Sky High

Cipriani and the plucking of a peacock

If the London Wasps fly half did not know before that English rugby union does not appreciate stars, he does now

Cooke suggests Plucky Brit can be slain

Cyclist's winning mentality brings hope of an end to abject failure following hard on heels of brief success in British sport

Why the United States cannot capture team spirit

Sporting culture of the Americans does not lend itself to Ryder Cup concept, it is totally alien to the nation as a whole

Let the buyer beware fans's fervour

The Premier League is turning into the America's Cup, a yachting event that reflects the depth of the pockets of the owners

Time tells us to beware those bearing gifts

Like turtles, not all young talent in sport is successful in reaching the elusive ocean of fulfilment and achievement

Knocking the stuffing out of the nice British

The ferocious Scot, Andy Murray, is driven by a belly full of fire, and anybody who doesn’t like it can get stuffed

All hail the thinking man's swashbuckler

The England captain's collective approach has reaped rewards against South Africa but there are tougher tests to come

Manchester City: an accident waiting to happen

The new breed of football club owners should be aware that the richer they are, the more foolish they will appear

Why can’t city folk feel horsey love?

Horsiness is not about social class. Horsiness exists for itself alone

When change is not always for the better

Rugby union's attempt at reaching out to a wider audience could have ramifications in the sport's traditional heartland

Pietersen can ease my return to reality

After the joys of Beijing, the woes of Steven Gerrard or Andy Murray's progress in the US Open seem almost inconsequential

Olympics proves capacity for greatness

There are three ways of enjoying sport, and they form a hierarchy: partisanship, drama and greatness

London double-decker arrives in Beijing

After the pomp and extravagance of the Beijing Olympic Games the arrival of the traditional red bus was a cheery, jolly statement

Fell swoop enough for silver in pentathlon

Briton narrowly fails to claim gold despite a stirring attempt, but Simon Barnes finds the event was as thrilling as it was bewildering

Psst - we’ve got the beating of Beijing

There was something just a bit too monolithic in these Beijing Games. The overriding need was to impress

Diving provides platform for the individual

Chen Ruolin and Wang Xin offer insight into a nation where sense of self is at odds with the tradition of the collective

Bolt blasts past perfection, so why do I think he should stop?

What would he do this time? That was the question that obsessed the world as a 6ft 5in Jamaican slouched towards history

Open-water swimming? Open warfare, more like

Keri-Anne Payne and Cassie Patten keep their heads, just about, to win silver and bronze in a thrilling free-for-all

Bolt was blazing: don’t let him fail us now

Trust in athletics might be terminally affected if Bolt failed a test. He has lifted us so high, it’s far too far to fall

Steiner’s triumph is worth the wait

Nothing quite like watching the super-heavyweight who lost his wife in a car crash claiming Olympic gold, says Simon Barnes