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A good week for ...
A good week for hypocrisy over at Cricket Australia. Back in March, CA's chairman chairman Creagh O'Connor said: "We are very sorry that the tour [of recently bomb-hit Pakistan] could not take place at this time. This was a difficult decision based
on independent review of the circumstances prevailing in Pakistan at the moment. We wish no loss to Pakistan Cricket Board and look forward to undertaking this tour in the near future."
But a tour of recently bomb-hit India is a different kettle of fish. "Our advice is there are some concerns and to exercise caution, but currently they do not compromise the tour," CA has said. So that's established that their decision to keep the tour of India on track has nothing to do with Indian cricket being loaded with cash.
He might be laid up with a bunged knee but world No 1 Tiger Woods still reckons his magic can help America win the Ryder Cup at Valhalla Golf Club. "US captain Paul Azinger has my cell phone number and he or any US player can call me any time," said the Humble One from his sunchair.
It's been a great week for Kiwi cricketers hoping to improve their averages. As if Bangladesh didn't offer enough scope for a Bradmanesque series tally, 13 of their best players have cleared off to the rebel Indian Cricket League.
Sexual assault allegations and claims that your captain put the bash on a barman while hitting the turps hardly seem the ideal preparation for a playoff clash with the Storm, especially as the champions will be on the rebound from their surprise tupping at the hands of the Warriors. But Wayne Bennett is just the man - perfectly cast as the morally outraged disciplinarian - to prise an us-against-the-world performance from the Broncos tomorrow.
They reckon Duncan Laing coached more than 30,000 swimmers in his time. One of the best anecdotes SuperShorts heard about the great man centred on his most famous charge.
A journalist attending an early morning training session watched as Danyon Loader was told to swim "flat out for a few lengths". As Loader churned through the water, journalist and coach started chatting. The conversation moved on to statistics and time charts. Laing helpfully offered to show the journo a few charts in the office. Offer accepted.
All very interesting stuff and the conversation continued for half-an-hour until: "Bloody hell! I forgot about Danyon!" Laing sprinted from the office and there was Loader, still churning through the water, his three-or-four minute sprint training having stretched to nearly half-an-hour at maximum speed.
A bad week for ...
The most-faithful Warriors fans never doubted that the side would make the playoffs. Accordingly, they kept their social diaries free so they could watch the victory over the Storm on Saturday. Except for one fan that is. A certain Mr M. Butcher had long ago booked his holiday in Croatia.
The only time Rupeni Caucaunibuca is more elusive than on the rugby field is when he's disappearing out the back door of top European clubs. Now the bloke who left the Fijian national side standing at the altar and has half the coaches of France wondering if he'll show up for training is been wooed by Leicester. Good luck, Tigers.
Forget about families being turfed out on the street as mortgagee sales roll on and big banks roll over in the credit crunch. The true tragedy could be less money in the pocket of hard-working impresarios, such as Bernie Ecclestone. US bank Lehman Brothers was a 16.8 per cent shareholder in Formula One. With Lehman gone bust, other sponsors are nervously eyeing their investment in the world's most ludicrously expensive sport. Private equity firm CVC is tipped to buy out Lehman's share of the commercial rights.
Come to think of it: Is the several-trillion-dollar AIG that almost went belly up the same AIG we see on the front of Manchester United? Could a wee dose of economic reality be heading the way of big sport? SuperShorts lives in hope.
Yankee Stadium will be a thing of the past when the team moves into a $1.95 billion ballpark across the road next season. Fans are farewelling the old ground in the traditional fashion. "The Yankees are asking all fans to share in this memorable time in a respectful manner. Damaging the stadium and/or attempted theft of stadium property is a crime, and violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
