beeb](http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/7381548.stm), she’s protesting against a WTA ruling that she and other stars must do a …
Football fans will know that David Beckham himself will be training at Arsenal, possibly with the first team or reserves. Arsene Wenger has good things to say about Beckham: “I admire how strong Beckham has been mentally through his career because he went through some tough times… I respect the fact that he has always …
And how the tables have turned! Arsenal and Manchester United have switched places again and we Gooners will have a Happy New Year indeed. I was hoping against hope that West Ham would give Man U a run for their money, and they actually did! However my ultimate wish was for ex-Gunner Freddie Ljungberg to …