On air: Do we have a right to judge Tiger Woods?

The fallout from Tiger Woods’ admission that he had “let (his) family down” with “trangressions” has been spectacular. He’s had 12,000 comments on his website’s “comment on current events.” Newspapers are filled with articles pontificating about whether we expect too much of Tiger, and how it’s going to effect his sponsorship deals. Meanwhile, websites are running profiles of the women alleged to have been involved with the golfer. It all raises a number of questions about how we deal with celebrity, and how this particular celebrity deals with us.

Boys with toys

Mark writes
Ever lay awake at night wondering: “after the athlete has thrown the discus all that way, how does it get back to the ring for the next competitor to throw ?” No? Well I have, and last night in the Bird’s Nest I saw the answer. A remote-controlled, rocket-shaped, red car.

China Cheers!

Mark writes…

It wasn’t a bad start was it?. From the drums doing the countdown to that spectacular finale, you couldn’t take your eyes off the Opening Ceremony. I had the privilege – and i can’t think of a better word- of being in a packed bar in Beijing – surrounded by proud – and at times quite emotional-Chinese people.

What’s the greatest ever Olympic performance?

Less than  a week to go and much chat in the BBC offices over what’s the greatest ever Olympic performance. Jesse Owens in Berlin in 1936….Mark Spitz and his 7 golds in 1972….Michael Johnson and his record breaking 200 metres…Bob Beamon and his 1968 jaw dropping long jump. What do you reckon?

Is the Tour de France a waste of time?

Same old same old in cycling’s most prestigious event. Arguably the race’s most exciting rider this year Ricardo Ricco tests positive for performance enhancing drugs. Every year there is a scandal. Every year we ask is the Tour de France dead? Is it?

I’m Spartacus: Is Cristiano Ronaldo a modern day slave?

He earns about 240 thousand US dollars a week but Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo is feeling hard done by. The Manchester United Player says he completely agrees with the Presdient of FIFA, Sepp Blatter who has described footbal’s transfer and contract system as modern slavery. Poor Cristiano? Or get a grip?

What’s the greatest sporting rivalry of all time?

After the sensational Federer-Nadal showdown last weekend we’ve spent all week in the Today chewing over what have been the greatest sporting rivalries in history. Coe-Ovett, Borg-McEnroe, Ali-Frazier, Larry Bird-Magic Johnson, Senna-Prost? What do you reckon?

What’s the world’s most pointless pastime?

“What’s the point of skiing….it’s totally stupid. You climb up to ski down. Why not stay down and read a good book?!” The thoughts of Slovenian  philsopher Slavoj Zizek here on the BBC. He goes on….on football “why is it so fascinating that one stupid guy kicks football better than another?” Such pronouncments got us to thinking here on the World Today about other pointless pastimes. Any suggestions?

Which pop song best sums up the Olympic torch saga?

Hello Jon here. In the corridors of the BBC in London today we’ve been trying to come up with the pop song that tells the tale of the much embattled Olympic torch….our efforts are none too clever….China in Your Hand by Tpau, Candle in the Wind by Elton John, Eternal Flame by the Bangles…can anyone do better?

Spielberg says no to the Chinese

UPDATE: Just after we came off air on Tuesday, Steven Spielberg pulled out of his involvement in the Olympics over the Chinese policy on Darfur. Can you understand why?