ICYMI: Kobe Bryant bows out, Pats lose their ‘O’, Rosberg denies Hamilton

Even by sport’s high standards, the heady combination of fairytale victories and historic storylines emanating from the past weekend has been pretty compelling.

But amongst the column inches devoted to the new heavyweight champion of the world, Tyson Fury, Great Britain’s victorious Davis Cup team and record-breaker Jamie Vardy, there were plenty of other intriguing tales vying for airtime.

Here’s our ICYMI round-up to keep you in the loop:

Kobe Bryant calls time on his NBA career

LA Lakers star and basketball legend Bryant has brought the act of calling time on your career kicking and screaming into the digital age.

Instead of giving the world’s media an invite to a staged press conference, the 37-year-old announced his decision to retire at the end of the season via Twitter and Facebook.

The message was delivered in a heartfelt letter entitled ‘Dear Basketball’.

You can read it in full here in preparation for the moment when the five-time NBA champion finally hangs up his Lakers vest.

Dear Basketball: https://t.co/KDecft6BO2 #KB20

— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) November 29, 2015

Rosberg hat-trick leaves Hamilton reeling 

This year’s Formula 1 season was hardly vintage but at least Nico Rosberg has given teammate and world champion Lewis Hamilton some food for thought ahead of the next campaign.

The German secured a third straight win in Abu Dhabi’s season finale and his end-of-season form certainly appears to have riled the 30-year-old British driver.

Hamilton’s blaming the car but Mercedes have no answers, at least none that have been aired publicly.

Did the champ taken his foot off the gas?

New England finally taste defeat

The Patriots have lost their ‘O’ following a 30-24 reverse away at the Denver Broncos.

Having won all of their opening 10 games there was talk of the Pats replicating their perfect regular season effort of 2007.

Alas, it wasn’t to be for Tom Brady and co. as the Super Bowl holders succumbed to their first defeat since 2014. C.J Anderson’s 48-yard run resulted in the Bronco’s match-winning score with 12:32 left in overtime.

The 11-0 Carolina Panthers are the NFL’s only remaining unbeaten team although they’re still the 4-1 second-favourites to win Super Bowl 50 with New England your 11/4 jollies.

.@cjandersonb22‘s game-winning 48-yard touchdown from every angle (or most angles). pic.twitter.com/VuZ7a2cdva — Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) November 30, 2015

Saracens are unstoppable, Irish look doomed

London Irish are going through a pretty hard time at the moment. Their 33-15 defeat to Wasps was yet another at Twickenham although the bigger picture is even more worrying.

The Exiles are rock-bottom of the Aviva Premiership having lost all of their opening five games.

By contrast, Wasps are arguably the form team in Europe with this latest victory coming hot on the heels of European triumphs over Leinster and Toulon.

Dai Young’s outfit still have a way to go if they hope to catch pacesetters Saracens though.

The champions ran in six tries to thump Worcester 48-18 in the first game of the London Double Header, their 10th consecutive win in all competitions. Sarries are sitting pretty at the top of the fledgling table, three points ahead of Exeter.

Scotland’s women reach double figures

Scotland fans got a first glimpse of their national team’s new pink kit and the ladies soared to the top of Euro 2017 qualifying group 1 with a 10-0 demolition job on Macedonia.

Jane Ross handed the Scots an early lead at St Mirren Park, before adding another three goals to her tally on a hugely successful afternoon.

A Jo Love hat-trick and efforts from Jenny Beattie, Hayley Lauder and Lisa Evans completed the rout.

GOALS | Watch all of #SWNT‘s goals from today’s 10-0 victory over FYR Macedonia! https://t.co/eoYTzFgGow https://t.co/rx8tP7jZvD — Scotland (@ScottishFA) November 29, 2015

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