Yankee beards and other things
A quick look around the world of sport.
In the absence of time this week as well as the lack of inspiration for something more expansive, I thought I’d share some quick sports stories from around the world that piqued my interest in the last few weeks, as well as share some pieces from other great writers here on Substack.
But firstly, if you haven’t read some of my more recent newsletters—then what are you doing here?!
Last week, I wrote about how football punditry has taken a nose-dive on UK television. This got a great response, and I welcome the group of folks that hit the subscribe button having read that, it is very much appreciated.
Before that, I wrote an ode to Eurosport as it disappears behind the TNT Sport paywall.
And you might also enjoy a look at why Irish football is cool again—as it experiences exponential organic growth over here, as the new 2025 season kicks off to never-before-seen interest.
Anyway, onto some stories that caught my eye recently….
Yankees change beard policy
After over 30 years, the New York Yankees rowed back on a club policy that prevented players from having facial wear. It was an antiquated hallmark of the franchise, handed down by previous owner George Steinbrenner in an effort to exert control over the team and present a strong, manly, professional image. Now his son Hal has pulled back on that—in 2025—as the organisation begins to enter the modern world
This policy has impacted player signings over the years, and it seems that the arrival of Devin Williams, a man who enjoys a fine, luxurious beard, was the straw that broke the camel’s back. But generally, the policy was seen as out-dated and was beginning to hold the Yankees back at the negotiating table. Historically, the name brand was enough—but with so much money swirling around MLB right now, every edge helps.
Carragher’s AFCON controversy
On the back of my piece last week talking about the quality of punditry in football right now, Sky Sports once again went “viral” for the wrong reasons when Jamie Carragher scoffed at the quality of the African Cup of Nations, in a conversation regarding Mo Salah’s ambitions to win the Balon d’Or. His point was that players need international success in addition to club form to have a good chance of winning the award, but claimed that the AFCON is a level or two below the European Championships or Copa America, putting Salah at a disadvantage.
The response was massive and Carragher has fought his corner, igniting a feud with Rio Ferdinand and sparking a huge conversation around the football space. It’s a topic that comes up quite regularly and all goes back to the quite regular disrespect of AFCON, painting it in a negative light. The fact is that the AFCON is an easy target for disdain; it’s played mid-season in Europe, takes players from clubs in the Premier League in a crucial part of the season, and is generally seen as a bit of a nuisance in the football calendar.
Tell that to the players actually involved, tell that to Sadio Mane—who came second in the 2022 Balon d’Or—having won the tournament that year with Senegal. And tell that to Salah, who hasn’t won it at all, and carving Egypt’s name into the history books would be a monumental moment in his already packed career.
Carragher may be right, the AFCON isn’t as well-regarded as a Euros or Copa America, but by piggy-packing on that negative portrayal, he’s doing the sport and the tournament a great disservice.
Sinner absolved of his sins… nearly
The story of tennis world number one Jannik Sinner getting suspended from action for three months after a doping incident is a very interesting one. The timing is convenient to say the least—right in the middle of a lull in the tennis calendar, wedged between the Australian Open—which he won—and before the French Open in May. No harm no foul?
Well, that depends on which side of the fence you lie—his excuse is that a cream that was applied by his trainer that contained an anabolic steroid called Clostebol entered his system and pinged a positive test. He claims he wasn’t aware of this and WADA accepted his case, claiming he did not intend to cheat. Applying a three-month ban, Sinner misses no important events and WADA get a suspension on their books, to deter others using the same excuse.
This has been fairly seismic in the tennis world—Novak Djokovic has claimed favouritism has been applied, while another athlete—Spanish figure skater Laura Barquero—was banned for six years for the same substance.
I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on this case.
Doncic destroys Dallas
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the fallout and reaction to the Luka Doncic trade from the Dallas Mavericks to the LA Lakers. As someone who’s NBA knowledge is minimal, when a big drama pops up I am all over it, and this hasn’t failed to deliver, all the way up to last night when in his first game back against Dallas, Doncic dropped a triple-double in a 107-99 win.
And here are some posts that I liked this week, from other Substackers who are well worth subscribing to.
- on the safety issues facing women's sport, after Emma Raducanu identified a stalker at a recent event in Dubai.
- on the Jannik Sinner doping controversy
- looks at why Celtic so staunchly support Palestine
And
on Ousmane Dembele finally realising his potential
Really appreciate the mention, Kevin - Thank you so much!
That's so kind of you, Kevin! Much appreciated :)