Matt Roberts

All being well, I'll be adding a new venue to my stats list tomorrow (taking the total to 24), one that I have wanted to go to for a while (technically I've done games played there, just from tape, never physically in the building though).

Don’t crush our right to protest! The right to protest is the heartbeat of democracy. It lets us speak out, challenge injustice, and hold those in power accountable. The Government’s plan would give police sweeping powers to ban repea...

😡 The Government wants to ban repeated protests & jail those who defy them. Stand up for our democratic right to protest - sign the petition now! you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/do...
(I don't have a dog in this fight, but I do stand for our freedom to hold peaceful protests)

Denmark being the happiest country in the world and the leader of renewable energy production 👏

Be more Denmark 🇩🇰

NBA to Make Manchester Regular-Season Debut at Co-op Live in 2027 The city is set to host first-ever regular-season NBA game – only second NBA appearance in Manchester history   Manchester, UK – 30 July 2025: The National Basketball Association (NBA), Co-op Live a…

It's interesting that Magic and Mystics get a mention, but nothing about the pro team:
www.cooplive.com/pQ3YDFv/nba-...

Can hear the cricket from my garden, I'm guessing Joe Root just past Ricky Ponting to go second on the all time leading run scorers list in test cricket, but he's not legend of the game according to a bit-part former Australian test batter, because Root hasn't scored a hundred in Australia 🤷‍♂️

Bluesky app was the first app to ask me to verify my age, it was not the first app that falls under the remit of the law change that I went on this morning, but it's the only one to comply so far.

There is no way the new Superman film isn't about Israel vs. Palestine, if nothing less than metaphorically (slight spoiler: the Netanyahu character would be the crazy leader who is financed by Lex Luther, who is Donald Trump/Elon Musk merged into one, Superman is the missing piece from reality)

23. Cardiff Met Archers Arena (U17 Home Nations 2025)

16. Birmingham NIA (BBL Finals)
17. Birmingham (Birmingham Knights)
18. Worcester Arena (BE Finals, GB)
19. Worcester Old Arena (England, GB)
20. National Squash Centre (BT Paralympic World Cup 2012)
21. Leicester Riders (old arena)
22. Cardiff Met Sports Hall (U17 Home Nations 2025)

10. Bury Leisure Centre (Lancashire Spinners)
11. EIS (Sheffield, BE finals, blue court, 3 courts)
12. Sheffield Arena (GB tournament)
13. Ponds Forge (Sheffield, GB tournament)
14. O2 Arena (Olympics/Paralympics 2012)
15. Basketball Arena (Olympics/Paralympics 2012, test event 2011)

3. Sugden Centre (Manchester University)
4. Platt Lane (MMU)
5. Wright Robinson College (Giants)
6. Trafford Soccer Dome (Giants)
7. Manchester College, Openshaw Campus (Academy)
8. Manchester Arena (WNBA vs GB, GB vs USA)
9. George Carnell Centre (Urmston, Giants)

Having been to Cardiff this weekend to do games at the U17 Home Nations tournament, it got me thinking, how many different venues have I done stats in these are where I've remembered: 1. Manchester Basketball Centre (formerly Amaechi Basketball Centre)
2. National Basketball Performance Centre

Things are about to get real messy for British Basketball, I'm sure the topic will come up in Cardiff this weekend at the U17s Home Nations, which I've volunteered my time for, I was in Scotland (on holiday) last week, England this week and Wales at weekend, completing the Home Nations tour

Credit to the Pacers, they took that loss with grace and dignity and credit to OKC for embracing the Pacers first, then celebrating. Halliburton's calf popping was devastating for Indiana, his teammates tried to stay in the contest but OKC was ultimately too much for them.

I'm shocked that the NBA officials missed two obvious defensive interference calls by Indiana in Game 1 of the NBA finals (last play before half time and early in the 4th quarter). It was seemingly so obvious to me that I had to double check the rules to make sure I'd not gone insane.

I volunteered for the U15 Home Nations tournament this weekend on the basis that if no one else with less experience was available, I'd do it. I ended up doing all 6 games on court 1, 4 in a row yesterday, and 2 today. To say it was challenging was an understatement. Knackered, but it was fun.

In my games, one team had 3 players over 30 points (30, 34 and 37, in a no defence was played contest, 115-92) and U16 Play-off Finals' MVP Oskaras Visockas went off for 42 points and 13 rebounds (he's got the potential to be the Lithuanian Luka)

Shout out to Beaumont School's Jane Yu for putting up 55 points, 12 rebounds and 9 steals in the U14 girls schools finals today, the rest of her team combined for 9 points in a spirited defeat to Northampton School for Girls

The other 5 games, I think we did a good job on, the U18 men's final had a really nice flow to it, the exact type of game you need when you're running on empty after a mentally draining weekend. Lastly, banning horns was great, but can we ban drums next year too? (from sitting behind the table)

I could use the excuse that we were tired, which we were, but the game was such a messy game that we definitely messed up on subs, tried to fix it but because it was so chaotic I can't be sure it's right. Points and fouls were correct with the book, but I wanted it checked to see how bad it was.

Because I'm all good with holding myself accountable for my failures, I asked for my 5th game of the weekend to be reviewed instead of the one I was being observed on because I know we had an absolute shocker, my worst game in probably 15 years, it was so bad.

Today, British basketball hit peak British Basketballness, by awarding a 15-year license to operate the pro-league to some seemingly fraudulent Americans (keyword: seemingly, given their past involvements are suspect), while the current pro-league has filed intent to sue federation. It's a circus

Put Public Ownership of Water Back on the Table Privatisation of water isn’t failing - it is the failure. The Government is mid-way through a major review of the water sector. But so far, it has refused to consider a potential solution that’s backe...

Private companies are polluting our rivers, hiking up bills, and failing to deliver. 82% of us want public ownership – let’s make it happen!
Sign the open letter now & demand action! 👉
you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/pu...

Congrats! Your Pick To Cut The Nets Down Is: South Carolina

Women's bracket done
fantasy.espn.com/tc/sharer?ch...
via @espn.com TC App
es.pn/tcapp

Congrats! Your Pick To Cut The Nets Down Is: Duke

Backet done
fantasy.espn.com/tc/sharer?ch...
via @espn.com TC App
es.pn/tcapp

Trigger: and that's what I've done. Maintained it for 20 years. This old brooms had 17 new heads and 14 new handles in its time.

Sid: How the hell can it be the same bloody broom then?

Trigger: Theres the picture. What more proof do you need?

After a second attempt to get blood from my fingers (my hands were too cold the first time), I have my results, I'm officially "healthy", well my cholesterol and blood sugar are healthy anyway, I guess I balance all the crap I eat with fruit and exercise...🤷‍♂️

Yesterday's Mystics Academy game was by far the hardest game I've done all season. 65 turnovers in the game and many with unclear deflections, scrambles of multiple players after a deflection where the ball turns over multiple times (which is micro-possessioned, but remembering the original TO/S)

Totally forgot that tonight's Magic game was my 800th game

No second state visit for Trump This is UNBELIEVABLE. Keir Starmer has just handed Donald Trump a letter from King Charles, inviting him for a second state visit to the UK. It’s totally unprecedented, and I was so outraged when I he...

Unbelievable. Donald Trump has been invited to a state visit to the UK. We should not be rolling out the red carpet to celebrate this man. Agree? Add your name to the petition today: you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/no...