Avoid current events with US Presidents doing sports

Sport Review #302

If like Sport Review you over-invested in the US election and listened to hours of podcasts assuring listeners it would be close etc, only for a candidate who is literally orange to romp home in about two hours, you will be feeling very silly and questioning your life choices, values etc currently.

Luckily, distraction can be comforting, even from massive wank spatulas, and so here are some other US Presidents doing sports.

George W Bush - better at cricket than Chris Luxon.

And a handy golfer.

Jimmy Carter. Loves his tennis, and apparently managed White House court bookings personally.

Tricky Dicky dominating some pins in a bowling alley with weird There Will Be Blood vibes. Unfortunately, he is over the line.

The Kennedys throw the old pigskin around one of the country estates they have in the portfolio. Unfortunately that’s brain worm himself, RFK Jr, in the background.

JFK was apparently a junior yachting champion in the Hamptons or something. Looks like he’d win you the America’s Cup, bring it back to Auckland and charm your missus without breaking a sweat.

Gerald Ford section

Have to admit Fordo has flown under Sport Review’s radar generally, but it turns out he’s a sporting behemoth. Behold:

He’s just an all around bad motherfucker.

Country club legend. Probably just rattled in a 60 footer for eagle. 12/10 for the shades and strides.

Dominating Pele in the air and looking relaxed doing it.

Bush Sr appears to be partnered with big-serving Pete Sampras, so should be tidying up some straightforward putaways at the net, as befitting a former President.

Obama is a famously handy baller, and had a regular game against regular guys under strict instruction not to go easy on him.

Exhibit A.

Three California legends.

If post-Presidential life means comfort-forward sweatshirting and a round at a fancy Scottish course with a caddy and nice cigar after a night on the scotch, I want in.

Thanks for reading - Richard

This week's best NZ sport content

Big profile on Justin Nelson, the earnest Australian who built the Tauihi women's basketball league into what it is today [RNZ]

Road cycling’s Tour of Southland is happening now - there are great highlights on YouTube, with the notorious Bluff Hill stage hopefully up very soon.

Whatever your thoughts on Matthew Ridge, he has seen some shit in his time, and his chat with the boys is a very interesting listen [Between Two Beers]

The NZ A-League derby kicked ass - Emile spoke to fans from the Phoenix and Auckland FC before the big game on Nights [RNZ]

With the All Whites set for a rare appearance in Hamilton, Cordwainer Bull profiles Bill Hume, a Waikato striker with a greater strike rate than Chris Wood [Badly Parked]

Video nasty

This is really cool - Danny McAskill rides around Adidas’s Bavarian HQ.

Long read

RIP Quincy Jones - in 2019 he gave a series of wild interviews with some wild stories - here’s the Vulture one and the GQ one.

Recommendation 

This is fantastic - Guardian sports and arts writers swap jobs for a day. If you always wanted Barney Ronay and Jonathan Liew on opera and pop music, now is your time.