Looking for a few sports-themed stocking fillers for the festive season? Here are five suggestions that will cost little more than the stocking itself.
The Sports Book
Booze and food are the only things more plentiful than sports books at Christmas time and this year is no different to any other with plenty of reading material from a wide range of sports to make the ideal stocking filler.
Books from legendary GAA figures Michael Duignan and Joe Kernan have made the WilliamHill.Com Irish Sports Book of the Year shortlist, as have autobiographies from jockeys Tony McCoy and Paul Carberry, ‘Inside the Peloton’ from Nicholas Roche and Paul Kimmage’s fascinating account of the life of Matt Hampson, a former England rugby player who was paralysed for life after a horrific training ground accident.
Elsewhere, Man United fans will be interested in Gary Neville’s autobiography ‘Red’, a book that could also act as fire fuel for Liverpool fans, while the always excellent ‘A Season of Sundays’ contains the best images from the football and hurling championships in 2011.
All of the above books are available for €25 or less.
Smartphone/MP3 Player holder
In Anchorman, Ron Burgundy spoke of how he had taken up a new phenomenon called ‘jogging’ or, as he pronounced it ‘yogging’ and although we were never slow to stretch our legs in this country, running is something that has become extremely popular in recent years, especially due to the increase in various different races (marathons/triathlons etc.) taking place all over Ireland.
If you’re buying for a running enthusiast this Christmas, they might appreciate a holder to store their iPhone/Smartphone/iPad in while they’re on the roads so they can either listen to music or attempt to breathlessly hold a conversation while simultaneously trying not to pass out.
The Glastonbury Ultimate Sports Phone/MP3 Holder, which costs around €20, seems to cover all bases and includes a touch window for your iPod or iPhone.
DVD
If reading isn’t your thing and not having to budge an inch from the couch is, well then a sporting DVD should be to your taste. Our own personal recommendation is Senna, the wonderful documentary charting the life and death of Brazilian driver Ayrton Senna, which was released to positively drooling reviews earlier this year.
The documentary of the late Ayrton Senna is truly riveting stuff
For the GAA aficionados amongst you, GAA Football Gold is well worth a look. Containing highlights of every All-Ireland Football Final between the years 1947-1959, it will make particularly good viewing for fans from Cavan and Mayo, two teams who enjoyed some glorious years in the middle of the last century and haven’t been the same since.
Senna should be available from all good DVD retailers, and some bad ones too. GAA Football Gold can be bought from the Irish Film Institute website for €21.99.
York Vinyl Kettlebell – 8kg
A quick straw poll in the office revealed that a significant number of the JOE team didn’t actually know what a kettlebell was – the ones with the slight paunch, the doughnut-jam on their chin and the glazed-over eyes, needless to say. For the uninformed, it’s basically a weighted lump with a handle on it that resembles an old-style kettle, hence the clever name.
In practise though, they’re extremely useful for all sorts of cardio, core and flexibility exercises and although it mightn’t look the most graceful under a Christmas tree, the recipient of this gift will be glad once they’re flashing that ripped six pack come the summer months.
Richard Dunne ‘Iron Curtain’ t-shirt
With Ireland now qualified for the Euros, it’s high time to kit yourself out in as much Boys in Green regalia as possible. Considering that our home jersey is merely a replica of the Northern Ireland jersey from nearly 20 years ago, this t-shirt commemorating Dunney’s tour de force in Moscow is a trendier alternative. And far cheaper too.
We found the Richard Dunne ‘Iron Curtain’ t-shirt on the Cult Zeros website for €17.
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