The first openly gay athlete to compete in one of the four major American sports received a standing ovation upon making his home debut last night.

It hardly carried the glamour or gravitas of an induction into Cooperstown or Springfield, it wasn’t like there was a Larry Bird to welcome his Magic Johnson into this particular Hall of Fame, but there was something particularly pleasing about seeing Ronnie Whelan being honoured at the FAI International Awards on Sunday.

One of the signposts welcoming traffic to Brooklyn from Queens calls on those who pass by to “Believe the Hype”, paraphrasing that classic Public Enemy hip-hop track.

A rueful smile, but no regrets. A trial for an U14 Mayo academy team in Crossmolina. He wasn’t picked. Not even considered. Character maker, character shaper?

He’d won over the judges but Danny O’Connor’s face and entire demeanour seemed more like a swollen tribute to some sort of courageous defeat.

This is new for football, what it has with Messi and Ronaldo.

Even President Barack Obama took time out of his busy re-election campaign to wade into last week’s debate-du-jour.

It seems an odd one at first.

Americans like their team sports to be reduced to duels, the battle of stars who are more often than not defined by recent form.

He’s now, if not fitter, richer and happier than when he played.

For those who follow his exploits closely, Jim Irsay admitting Sunday’s Super Bowl is the end of an era for the team he owns will come as no surprise.

A LITTLE over 10 years ago, Ronan O’Gara found himself in the toilets of a bar in Cork when he spotted someone smirking at him. “How do I know you?” asked the stranger.

“FORGET it Jake, it’s Chinatown.”

UNFULFILLED potential is unforgivable in American sport.

THE NEWS spread like wildfire during the third quarter of Tuesday night’s NBA Finals Game Four.

The co-owner of a catering company that organised events for the US Embassy is among six men detained by Pakistan for allegedly helping the failed Times Square bombing suspect, a senior Pakistani intelligence official said.

AS the last Democratic primary in 2008 was wrapping up and it became clear Hillary Clinton would not be the party’s presidential nominee, Barack Obama ignored the political analysis of CNN in favour of ESPN on the campaign bus TV.