Oh Cam!

Oh Cam Newton!

As you may have heard the Carolina Panthers player was highly amused to be asked a question by a female.

The 28-year-old explained that he found it “funny to hear a female” talk about sport. Now he wasn't just talking about any female, which would be bad enough. He was talking about Jourdan Rodrique -  a sports reporter for the Charlotte Observer.

It's not sport! It's just a little pervy now.

I don't know about you but I'm getting a little sick and tired of sports media's obsession with the partners of sports stars. In particular the wives and girlfriends of footballers.

I’m not sure about you, but I’ve never seen articles about the attractiveness of someone else’s wife (or girlfriend) as something I really want to see on a regular basis. And definitely not something I would expect to see under the header of Sport and/or Football. In fact I’d expect to see it in the journal of a prepubescent teenager who had just discovered the channels that only start at midnight!

Apologies because it’s not my intention to be flippant, but if I’m not then all I keep thinking about is how disgustingly pervy it all is. Because let’s be frank, it bloody is!

Is your personal life so lacking, that you have nothing better to do than dribble over pictures of women who are already involved? Even Nuts realised that wasn’t working any more!

Not only does it suggest that our so-called gutter press are actually camped out in bunkers underground, but it leaves me with wider concerns about sports journalism and my place in it.

Like every journalist, I’ve had to write stuff that I didn’t necessarily enjoy creating or feel was necessary. It’s what you do when you are building a career. You bite your tongue and attempt to get your head down.

It’s something I’ve struggled with, without ever being asked to rate the partners of a team of footballers. Anyone who knows me will know that that particular situation would not have ended well.

I understand not all journalists have the freedom to write what they would like, but I can imagine that after spending grands to get their degree or sports journalism diploma you’d be pretty pissed spending your afternoon’s deciding whose missus is more of a ten.

Honestly, is this really what it’s come to? Are we so desperate to create masses of 24-hour photo-story content that we unnecessarily delve into players family lives, with the possible fallout leading to even less women in sports media because they feel uncomfortable producing trash like that.

I haven’t included the article’s in question because I don’t see the point. We all know who and what I’m referring to. And if you don’t, just look for the anger on my twitter timeline.

But seriously we have to get past this kind of caveman style journalism. Surely it will only serve to damage our fragile industry and put some amazing people off working in it.

Here's an idea; if you are so damn keen to feature attractive women in your sports pages, then why don't you bother to write about our amazing sportswomen. Our football and netball stars, our medal winning athletes who continue to fight the sexist crap you troll out on a daily basis.

Because YOUR patronising coverage follows them despite their amazing talents. And frankly, they deserve a hell of a lot better from you content editors. I know it's a wild idea gents, but you never know, it just might work...

Jack's back! In trouble. AGAIN.

Jack, Jack, JACK!!!

I felt I needed to shout coz clearly Jack Wilshere is deaf or is just incapable of listening to any of the considered advice he has been offered over the years.

Either he is just determined to aid his injuries in ruining his undoubted talent or maybe he has too much talent to handle. Or maybe I'm just giving an adult father-of-two too much credit for the latest stupid act that will only serve to prove the haters right. The video, pictures and testimonials surrounding Wilshere's drunken night out in London only serves to prove the point many have that young English players have more money and time, than sense. Because why else would he be out creating drama and acting like a teenager who has raided their parents drinks cabinet when first-team action and a possible trip to Euro 2016 in France are on the cards?

It angers me, and not just because I'm a Gooner. Is there anything more frustrating that wanting someone to prove you wrong yet they continue to prove you right?

I remember watching a teenage Jack boss the midfield against Wigan in a Capital One Cup game which saw the Londoners run out 6-0 winners. It's rare I rave about a player, but it was clear that day the boy had the ability AND the passion to make it to the top. And I laughed with everyone else when he drunkingly sang that Tottenham song as the open top bus drove the FA Cup winners around Islington. While heavily intoxicated. But maybe we shouldn't have been laughing. I'm not suggesting that Wilshere is following the path trodden by former England stars Tony Adams and Paul Gascoigne, in fact I pray he isn't, but he does appear to have a control problem. And for a professional sportsman, particularly one who has suffered the injuries that he has, that could well be equally as damaging. I'm not suggesting he live like a monk but there has to be a point when he starts to make better choices in life, not only for his career but for his children who will grow up witnessing their Dad's every exploit on the internet.

Because for all his talent, eventually those in charge will lose patience with his pathetic off-field behaviour. It is one thing to damage your own reputation, but quite another when you start to damage that of your employer.

I hope the midfielder looks at the videos and pictures circulating and feels embarrassed, because frankly, I feel embarrassed for him. I hope he realises that if he really wants to get drunk and act the fool, he's better off doing it in his lush million pound house. I hope someone he listens to gives him the kick up the arse that he clearly needs.

And I sincerely hope my fears for his career are wrong.