SuperSport's Good Week / Bad Week: Viva la bonker

A good week for ...

He may look like the boring bloke out of Coldplay, but Jenson Button is pure rock 'n' roll. After winning last week's Aussie GP, the Formula One ace had the traditional duties to perform: shower the crowd in champagne and then duck into the press room for an interview. But the season's first champion took a detour: a 10-minute shag-based debriefing in a small room with his girlfriend Jessica Michibata, who is, naturally, a lingerie model. He emerged with a sly grin to tell the waiting media horde: "It got a bit steamy in there."

The pitch is breathing

Nice to see Sky have tweaked their cricket coverage to cater for those who like to pop a tab of acid before settling down on the couch to watch the white-flannel code. The Channel Nine super slow-motion rip-offs have been brilliant. Our favourite was the truly mind-blowing clip of the McLean Park mower in action, set to Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. The vivid green, the psychedelic bassline, the commentary lapse of reason - whoah, it's amaaaaazing.

Packered out

Over at Mt Smart, Russell Packer has been working out extra hard in the gym. The result: no one calls him by his old nickname, "Fudge".

Secret herbs

The Curse of Colonel Sanders might be finally lifted. When the Hanshin Tigers triumphed in the Japanese baseball league way back in 1985, their fans celebrated by chucking a statue of the man behind the secret herbs and spices into a river. As you do. Cue: 23 years of failure. Now that divers have found and raised the statue, a return to winning ways could be at hand.

... but first

KFC, quick to spot a PR chance, are taking the statue to Chicago, to see if it can break the Curse of the Billy Goat. That curse has stood since 1945 when Billy Goat Tavern owner Billy Sianis was kicked out of Wrigley Field because his pet goats stank. As he departed, he declared: "Them Cubs, they aren't gonna win no more."

Fast food for thought

Plans to erect a statue of Colonel Sanders outside Pat Lam's house are, as yet, unconfirmed.

A good bet

One smart cookie turned a $5 flutter into $16,900 last weekend by multiplying three first try scorers. The punter took Greg Inglis to score the opening try in the NRL match between the Storm and the Cowboys at $13, carried over to Stephen Donald at $20 in the Chiefs against the Reds and finished with Conrad Smith at $13 for the Hurricanes against the Lions. Makes it all sound too easy.


A bad week for ...

Bad cop

NFL player Ryan Moats admits he was in a hurry to get to the hospital: he had to see his mother-in-law before she passed away. But Moats struck trouble when officer Robert Powell, of the Dallas Police, saw him roll through a red light on his way into the hospital carpark.

The cop pulled over the star running back at gunpoint, threatened him with jail, then lectured him about road safety and wrote out a ticket. All while Moats was begging to be allowed to see his mother-in-law before she died. Eventually the jobsworth officer let Moats go. Sadly, sometime between the gun being drawn and the ticket being filled out, she had died.

Super City rules

When the Waratahs arrived at their Auckland hotel last week ahead of their Blues match, they encountered a large media scrum. But, to Lote Tuqiri's chagrin, it wasn't for the boys in blue. The cameras were out for a conference on the Government's plans for a Super City. It says much for how boring the Waratahs are regarded as when an 800-page document on town planning is deemed more interesting.

Bad omen

Brazilian football is doing it's bit to fight homophobia. Roberto Fernandes, coach of club side Florianopolis, has instituted a "Gay of the Week" scheme at training to motivate players to greater effort. Each week a different player is made to wear a "gay pink shirt" in training. Last week, midfielder Jairo had the honour. "Jairo's new image makes him play better!" says Fernandes. "He'll try harder next week."

Lomu lookalikes

Did Clint Eastwood sign a Samoan - Zak Feaunati - to play Tongan-bred rugby superstar Jonah Lomu because all Polynesians look alike? Was Cliff Curtis not available? Surely Andy Serkis tarted up with CGI wizardry would do the trick.

Flag it away

SuperShorts generally goes a bit quiet in the geography round at the local pub quiz, but we're pretty sure the flag being flown by a couple of Bulls supporters in Palmerston North - the Prinsevlag - is 14 years or so out of date, along with a certain political system the flag symbolises. If you see it flying at any Super 14 games, feel free to tear it down.