Columns - Irish Examiner

Michael Moynihan

Liverpool owner Henry a genius, says baseball stats guru James

Bill James, doyen of baseball statistical analysis, paid tribute to Liverpool FC owner John Henry at the Web Summit, identifying Henry’s statistical acumen as being key to his success, writes Michae Moynihan

Fri, 11 Nov, 2016

Fan theories from Croke Park to Westworld

The latest thing, I note, is not Westworld, the TV show capturing people’s attention, but rather the fan theories centred thereon.

Mon, 07 Nov, 2016

Today’s youth set to rewire sporting rules

As previously advised, I contacted Chuck Klosterman last week — author of What If We’re Wrong: Thinking about the Present as if it were the Past. In this new book, Klosterman conducts some interesting thought-experiments about art and culture and society — and sport, and one side-effect of reading it is to be brought up short about the relatively recent development of sport.

Mon, 31 Oct, 2016

Squeaky bum time for those governing sports

Was it Albert Reynolds who said it’s never the big things that catch you? If he did, he was correct. The notion that the small, unexpected obstacles end up being fatal impediments isn’t confined to politics, either.

Mon, 24 Oct, 2016

Dublin v Mayo - GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Final Replay

Six things we know now that we didn’t know last month

Michael Moynihan looks back on the past month’s big GAA news...

Mon, 17 Oct, 2016

Small steps that lead to giant leaps

Some years ago this corner of the newspaper had a Christmas outing which involved a kick-about on a soccer field, an outing which necessitated football boots.

Mon, 10 Oct, 2016

Is football ungovernable at the highest level?

The All-Ireland football final, eh? Gripping and competitive and compelling and pulsating and … Stop.

Mon, 03 Oct, 2016

The backroom quantity must deliver quality for GAA managers

Davy Fitzgerald departed the intercounty scene last week, as you probably heard. Some of the Clare players had indicated their lack of confidence in the manager and within days he was gone.

Mon, 26 Sep, 2016

Galway v Waterford - Bord Gáis Energy GAA Hurling All-Ireland U21 Championship Final

A word of advice for players on dressing-room access

You may have seen it, you may not have, depending on your familiarity with Facebook, the website set up, according to Hollywood, to get back at a girl who dumped a nerd at Harvard.

Mon, 19 Sep, 2016

Colin Kaepernick's anthem protest again raises racism issue

You know the drill. The music cranks up, you shake off the rust from your joints and you climb to your feet.

Mon, 12 Sep, 2016