More than ever, sport in the US is becoming intertwined with politics and societal behaviour, with the NFL especially blinded by the glare of public opinion.

The signs are up around Times Square again: the NFL Draft is upon us and, tomorrow night, New York City will be invaded by football players whose suits are as sharp as their eyes are dull.

If you’re knee deep in the Netflix series House of Cards like me and Barack Obama, then you’ll know the office of the Vice President of the United States of America has rarely enjoyed a more glamorous or salacious depiction of its daily agenda.

Though we hadn’t enjoyed watching an Irish soccer team so much since 2002, rarely was it more frustrating watching their manager stumble and stutter on than the last couple of weeks.

Michael Jordan turns 50 on Sunday and there couldn’t be a more appropriate day to do it.

DAY two of Cheltenham was awash with feelgood Irish stories yesterday but none gladdened the heart more than Paul Townend’s successful ride on board What A Charm in the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.

What could Obama possibly know of struggle, of breaking down boundaries? Does he even realise what it took for players like Canty to topple Kerry?

WITH all the wailing about the hurling league and its crowds in recent weeks, it brought to mind a dressing room scene from the late 90s.

IN THE heart of Upstate New York, where the accents and the temperatures begin to develop a more Canadian complexion, the Carrier Dome pops up out of the skyline of Syracuse’s southside, offering the prospect of some respite from the stubborn cold.