View From The Bridge

Welcome to Greatest Rivals! Each Wednesday, this page will pitch two great rivals against each other to finally find out who the real winner is! Over the coming weeks, this page will cover many great rivalries, from the glory of el Clasico to the back and forth action of some of Wimbledon's finest performers.  Wednesday 31st March 2021 - Arnold Palmer vs Jack Nicklaus  It's   1954, and a 14-year old Jack Nicklaus stands rain-soaked on the 18th green, just finishing up his final round of the day. Despite thinking he is alone, he looks up to see an equally soaked Arnold Palmer on the practice green, 10 years his elder and future winner of 62 PGA Tour events along with 7 majors. Although Jack would go on to top these numbers before his 30th birthday, neither player knew that their futures as rivals were forever entwined and birthed arguably the greatest era of golf the world has ever seen.  The Palmer-Nicklaus rivalry spanned an entire decade from 1960 onwards, originat...

With 8:07 left to play in last nights game against the Pacers, Russell Westbrook sat on the bench with 25 points, 10 rebounds and 20 assists - his 6th career 20/20 game. He ended the night with 35 points, 14 rebounds and 21 assists - the first stat-line of its kind in NBA history and his 157th career triple-double. These 2K-like numbers are something we have got used to and have earned Westbrook numerous All-Star appearances and the league MVP in 2017. However, Westbrook\"s very production of these video game-like numbers is the driving reason behind why he will become one of the greatest ringless NBA legends of all time. Drafted in 2008 with the 4th pick, Westbrook\"s elite athletism is what drew the OKC Thunder to him, and at 6\"4" he truly defined the rise of the modern-day point day point guard. In his early years in OKC, he helped form the infamous big three of Westbrook, Durant and Harden, a team that could never quite win together but would each go on to have...

Since 2017, there have been 80 Formula One Grand Prix. This means that in the last 4 years, someone other than Mercedes has had 80 SEPARATE chances to win just ONE race. Mercedes have won 52 – Hamilton winning 43 of them. I’m pretty sure even Mercedes fans are now sick of seeing Hamilton and wingman Bottas on the F1 podium, but their dominance as a driver line-up has started to raise some questions – mainly, are they the greatest 1-2 punch in F1 history?    Not even close.    It’s no secret that the fanfare around F1 has gone stale in recent years, and Mercedes dominance is the pièce de résistance. Since Valtteri Bottas joined in 2017, Mercedes have had a 65%-win rate and earned a combined 2,673 points. Hamilton (otherwise known as Batman) has won 43 races in this time, with Bottas winning a very Robin-like 9. Yet, it isn’t something we haven’t seen before – in fact, it’s been a lot worse.  The key difference is that despite there being dominance, it was a ...

On the long list of NBA legends without a championship ring, you could make an argument that Elgin Baylor is without a doubt the most talented of the lot. As a 6'5" small forward, born into an era of Bill Russell's and Wilt Chamberlain's, Baylor still retired from his 14-year career with the knowledge that he changed the game of basketball forever.  As a student who struggled academically throughout high school, Baylor eluded the scouting reports of most division 1 universities - spending most of his time working at the local furniture store and playing pick-up basketball at the local gym. His skill set alone got him a scholarship to Seattle University after a year away from a college court. He immediately lit the NCAA scene alight, taking Seattle to an NCAA Finals appearance and making his stake for a shot at an NBA draft spot.  Despite overwhelming racism at the time, which included restrictions on the number of African-American players per team, Baylor was selected ...

I think it's fair to say that the 2020 F1 season was underwhelming, to say the least, with the only 2 major stories being Russell's rollercoaster weekend at Mercedes and Romain Grosjean's immortalisation as the man who walked out of fire. With fans growing increasingly tired of Mercedes dominance, the FIA has finally put a cap on team spending, meaning we should see a much more intriguing F1 season heading into 2021, and if all goes to plan, we might even see new drivers and constructors world champions by the season's end.  Hamilton vs Verstappen  2021 not only represents the worlds hopeful exit from Covid-19 but also could be the year where Hamilton actually has to overtake another car. As the most successful driver in F1 history, most of the past decade has had fans watch Hamilton lead a glorified parade for 60 laps before taking the chequered flag. However, Red Bull and Verstappen see 2021 as their best shot at ending Mercedes 7 year streak as constructors champions...

For a community whose real origins can be traced to the beginning of the decade, E-Sports aren’t doing too bad at all. In 2019, the Fortnite World Cup was viewed live by over 2.3 million fans during the Solo Finals. In 2020, the Dallas Empire and Atlanta Faze CoD League matchup brought in over 331,000 fans over a live stream on Youtube, the most in its history. Of course, these numbers are dwarfed by the likes of the Champions League Final or the Superbowl, but unlike E-Sports, their origins can be traced back decades. So, the question is, can E-Sports ever reach the popularity and monetisation of real live sport?  Right now, the water is a little murky. E-Sports is a new beast and therefore most old-school sports fans are scared to let go of the risk and rush that real sport provides. However, E-Sports is undoubtedly the future of live sport, and as technology develops and larger sponsors start to put pen to paper, old-schoolers will begin to realise that that same risk and rush ...

Welcome to Greatest Rivals! Each Wednesday, this page will pitch two great rivals against each other to finally find out who the real winner is! Over the coming weeks, this page will cover many great rivalries, from the glory of el Clasico to the back and forth action of some of Wimbledon's finest performers.  Wednesday 24th March - Kobe Bryant vs Phoenix Suns  Not often on View From The Bridge do we compare one man to an entire NBA franchise, but for Kobe, I think it's more than warranted. On multiple occasions, the Laker legend voiced his hatred for the Suns and as spectators, we were rewarded with a rivalry that played out over an entire decade.  In 2000, Kobe and Shaq had established themselves as the greatest one-two punch that the NBA had ever seen. So it's no surprise that when both teams met in the Western Conference Semi-Finals, the number one seed Lakers easily shrugged off the fifth-seeded Suns in 5 games (4-1). Kobe averaged 21 points across the 5 games and pl...

To say Mick Schumacher hasn't earned his F1 seat would be a mistake - as history as shown us a name only gets you so far. However, as the son of a seven-time world champion, needless to say, there is a unique amount of pressure on this particular drivers shoulders. So, heading into 2021, in the seat of a Ferrari powered Haas, is this boy-wonder headed for a return to his fathers most successful drive?  Just in case you're in a hurry, here's the short answer - yes. It took me a grand total of 3 Google searches to find every possible reason for the Schmacher name to return to Ferrari by 2024.  Firstly, as an F2 World Champion in 2020, Schumacher has definitively shown that he's not just the namesake of his father, but is the living embodiment. It's also not by pure chance that he has ended up in one of three Ferrari powered cars that will lineup on the 2021 grid.   Haas has been powered by a Ferrari engine since 2016, which of course has had its ups and downs, but doe...

In 1996, the San Antonio Spurs held their worst record in franchise history with only 20 wins and 62 losses - looking more like a Vancouver Grizzlies tribute act than a hardened NBA franchise. In an effort to turn the tables, the Spurs hired the talents of Gregg Popovich who, within 3 seasons, would lead the Spurs to their maiden NBA Championship in 1999 and begin an unmissed playoff run that would last for over two decades.  Popovich is part of an elite breed of coaches in today's NBA, in that he is able to evolve. Coaching across 3 different eras of basketball, the Spurs have remained both relevant and competitive since 1997, a fact that no other NBA team can come close to. Although the Spurs have had their fair share of Hall of Fame calibre talent, the one factor that has remained constant in their winning ability is Coach Popovich and his unique leading style that promotes team defence, quick ball movement, and league-leading team chemistry.  When Popovich was hired during...

For Chelsea, the start of their 2020/2021 Premier League campaign was much like the British governments handling of Covid-19 - lot's of money spent, full of controversy, and an overall s**t show. However, after the dismissal of Frank Lampard and the hiring of Thomas Tuchel in January, Chelsea has gone from mid-table wannabes to Champions League contenders, all in the space of 13 games. So, with a place in the Champions League final on the table and a top-four league spot all but guaranteed, is Tuchel's takeover of Chelsea the most successful in recent history?  Your first guess would probably be "No", as minds dart straight to the successes of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in his takeover of Manchester United in late 2019. Here, he set a new standard for caretaker managers and collected more points from his first ten games than any other manager in Premier League history (26). This included wins against 'Big Six' rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City and pushed t...

Welcome to Saturday's Sporting Icon!  Every Saturday, this page will showcase some of history's most unappreciated sports superstars. From the winding streets of Monaco to the NBA hardcourt, I think it's time to shed some light on the greatness of some of the world's least treasured icons. Saturday 20th March 2021 - Jonah Lomu  Growing up, I was told that everyone was equal, that no matter what shape or size we were, we were all capable of greatness. This does hold true on most accounts - but then I found Jonah Lomu, the man born to dominate world rugby.  "How the f**k is that fair??" I imagine these were the words of most opposing rugby players when lining up against Lomu, who at 18, had already grown to 6'5" and 275lbs. As a high school athlete, he had broken every possible school record and during one particular sports day in 1989, he won 10 out of the 13 track and field events, including the 100m which he ran in 10.8 seconds - he was 14 at the tim...

€105 million goes a pretty long way these days. You can buy yourself a couple of holiday villas in Spain, a Bugatti or two - hell, maybe even a yacht. However, in the football world, you get Paul Pogba - the worlds most expensive super-sub. E ven the most hardcore Man United fans have to admit that this particular investment hasn't exactly worked out the way they wanted, as they were promised the midfielder of the century when in reality they got a Frenchman with bad ankles.  But it hasn't all been bad. Impressive performances at Juventus is what conjured up a return to Old Trafford in the first place and he certainly earned that €105 million price tag. In 178 appearances for the King's of Italy, Pogba racked up 74 goal contributions including 34 goals and 40 assists, pushing Juventus to 4 consecutive league titles under Antonio Conte.  This form did continue for a period at Old Trafford, as even with continuing chemistry and management issues, he still produced 24 goals an...

When people talk about inventors that were ahead of their time, some might say Leonardo Da Vinci, Plato, or Hero of Alexandria. But if you ever want to find a man that was born into the wrong era, look no further than "Pistol Pete" Maravich.  Now, I'll admit, Pete Maravich isn't exactly a household name in today's NBA and I doubt you'll find him on any all-time lists. However, in the basketball world, there are two main things that Maravich is known for:  1. Having very bad knees. 2. Being one of the best NBA guards of all time.  As the son of a tough basketball coach, Press Maravich, Pete was sculpted into the mould of a great basketball player. The legend of "Pistol Pete" started at Louisiana State University from 1967-1970 and he immediately set the college basketball scene alight. Over 3 seasons, he averaged 44.2 points per game, an NCAA record that still stands to this day and is a stat that arguably makes him the greatest college basketball pla...

Let's face it, the life of a billionaire businessman ain't all bad. Yes, you have the occasional 2-hour meeting to discuss what fifty-foot yacht to buy, but apart from that, life is pretty much taken care of. But aside from all the materialistic items that can end up in a billionaires shopping cart, money has the ability to buy one major factor in sport - opportunity.  Don't get me wrong, Lance Stroll is a talented young driver and F3 European Champion. However, without billionaire father Lawrence, I doubt he would be anywhere near the 20 seats that F1 provides.  At 19, Lance Stroll became one of the grids youngest drivers in 2017, when his father paid over $80 million for a seat at a struggling Williams. Not only did this place him next to the legendary Felipe Massa, but also gave him his first chance to prove he wasn't a 'pay-to-play' racer. Looking back, this wasn't the best idea for both Lance Stroll and his financially backed father. Over 2 seasons at W...

Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury have finally signed a long-awaited deal that aims to not only unify the heavyweight division for the first time in its history but could possibly also save modern boxing.  The two heavyweight champions have been in and out of negotiations for the last few months, but according to promoter Eddie Hearn, the terms of the 2-fight blockbuster deal have finally been reached.  With no date or venue set as of yet, both fighters have got a lengthy amount of time to prepare for what will be the biggest fights of their careers, and therefore should be at their best when a date and venue is finalised. However, this fight of the millennia does come with a lot of risks.  We've all seen super fights go wrong before, as with entire careers on the line, fighters become reluctant to put it all on the line. Mayweather Jr vs Pacquiao was meant to be one of the greatest fights of all time, with both boxers at the top of their game at the time of the bout. Instead...

Like it or not, the world of politics and sport are forever intwined, and that fact isn’t changing anytime soon. What once used to be an occasional newspaper headline, sporting politics has now turned athletes from professional sportsmen and women into political advocates and activists. Now, don’t get me wrong, just like actual politics there are significant upsides to having athletes voice their political opinions and how they feel the world should work. However, this same voice can also create separation and controversy within communities and even destruction to athletes’ careers.    But let’s start off on a lighter note. Some of the greatest athletes of all time have been major advocates for massive political movements. Jackie Robinson broke the baseball race barrier when he signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. He was an instant sensation, winning Rookie of the Year in his first season, and going on to produce a Hall of Fame worthy career, including 2 MVP awards and si...

Having not produced a world champion since Kimi Räikkönen, Ferrari have spent a majority of the last two decades behind a rival car. This rival has changed from season to season but as one of Formula One's greatest ever constructors, it seems completely irrational to see them anywhere else but atop of the podium. On the back of one of their worst seasons in 40 years, 2021 presents a major opportunity for the Italian giants to get back on top.    The heartbeat of any F1 car is its driver and Ferrari have procured a stellar line-up for the coming season. Future world champion Charles Leclerc and proven speedster Carlos Sainz Jr are one of the best pairings on the Formula One grid; all they need now is the right car.    Leclerc took over as the lead driver last year after contract complications ended sourly for team-mate Sebastian Vettel. Even with a struggling Ferrari, he still achieved 2 podiums and collected 98 points, finishing 8th in the drivers’ standings. A year ...

Welcome to Greatest Rivals! Each Wednesday, this page will pitch two great rivals against each other to finally find out who the real winner is! Over the coming weeks, this page will cover many great rivalries, from the glory of el Clasico to the back and forth action of some of Wimbledon's finest performers.  Wednesday 10th March - John Stockton vs Magic Johnson  As point guards go, John Stockton and Magic Johnson are poles apart. Stockton is the epitome of what a point guard should be; the ever-running engine that is an extension of a coaches vision. On the other hand, Magic is ultimately the most diverged the point guard position has ever become. At 6'9", he produced entire highlight reels that other point guards couldn't even replicate on the latest 2K. Despite their differences, each player produced a career worthy of the Hall of Fame, but when put head to head, who comes out on top?  John Stockton is at the very top of a long list of Hall of Famers that didn'...