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Get Het Off the Pitch! How sport took over my life

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From the bestselling author of Eats, Shoots and Leaves, a hilarious new book from Lynne Truss about her strange journey through the world of sport and sports journalism.

Get Her Off the Pitch! is the story of one woman's foray into the very masculine and rather baffling world of sport. Lynne Truss, author of Eats, Shoots and Leaves, spent four years as an unlikely sports writer for The Times. It was a job that took her around the world (via the most difficult journeys and least glamorous hotels) and introduced her to some of the greatest living sportsmen (and many argumentative men with clipboards).

During her time at the newspaper she faced disdain from fellow sports writers; undertook last-minute, pre-fight research into 'The Rumble in the Jungle' (Muhammad Ali won, surprisingly); tried unsuccessfully to interpret bizarre commentary and memorize results statistics; wept at football matches and discovered a lasting love for golf. She was even nominated for Sports Writer of the Year.

Get Her Off the Pitch! is the hilarious, perceptive and at times moving account of those four strange years. It is perfect for those for whom sport is a matter of life and death, for those who have no idea what all the fuss is about - and for everyone in between.

324 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2009

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About the author

Lynne Truss

113 books1,002 followers
Lynne Truss is a writer and journalist who started out as a literary editor with a blue pencil and then got sidetracked. The author of three novels and numerous radio comedy dramas, she spent six years as the television critic of The Times of London, followed by four (rather peculiar) years as a sports columnist for the same newspaper. She won Columnist of the Year for her work for Women's Journal. Lynne Truss also hosted Cutting a Dash, a popular BBC Radio 4 series about punctuation. She now reviews books for the Sunday Times of London and is a familiar voice on BBC Radio 4. She lives in Brighton, England.

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Profile Image for zed .
599 reviews155 followers
November 13, 2021
Who recalls this wonderful scene from a Seinfeld episode called The Marine Biologist?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR2Tp...


Yep, who wants to have some fun? This was a point that Lynne Truss, an arts journalist, was trying to make throughout this, at times, laugh out loud book. Who wants to have some fun, but in truth is it really that much fun?

Lynne is better known for a book I have never read called Eats, Shoots and Leaves. That tome apparently bemoaned the poor use of punctuation in both the UK and the USA. A title such as Eats, Shoots and Leaves had for me a vision of an Aussie joke about a Wombat. Lynne's title is based on another joke about a panda. It seems that the Eats Shoots and Leaves caused a stir as, according to some, it is a mistake riddled book. Oh well never mind. I may never read it anyway.

The focus of this book is not about wombats or pandas but about 4 years in the life of the author as she was thrust from the more demure world of writing about the arts to the misogynist and macho world of Sports writing. And fun she had; well, kind of.

The book makes a very bright start when she gets to go to the Holyfield Lewis world heavyweight title fight in 1999 that had a result that my very ex (praise be) father-in-law would have called a “stew”. At the press conference prior to the big fight, Lynne comes across the infamous Don King. He dedicates the fight to women, but as usual it is one of his famous throwaway quips that is meaningless and of course quickly disappears. King is at his metaphorical best when comparing the upcoming fight to Kosovo, Bosnia and even Cyrano De Bergerac, among others. Lynne becomes enthralled and gets quickly caught up in the circus of it all. She in fact, dare I say it, becomes rather keen on Lennox Lewis as his physique gets a fair mention. Lynne has a seemingly great time in the insane world of professional boxing. In these early chapters she also shows her literary past by mentioning writers who have covered boxing such as Mailer and Oates just to name a couple. I actually read Mailers The Fight but can hardly recall it.

Lynne’s literary past in fact reveals itself constantly throughout. Nigel Williams and Alasdair Gray get a nod. These were new authors for me, and I was immediately onto Goodreads thinking that I should read Wimbledon Poisoner and Lanark. (Yeah right!). Lynne even mentioned John Updike and we had a poem by Macaulay called Horatius because there was a passing resemblance in name with Lance Klusener the South African cricketer. We got James Hamilton-Peterson as well, and even an obscure sports and travel writer by the name of Harry Pearson. At this point I was loving this.

But then Lynne dabbles in soccer/football or “footie” as she likes to call it. Football dominates a fair bit of this book and makes for some interesting reading. She talks about the trials and tribulations of getting copy back to the editors in the days of poor internet etc. Tennis appears and Lynnes gives us her opinion as to the greatness of Andre Agassi. Horse racing gets covered and Golf is high on her agenda as she actually plays and enjoys the game. God forbid! A waste of good walk if ever there was one in my not so humble opinion of this so-called sport. Haha but give here her due she is in fact having FUN playing golf a la Kramer. Her opinions on the misogyny of the sports writer was heavily covered in the golf discussions and made for intriguing reading. She discussed the change in attitude to golf by the fans themselves at events like the Ryder Cup.

Rugby Union get dismissed by Lynne. She is not keen at all. She has no understanding of rules, and when the referees get involved it becomes an even bigger mystery. Lucky Lynne that she has never had to watch and report on my sport, Australian Rules Football! What she would make of that, I shudder to think.

Lynne got to also cover what she called miscellaneous sports. This covered such things as Darts. I happen to have played Darts for nearly 20 years and consider it not only great fun to play, but a great spectacle to watch at professional level. Damn it, lets cut to the chase as they say. Darts is the greatest sport in the existence of the universe. (No discussion will be entered into) She got to report on the BDO world championship and had a great time. She recognised the sheer drama of it and called it “the best gig” she got in 4 years. Nowadays, the money in professional darts is phenomenal, and the top players earn money that their forefathers could only have dreamed of. In fact, anyone bothering to read this review should search out the name Phil Taylor when it comes to professional darts as he is up there with the likes of Ali, Bradman, Nicholas and Jordan for domination of his given sport. He is a living legend in the UK and other sporting professionals of all the various codes all want to know his secret to staying up the top over his long and successful career. ( I once threw an 11 darter in comp. I felt like the greatest human being that had ever lived. I obviously needed to get a life)

Lynne wrote a lot about cricket and I enjoyed her observations immensely. I am a bit of a cricket tragic and was very interested in her thoughts as to its love of its own history as opposed to say Soccer where the history of the game can be a bit of an afterthought. Her point being that football fans tended to forget the past rapidly, whereas cricket had a long history that was revered by the players, the media and especially the fans.

In the end though, as much as I enjoyed this book, I have a serious issue with Lynne’s profession. Journalism is, in my opinion, one of the lowest forms of employment and in fact I am of further opinion that the vast majority will prostitute themselves at the behest of their masters. Lynne admitted this over the Beckham send off at the world cup. Lynne claimed to have toned down her report on what to me from afar looked like a rather immature reaction by the great unwashed that in truth was stoked up by the press at the time.

Journalists ultimately are great at stoking the fires, at handing out the brickbats be that to the lowly sports persons through to the power wielding politician and I do not have an issue with that per se. But when they get their own comeuppance, they are the first to scream. Indeed, thin-skinned they are as a profession. And with that, Lynne let herself down very late in the book. She discussed misogyny and the treatment she received at the hands of a specific English sports writer called Brian Granville. Brian Granville is the epitome of the old school reporter that has his “turf” to protect, and woe betide some arts women coming onto said turf. No doubt a pompous buffoon. But I found myself annoyed at Lynne over her suddenly feeling that she had gained a “bit of respect” because she had trashed an England soccer coach. Sorry Lynne, you just became everything you did not like just by accepting that “pat on the back” by one of your colleagues.

Recommended to any who want to read about the hypocrisy of journalists.
Oh! and to those that like a bit of writing about games people play.
Profile Image for Professor Spottke.
50 reviews5 followers
September 6, 2016
I saw a copy of Eats, Shoots... sitting on a table in a bookshop and mentioned to the keeper how much I loved the book. She replied that she didn't like sports but Lynne Truss had written a book on sports which was quite funny. I read through the first page, laughed aloud, and bought the book. I am not a sports fanatic but Lynne's approach was hysterical. I found myself giggling while eating in a restaurant, on a train, at the beach. Wherever I sat reading this book, other people had to put up with my snort. This is a definite read whether you are a sport fan or not.
What Truss book will I read next?
Profile Image for Graham Tapper.
280 reviews4 followers
April 2, 2013
For anyone who read "Eats, Shoots and Leaves" and loved it, this is a very different kind of book. Not that you shouldn't enjoy it, whatever you felt about her diatribe on grammatical incompetence.

This book comes very much into the category of Biography. It relates to her experiences of becoming a sports writer, from a background of not having any interest whatsoever in sport, and then dropping right out of that branch of journalism.

It is written in her usual witty style and with fascinating insight into the misogynistic world of the sports journalist. That she was treated with a mixture of contempt and condescension by the almost exclusively male industry will come as no surprise. That she overcame it and even grudgingly gained the respect of many journalists will also come as no surprise, knowing her determined character.

A very enjoyable and enlightening read; highly recommended.
Profile Image for Joe.
69 reviews10 followers
April 8, 2011
Back in 1996, the editor of the London Times thought it would be a great idea to put one of their Arts and Culture journalists, a woman who had absolutely zero knowledge of sport, onto the Sports Writing team, to get the opinion of a naif on the world of sport. They were right; Lynne Trusses views of the sporting world from the position of bewildered non-interested spectator are both hilarious and insightful, and contain a large dose of the perspective what is lacking in almost all sports journalism, which, lets face it, takes itself somewhat too seriously at times. A joy to read.
Profile Image for Jack.
89 reviews3 followers
March 21, 2013
An enjoyable look at why sport is often silly but sometimes great fun, how endlessly frustrating are the nuts and bolts of sports writing (parking at stadia is a major bugbear) and how casually sexist the world of sport (c2000) is / was.
Profile Image for Serbjaklado.
2 reviews
November 17, 2023
Na koji sport se vredi kladiti: najpopularnije i najprofitabilnije opcije

Na šta treba da se kladimo da bismo pobedili? Tražimo najbolje sportove na koje se možemo kladiti. Prvo pitanje koje se postavlja svim početnicima u sportskom klađenju je na koji sport je najbolje kladiti se? Postoji li univerzalna sportska opklada koja vas uvek ili skoro uvek ostavlja na gubitku? Hajde da saznamo. Ovde pogledajte smernice za sportsko klađenje za srpske igrače.

Koji faktori utiču na ishod sportskog klađenja

Koji god sport da izaberete, zapamtite da ishod utakmice zavisi od nekoliko faktora. Naročito kada je u pitanju igra na daljinu. Hajde da pričamo o najvažnijim. Generalno, tri faktora direktno zavise od igrača. I još nešto – može biti teško uticati, ali se često pokaže kao odlučujući.

Sveobuhvatna analiza. Što više informacija imate o događajima na koje se kladite, to bolje. Ova informacija nikada nije suvišna. Svaka sitnica može uticati na ishod nekog sportskog događaja. Razne statistike, trendovi, intervjui sa trenerima i sportistima, najnovije vesti iz medija – sve to može biti od velike pomoći.
Strategija. Ispravno korišćenje strategije će pomoći igraču da izbegne gubitke sa velikih udaljenosti, a možda čak i da vodi. Ako radite bez čistog sistema, gubitak vas neće naterati da čekate.
Bankarski menadžment Ili kako se to naziva bankroll management. Sposobnost pravilnog upravljanja novcem je veoma važna u sportskom klađenju. Ovo će vam pomoći da se uzdržite od all-in.
Sreća. I ovo nije poslednji faktor! Sreća je neophodna u sportskom klađenju. Ponekad se o ishodu događaja odlučuje pogodak, bacanje, delić sekunde. Ili kontroverzna sudska odluka. I u ovom trenutku je veoma važno biti na strani pobednika.

Individualni sportovi protiv timskih sportova – koja je bolja opklada?

Svi sportovi se mogu podeliti na individualne i timske. U individualnim sportovima startuju samo dva takmičara, borba se vodi jedan po jedan. Što se tiče ekipnih sportova, grupe sportista se takmiče istovremeno.

Među početnicima postoji ideja da je mnogo lakše kladiti se na individualne sportove. Veruju da je mnogo lakše učiti sportistu nego ceo tim. Recimo samo da je to pogrešno shvatanje.

Treba razumeti da je s jedne strane zaista lakše analizirati jednog igrača nego ceo fudbalski tim (poput Arsenala). Ali s druge strane, svaka sitnica igra mnogo važniju ulogu u svakom sportu. U bilo kom timskom sportu, ako je igrač povređen ili se ne oseća dobro, on se jednostavno zamenjuje. To nije moguće u individualnim sportovima.

Zdravstveno stanje, raspoloženje, problemi života - sve se to ne može znati. Iznenadna povreda može dovesti do gubitka opklade čak i tokom meča. Zbog toga je nemoguće dati jasan odgovor na pitanje na šta je isplativije kladiti se.

Najpopularniji sportovi na koje se možete kladiti

Neki od najpopularnijih sportova su fudbal, tenis, hokej na ledu, košarka, odbojka i stoni tenis. Druge vrste su mnogo manje popularne među igračima. Čak iu fudbalu ima sve više popularnih događaja. Većina igrača se kladi na velike međunarodne turnire i vodeća svetska prvenstva. Ima širi opseg, visoke granice klađenja i ogromnu količinu informacija.

S druge strane, ovde je teže pobediti kladioničara. Analitičari reaguju na svaku sitnicu i brzo menjaju citate, tako da će biti teško uhvatiti ukusan koeficijent.

Na manje popularnim turnirima lista je mnogo uža, a limiti su niži. Ako želite da pronađete informacije o ovim događajima, pokušajte. S druge strane, kladionice manje obraćaju pažnju na takve igre, pa je od njih lakše dobiti. Koja je opcija bolja, zavisi od vas.

Svaki od njih ima svoje prednosti i mane.

Osobine sporta u klađenju

Svaki sport ima svoje faktore koji mogu uticati na ishod. Analiziramo glavne karakteristike najpopularnijih sportova.

Fudbal Pre svega, naravno, ovo je lična situacija. To jest, isključenje ili oštećenje. Ako tim izgubi nekoliko ključnih igrača istovremeno, šanse tima za pobedu će se naglo smanjiti, bez obzira na turnir i fazu sezone.

Drugo, morate uzeti u obzir svoj kalendar i motivaciju. Ako za nekoliko dana favorit ima važnu utakmicu sa evropskih turnira i reše se svi problemi na šampionatu, onda tim ne može biti pod stresom. Sigurno će trenerski štab spasiti i smeniti lidere.

Ne zaboravimo vremenske prilike. Po kiši ili snegu, timovima koji vole da prave haos je mnogo lakše. I pored toga što će biti dva strelca, po lošem vremenu ne treba očekivati mnogo golova.

Tenis Obavezno pratiti informacije o zdravstvenom stanju igrača. Ako ste nedavno odustali od borbe, rizikujete da budete van forme.

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На који спорт се вреди кладити: најпопуларније и најпрофитабилније опције

На шта треба да се кладимо да бисмо победили? Тражимо најбоље спортове на које се можемо кладити. Прво питање које постављају сви почетници у спортском клађењу је на који спорт је најбоље кладити се? Постоји ли универзална спортска опклада која вас увек или скоро увек оставља на губитку? Хајде да сазнамо. Овде погледајте смернице за спортско клађење за српске играче.

Који фактори утичу на исход спортског клађења

Који год спорт да изаберете, запамтите да исход утакмице зависи од неколико фактора. Поготово када је у питању игра на даљину. Хајде да причамо о најважнијим. Генерално, три фактора директно зависе од играча. И још нешто – може бити тешко утицати, али се често покаже као одлучујући.

Свеобухватна анализа. Што више информација имате о догађајима на које се кладите, то боље. Ова информација никада није сувишна. Свака ситница може утицати на исход неког спортског догађаја. Разне статистике, трендови, интервјуи са тренерима и спортистима, најновије вести из медија – све то може бити од велике помоћи.
Стратегија. Исправна употреба стратегије ће помоћи играчу да избегне губитке са великих удаљености, а можда чак и да води. Ако радите без чистог система, губитак вас неће натерати да чекате.
Банкарски менаџмент Или како се то назива банкролл манагемент. Способност правилног управљања новцем је веома важна у спортском клађењу. Ово ће вам помоћи да се уздржите од алл-ин.
Срећа. И ово није последњи фактор! Срећа је неопходна у спортском клађењу. Понекад исход догађаја одлучује погодак, бацање, делић секунде. Или контроверзна судска одлука. И у овом тренутку је веома важно бити на страни победника.

Индивидуални спортови против тимских спортова - која је боља опклада?

Сви спортови се могу поделити на индивидуалне и тимске. У појединачним спортовима стартују само два такмичара, борба се води један по један. У тимским спортовима, групе спортиста се такмиче истовремено.

Међу почетницима постоји идеја да је много лакше кладити се на индивидуалне спортове. Сматрају да је много лакше научити спортисту него цео тим. Рецимо само да је то погрешно схватање.

Треба разумети да је, с једне стране, заиста лакше анализирати једног играча него цео фудбалски тим (попут Арсенала). Али с друге стране, свака ситница игра много важнију улогу у сваком спорту. У било ком тимском спорту, ако је играч повређен или се не осећа добро, једноставно бива замењен. То није могуће у индивидуалним спортовима.

Здравствено стање, расположење, проблеми у животу - све се то не може знати. Изненадна повреда може довести до губитка опкладе чак и током меча. Стога је немогуће дати јасан одговор на питање на шта је исплативије кладити се.

Најпопуларнији спортови на које се можете кладити

Неки од најпопуларнијих спортова су фудбал, тенис, хокеј на леду, кошарка, одбојка и стони тенис. Друге врсте су много мање популарне међу играчима. И у фудбалу је све више популарних догађаја. Већина играча се клади на велике међународне турнире и водећа светска првенства. Има шири опсег, високе границе клађења и огромну количину информација.

С друге стране, овде је теже победити кладионичара. Аналитичари реагују на сваку ситницу и брзо мењају цитате, тако да ће бити тешко ухватити укусан коефицијент.

На мање популарним турнирима листа је много ужа, а лимити су нижи. Ако желите да пронађете информације о овим догађајима, покушајте. С друге стране, кладионице мање обраћају пажњу на такве игре, па је од њих лакше добити. Која је опција боља зависи од вас.

Сваки од њих има своје предности и мане.

Особине спорта у клађењу

Сваки спорт има своје факторе који могу утицати на исход. Анализирамо главне карактеристике најпопуларнијих спортова.

Фудбал Пре свега, наравно, ово је лична ситуација. То јест, искључење или оштећење. Ако тим изгуби неколико кључних играча истовремено, шансе тима за победу ће нагло пасти, без обзира на турнир и фазу сезоне.

Друго, морате узети у обзир свој календар и мотивацију. Ако за неколико дана фаворит има важну утакмицу са европских турнира и реше се сви проблеми на шампионату, онда екипа не може да буде под стресом. Сигурно ће тренерски штаб спасити и сменити лидере.

Не заборавимо временске прилике. Киша или снег, много је лакше тимовима који воле да праве хаос. И поред тога што ће бити два стрелца, не треба очекивати много голова по лошем времену.

Тенис Обавезно је пратити информације о здравственом стању играча. Ако сте недавно одустали од борбе, ризикујете да будете ван форме.
Na koji sport se vredi kladiti: najpopularnije i najprofitabilnije opcije

Na šta treba da se kladimo da bismo pobedili? Tražimo najbolje sportove na koje se možemo kladiti. Prvo pitanje koje postavljaju svi početnici u sportskom klađenju je na koji sport je najbolje kladiti se? Postoji li univerzalna sportska opklada koja vas uvek ili skoro uvek ostavlja na gubitku? Hajde da saznamo. Ovde pogledajte smernice za sportsko klađenje za srpske igrače.

Koji faktori utiču na ishod sportskog klađenja

Koji god sport da izaberete, zapamtite da ishod utakmice zavisi od nekoliko faktora. Pogotovo kada je u pitanju igra na daljinu. Hajde da pričamo o najvažnijim. Generalno, tri faktora direktno zavise od igrača. I još nešto – može biti teško uticati, ali se često pokaže kao odlučujući.

Sveobuhvatna analiza. Što više informacija imate o događajima na koje se kladite, to bolje. Ova informacija nikada nije suvišna. Svaka sitnica može uticati na ishod nekog sportskog događaja. Razne statistike, trendovi, intervjui sa trenerima i sportistima, najnovije vesti iz medija – sve to može biti od velike pomoći.
Strategija. Ispravna upotreba strategije će pomoći igraču da izbegne gubitke sa velikih udaljenosti, a možda čak i da vodi. Ako radite bez čistog sistema, gubitak vas neće naterati da čekate.
Bankarski menadžment Ili kako se to naziva bankroll management. Sposobnost pravilnog upravljanja novcem je veoma važna u sportskom klađenju. Ovo će vam pomoći da se uzdržite od all-in.
Sreća. I ovo nije poslednji faktor! Sreća je neophodna u sportskom klađenju. Ponekad ishod događaja odlučuje pogodak, bacanje, delić sekunde. Ili kontroverzna sudska odluka. I u ovom trenutku je veoma važno biti na strani pobednika.

Individualni sportovi protiv timskih sportova - koja je bolja opklada?

Svi sportovi se mogu podeliti na individualne i timske. U pojedinačnim sportovima startuju samo dva takmičara, borba se vodi jedan po jedan. U timskim sportovima, grupe sportista se takmiče istovremeno.

Među početnicima postoji ideja da je mnogo lakše kladiti se na individualne sportove. Smatraju da je mnogo lakše naučiti sportistu nego ceo tim. Recimo samo da je to pogrešno shvatanje.

Treba razumeti da je, s jedne strane, zaista lakše analizirati jednog igrača nego ceo fudbalski tim (poput Arsenala). Ali s druge strane, svaka sitnica igra mnogo važniju ulogu u svakom sportu. U bilo kom timskom sportu, ako je igrač povređen ili se ne oseća dobro, jednostavno biva zamenjen. To nije moguće u individualnim sportovima.

Zdravstveno stanje, raspoloženje, problemi u životu - sve se to ne može znati. Iznenadna povreda može dovesti do gubitka opklade čak i tokom meča. Stoga je nemoguće dati jasan odgovor na pitanje na šta je isplativije kladiti se.

Najpopularniji sportovi na koje se možete kladiti

Neki od najpopularnijih sportova su fudbal, tenis, hokej na ledu, košarka, odbojka i stoni tenis. Druge vrste su mnogo manje popularne među igračima. I u fudbalu je sve više popularnih događaja. Većina igrača se kladi na velike međunarodne turnire i vodeća svetska prvenstva. Ima širi opseg, visoke granice klađenja i ogromnu količinu informacija.

S druge strane, ovde je teže pobediti kladioničara. Analitičari reaguju na svaku sitnicu i brzo menjaju citate, tako da će biti teško uhvatiti ukusan koeficijent.

Na manje popularnim turnirima lista je mnogo uža, a limiti su niži. Ako želite da pronađete informacije o ovim događajima, pokušajte. S druge strane, kladionice manje obraćaju pažnju na takve igre, pa je od njih lakše dobiti. Koja je opcija bolja zavisi od vas.

Svaki od njih ima svoje prednosti i mane.

Osobine sporta u klađenju

Svaki sport ima svoje faktore koji mogu uticati na ishod. Analiziramo glavne karakteristike najpopularnijih sportova.

Fudbal Pre svega, naravno, ovo je lična situacija. To jest, isključenje ili oštećenje. Ako tim izgubi nekoliko ključnih igrača istovremeno, šanse tima za pobedu će naglo pasti, bez obzira na turnir i fazu sezone.

Drugo, morate uzeti u obzir svoj kalendar i motivaciju. Ako za nekoliko dana favorit ima važnu utakmicu sa evropskih turnira i reše se svi problemi na šampionatu, onda ekipa ne može da bude pod stresom. Sigurno će trenerski štab spasiti i smeniti lidere.

Ne zaboravimo vremenske prilike. Kiša ili sneg, mnogo je lakše timovima koji vole da prave haos. I pored toga što će biti dva strelca, ne treba očekivati mnogo golova po lošem vremenu.

Tenis Obavezno je pratiti informacije o zdravstvenom stanju igrača. Ako ste nedavno odustali od borbe, rizikujete da budete van forme.
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Profile Image for Gerald Sinstadt.
417 reviews43 followers
February 14, 2010
No doubt I must have shared the occasional press box with Lynne Truss - though I have no recollection of having done so - but the portrait she paints is recognisable. The problems with finding unfamiliar venues, getting past parking jobsworths, trying to collect non-existent tickets, struggling with communication technicalities, delivering copy on the final whistle - all these are indeed daily experiences for the sports journalist. And to be specific, I can certainly vouch for the vilification of Ms Truss by Brian Glanville.

So why can't one be more sympathetic to a book undeniably well written and often amusing? A wonderful set piece imagines the theatre critic reviewing a performance of The Seagull without knowing at the interval how it will end. "Sensationally in the 134th minute of The Seagull last night , one young man's destiny was tragically fulfilled..."

My problem is that Ms Truss, looking back on a mere four years reporting for The Times, can't make up her mind which side of the net she is on. Ostensibly, she is writing about being a sports writer. But suddenly she falls in love with Andre Agassi and devotes a whole chapter to the player and his game. Sent to cover cricket, she takes the reader almost ball by ball through the tense finish of a one-day international; for a dozen pages she becomes the sports writer rather than the writer about being a sports writer.

Ambiguities abound. There is a passing suggestion that she is aware of C L R James yet nowhere in her book does she acknowledge that fine, enduring sports writing exists. Referring to football as 'footie' guarantees ostracism by all true lovers of the game, whereas the many expletives seem to serve only as evidence that she could be one of the blokes if she chose. She professes difficulty with cricket because she cannot begin to comprehend how to spin a ball, yet once she has had a couple of golf lessons she becomes lastingly hooked on a sport she understands because, at whatever basic level, she can empathise with those who do it supremely well.

Although her book intrudes on to territory I have occupied and cherished for decades, I could concede the validity of an outsider's critical examination, but Ms Truss never makes up her mind whether she is on the outside looking in or on the inside bitching because she isn't made welcome. And - tit for tat - perhaps I may be permitted to intrude on the world of correctness the author has admirably delineated in her best-sellers: those wooden bits that sit on top of cricket stumps are bails, not 'bales.' Beware the lazy author's spell checker!
Profile Image for Sport24fogadas1.
2 reviews
July 9, 2024
Kombinálhat több fogadást ugyanarra a játékra?

Lehetőség van több fogadás kombinálására ugyanarra a játékra vagy eseményre a többszörös vagy halmozott fogadáson. A legtöbb fogadóirodák több különböző piacot kínálnak eseményenként, és nem árt, ha ugyanazt a fogadást kombinálják a különböző piacokról – például az első gólszerző, az összesített gól és a pontos pontszám. Egyszerűen a szokásos módon bekerülnek a szorzóba vagy az összesítőbe, növelve az esélyeket, ha az eredményeket összesítik az egyes eredményekre adott fogadásokhoz képest. Tekintse meg útmutatónkat itt: "Hány eseményt tud beilleszteni egy fogadásba?" és készülj fel jobban a rád váró szerencsejáték-világra!

Ez valószínűleg jelentős hatással lesz a felhalmozási esélyeidre (és negatív hatással lesz a nyerési esélyeidre). A helyes végeredményre hagyatkozni egy dolog – de a helyes pontszerző és a végeredmény ugyanazon a vonalon jelentősen megnöveli a visszakapott esélyeket. Az ehhez hasonló fogadások kombinálása jó módja annak, hogy növelje szorzóit több fogadás esetén, vagy növelje oddsát hosszabb fogadások esetén.

Maximum hány esemény kombinálható egy fogadásban?

Ez bukmékerenként változó, de általában azt tapasztalja, hogy a maximum 12-15 különböző eseménynél jön be ugyanazon fogadásnál. Minél több eseményt ad hozzá a keverékhez, annál nagyobb az esélye, hogy nyerjen. Ezzel szemben minél kevesebb esemény (pl. Bajnokok Ligája) van a gyűjtőben, annál kisebb az esély – de annál nagyobb az esély arra, hogy jó eredményeket érj el.

A különböző bukmékerek eltérő szabályokat alkalmaznak az egy fogadásban kombinálható események maximális számára vonatkozóan. Ezt megtalálja a fogadóirodák szerződési feltételeiben – vagy ha annyi sort ad hozzá a gyűjtő-/multitétéhez, amennyit a szelvény enged.

A szorzók nagyobb tétet igényelnek?

A rendszerfogadások vagy a többszörös fogadások valójában többszörös egyedi fogadások az Ön által választott kombináció több lehetséges kimenetelére. Valójában különböző sorokra fog fogadni, egyesítve egyes eredményeit azzal az elvárással, hogy míg egyesek jók, mások kudarcot vallanak. Emiatt a tétet gyakran megszorozzák a rendszerfogadásban szereplő különböző egyéni fogadások számával – így egy 1 GBP-s fogadás 6 GBP-t is jelenthet, ha a többszörös fogadásban kiválasztott 6 különböző lehetőségre fogad.

Ezzel szemben a többlábú halmozóhoz nincs szükség a tét többszörösére – ez egyszerűen egy fogadás több különböző kimenetelre, amely áll vagy esik attól függően, hogy minden eredmény jó-e.

A szorzók és felhalmozók kiváló eszközt jelentenek az arzenálban, és érdemes megfontolni a rendszeres használatukat, hogy növelje potenciális nyereményét a kiválasztottakból. Míg a többszörösek alacsonyabb kockázati profilt kínálnak ugyanannyi gyűjtőeredmény esetén, az akkumulátorok olcsóbbak, és jobb esélyekkel járnak. Valójában Önön múlik, hogyan dönti el, hogyan használja ezeket a fogadásokat, és hogy tudja-e használni azokat az Ön előnyére, ha több különböző eseményt kombinál ugyanazon a fogadási vonalon.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Marzena.
1,373 reviews57 followers
December 10, 2025
I remember being a fan, you know.
I would sit in front of the telly like a stone, hands wrapped as if to pray for the right score, unmoving except to breathe and observe the screen, afraid otherwise *I* might jinx the game.

I had a corkboard full of my team's paraphernalia, a jersey carefully pinned amid the photos, an altar sans the prayer.

Or I would go the game, scream in unison until screeching, happily standing up for a Mexican wave.

Sure enough, that was before - *wild hand motions*- life happened, before I started to fall asleep faster than a halftime whistle.

Since loving sport is all about keeping up with it, I'm aware I have broken its first commandment by not knowing anything.

While first half of Get Her Off the Pitch is indeed laugh out loud funny, it's the second part that resonated with me the most. I can't help but compare the experience AFTER turning away from sports. It makes me wonder if I miss the experience... or do I miss the carelessness I could have afforded in life since all my focus was set on the pitch?

Ultimately one does not expect such book to bring an existential pondering, neither am I ready to answer the questions it raised. Be assured you may get away unscathed and thoroughly entertained.
Profile Image for Tony Lawrence.
756 reviews1 follower
Read
October 9, 2024
It's that funny lady from the 'Eats, shoots ...' book, doing something about sport :)

And what a little treat this was! I'm not sure how an Ealing library book ending up in North Wales, but I'm glad it did. Truss writes with wit and honesty, humour and pathos about her immersion in the male-dominated world of sports journalism. For 4 years she fought with chauvinism, lack of knowledge, and the seemingly constant and wearying hassle of just getting to the venue, and sorting out hotels, parking and ticketing. She put normal life on hold as The Times go-to middle-aged comedic woman to attend football, athletics, rugby, cricket, tennis, boxing and darts ... it took its toll I'm sure, not least with a sense of perspective on sport vs. the 'real world', the emotional rollercoaster, and the odd cyclical nature of the business or sport. I think she got out at the right time, mostly with her innocence and sanity intact!
Profile Image for Dani.
238 reviews21 followers
July 3, 2018
I don't usually read non-fiction books but thought this looked an interesting concept- a female non-sports fan being assigned as sports writer for the newspaper she works for.
The first half was full of laugh-out-load moments. This doesn't happen to me a lot when reading so was a joy.
Things got more serious in the second half but all the way through this was an interesting read. You really felt that you were at these sporting events yourself.
Would definitely recommend this book.
Author 4 books21 followers
December 19, 2024
While I normally prefer fiction over nonfiction, it's Truss's nonfiction that I've found the most memorable, and I think only she could write about sports in a way that interests me. That said, cricket is incomprehensible. A lovely book, even if you're not a sports fan or maybe especially if you're not.
1 review
August 8, 2018
Absolutely brilliant, serious and funny, the struggles of a female journalist's struggle to enter the world of male dominated sport.
Profile Image for Ian Warren.
83 reviews
April 18, 2021
Fantastic read for anyone who loves sport and also enjoys reading about sport.
Profile Image for James.
871 reviews15 followers
January 31, 2017
Well written, funny in places, and on a topic that I am very much a fan off, I am trying to work out how I came away from the book liking the author, indeed agreeing with her on many points, yet not being truly engrossed in the book itself.

The premise was simple - a good writer with no interest in sport was assigned to cover many sporting events for The Times, and this details her experiences over a few years when this was her job. I did admire and respect her attitude, which was to take it seriously despite having very little experience of even watching sport before adopting this new writing subject. All too often, when the guest (typically female) writer covers a sporting event for the papers, they resort to laughing at how ill-equipped they are to cover the story, the written equivalent of the attractive girl who doesn't try very hard, plays up her ditzy character, and moans about not being taken seriously. Truss merely writes in the way she saw it, which is through accurate observation that doesn't get bogged down in tactics or jargon, and doesn't deny getting swept up in the emotional aspect at times.

Her experience was unusual but objective - she is not still in sports writing so can be more honest, but having done it for a considerable length of time, Truss can't be accused of not having experienced it 'properly.' Her points about the act of sports writing itself are considered and funny at times, and also rare to see. In keeping with the idea explored in the book that ultimately, sports writers aren't that important, there are few books on sports writers and their craft. Her circumstances are interesting too, since the fondness for sport comes as a result of her job, while it's difficult to imagine any professional sports writers come to it through anything but passion for (a) sport. Despite this, and though she does reference this, the frequent nods to poor accommodation or admin at grounds do start to grate with their repetitive nature after yet another mention.

I did agree with her on a number of points, notably the extent to which sport is kept 'in perspective' with troubling world events, and her thoughts on sport and sports writing were well-balanced. However, despite being easy to read, I didn't feel fully engaged with the book - that may be that my attitude to sport is too different, or it could be that the stories were just that bit less colourful with the time spent away from the press box. Whether you are a fan or sport or not, though, would not cloud your judgement as to the considerable merits of this book.
Profile Image for Robert Day.
Author 5 books36 followers
February 24, 2016
Lynne Truss is funny. Not really in a stand-up comic kind of a way - although she could probably do that too if she tried. I guess. But maybe she would be too shy for that? Dunno - just the impression I get.

This book is funny. It's full of what I would call 'sophisticated humour', which to me means: humour that's funny in a kind of a self-depreciating way that doesn't really set out to be funny but is funny anyway. I don't think that people that write these kind of books really intend them to be humorous - they just are.

There is a lot of stuff here about sport. It's not really that there are reams of facts and figures here. It's not even that there's a lot of information here - although there is a fair bit of that. It's more that the book is full of insight and depth about the various sports that the author covered. She has obviously thought very deeply about sport, in terms of why people do it, follow it, are interested in it and why people started doing it in the first place (although I might have made that part up).

Lynne (I feel like she wouldn't mind us being on first name terms - drop me a Tweet love if you no likey - @robertcday) describes herself, her thought processes and her activities in exquisite detail. She has the kind of openness in print that you hear between people that have been friends for life and the sorts of folk that can spend a pleasant hour or three leaning over the fence discussing life and all it contains (Eeee, and do you know what she said then! / No - she never! / She did!!) with the neighbour. It's actually very endearing. Yes - very endearing.

I'm not going to tell you that this book is well written and employs beautiful grammar and syntax and all of that good stuff because coming from the person that wrote Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation you'd expect nothing less.

Treat yourself - buy this book now before another set of sporting superstars comes into the floodlight and no-one can remember the ones in this book.
Profile Image for Gillian Torckler.
Author 20 books7 followers
January 6, 2012
Like Lynne Truss' other greta nonfiction book, Eats Shoots and leaves, I found this a delightful, and at times, very funny book. Truss makes one think about the world in a different light. I'm not a sports fanatic, and since I don't live in England I have little (make that zero) knowledge of English football, but still I found this to be a riveting read. The book is not so much about sports writing but about the translocation of a completely sport-free writer into that world. I loved Truss' depictions of the being totally at a loss in new situations without any willing assistants.

Lynne Truss is a clever and entertaining writer and I suspect I will enjoy all of her books for that reason.
Profile Image for Anna.
1,122 reviews13 followers
February 15, 2015
I was a little disappointed. The beginning of this book was so strong and I loved reading about Truss's orientation to soccer/football. So funny and charming. But I got slightly tired of a kind of whiny tone that crept in here and there. But then I felt guilty when I read that she quit because her sister died and I found the whole argument to be so compelling. It's quite clear to me that the sexism in sports journalism is so much worse in Britain (and maybe when she was writing? I don't know if things have improved or not). I don't care for golf but I loved her enthusiasm for her discovery of golf.
Profile Image for Marte.
362 reviews247 followers
August 12, 2010
This book could be put on GoodReads shelves as humour, memoir, sports, non-fiction, what have you. It manages to be all these things and none. I found it very funny, occasionally, but I also found the chapter where the author suddenly writes about cricket, rather than writing about writing about cricket, very dull indeed. It was all gobbledegook to me, and probably to many of her readers. But I did really enjoy this book, and it provided a very interesting insight into something I knew nothing about. This was also my first eBook!
Profile Image for VeganMedusa.
580 reviews2 followers
October 8, 2010
This had too much sport in it for me. I liked her observations from the point of view of a non-sport watcher, but she is obviously a sportlover now and gets carried away with it. She would mention football players, saying she'd never heard of them at the time like it was embarrassing - but I still haven't heard of them!
I'd probably keep reading this (because I very rarely don't finish a book) if it wasn't for the readathon tomorrow, but because I want to start afresh for the thon, I'm giving up on this.
Profile Image for Jonathan Hutchins.
102 reviews5 followers
November 7, 2011
Entertaining, smartly written, and also thought-provoking. I'd assumed it was an anthology of amusing pieces on various sporting events, but although it can be read in part as such, it is in fact an account of Lynne Truss's spell as a Sports Writer; how she got into it, her experiences, and reflections now it is in the past. There's some acute stuff about the nature of sport and sports-writing, and accounts of her likes (golf, cricket) and dislikes (motor-racing, basketball). The sections on Agassi and Holyfield-Lewis are absorbing and penetrating. A good read.
Profile Image for Karen.
568 reviews
October 9, 2012
A fun read which gives an interesting insight into the world of sport journalism. It confirmed my suspicions that some people take sport far too seriously and that there are a lot of people within the sporting world who are not terribly nice. On the other hand it was light hearted and balanced, with many occasions and events portrayed as the fun or drama filled entertainments that they undoubtedly are.
Profile Image for Samuela.
20 reviews1 follower
February 3, 2015
I got to page 30 and decided I was wasting my time. I'm a woman, and her way of dumbing herself down, explain in details her childish reaction to work situations, implying that her colleagues should have been "more clever" when she was given a job she did not want, I honestly cannot find it funny - and I do have a wicked sense of humour. All in all, I found it predictable, un-engaging and decided to put it aside.
Profile Image for Anita.
165 reviews6 followers
January 24, 2011
If I had a better understanding and appreciation of sport I'm sure I would have liked this book more than I did, as a lot of the detailed anecdotes went over my head. I really enjoy Lynne's writing style and humour though, and her observations and analysis of sports and players (from a women's perspective) I found interesting and entertaining.
21 reviews
February 10, 2016
Lovely stuff - self-mocking but very insightful about the whole business of being a sports fan. She writes beautifully and very funnily but with unexpected moments of pathos as well. In the same sort of vein as Nick Hornbys Fever Pitch combining enthusiasm with awareness of how sport (though trivial in essence) can dominate much more significant stuff in life.
Profile Image for Clio.
192 reviews3 followers
September 13, 2014
Funny, erudite and pointed. This memoir recounts Lynne Truss's experiences as a sportswriter. Facing sexism, Byzantine parking laws and fast approaching deadlines, she acquits herself successfully, where many, including myself I suspect, would fail.
Fun and interesting read into things that I do not know.
Profile Image for Nicole.
250 reviews10 followers
August 7, 2015
As a woman with literary pretensions who has just spent the last five years blogging about sports--Truss gets it. Oh, does she painfully, eloquently, humorously get it.

It also helps that this is from the viewpoint of a plain-looking middle-aged woman sports writer. It's not a viewpoint we get much of and it's valuable when we do.
Profile Image for Gregory Ball.
8 reviews
April 13, 2013
I guess you probably have to enjoy sport more than I do to appreciate this one, though it has its moments, and there's some eye opening stuff about sexism in journalism. I preferred the book about apostrophes, and I might try "Talk to the Hand."
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