Yachting: Talk about conned on loyalty for Team New Zealand

By MURRAY DEAKER

Dear Russell,

You conned me. I really believed you meant it when you told us we had to build a dynasty to keep the America's Cup. And as for that bit about us all sticking together - you really sucked me in.

I sat there with tears in my eyes as you assured me and the nation that if we all worked together the cup could stay here for at least the next 25 years.

I realise that you and Blakey have had a few problems.

It seems like you and Brad have been telling anyone who'd listen, as well as a few who didn't want to, about them for a couple of years.

If I had a dollar for each "inside" story I have had unwillingly thrust on me by people "off the record" about what was really happening at Team New Zealand, I could match Ernesto Bertarelli's offer to you.

But when I heard you give Sir Peter those huge wraps during your victory speech at the viaduct after the parade, you really fooled me. I thought you were genuine when you said what a fantastic job he had done and how you wanted him involved in the future.

When I recall all the things you said that day, I'm now sure you must have been given the wrong speech by the spin-doctors. You must have read the one that the Prime Minister was meant to read.

Silly me. There I was looking like a bloody billboard in my Team New Zealand supporter's shirt with those ghastly red socks on, with tears in my eyes, a lump in my throat and pride in my heart. Talk about conned.

It was a shame you couldn't have been at the initial press conference to tell us yourself you were going. Brad mumbled his way through some spin that had obviously been written by someone else. He was about as convincing as George Speight would be as an advocate for racial equality.

I tried to ask him a couple of questions but he said he couldn't talk because you weren't there. He reckoned you were busy. I thought you must have still been playing golf in California because I heard you'd spent the previous week playing all those expensive courses like Pebble Beach.

I kept looking at Brad and thinking about all that fuss he made about the Niwa weather beacon. Remember how he labelled those blokes as traitors - and all they were trying to do was sell some weather information.

It was interesting to watch you in action at the press conference when you did get back. Top performance. I've never heard anyone use so many words to say so little. I did admire you fronting up.

You see, you've done me a favour. You may remember how I used to have a real problem with you blokes in the mid-90s. Your mate Simon Daubney heard me raving on the radio about the America's Cup being a game for rich boys and their toys.

Before the successful challenge at San Diego he took me for a cup of coffee and convinced me that you blokes were the "sailor's challenge" and you had no time for that rich-boy stuff. He's a good talker. He convinced me.

Now, Russell, I've got to tell you, I'm back to where I started.

It seems to me your mate Ernesto is a very rich boy and you're the best he could buy. Did you ever see that film Top Gun. It's a bit like that.

I don't have a problem with you taking the money and running, but don't ask me to believe any more bull****. No more talk ever about dynasties, loyalty, team or traitors.

You see, the favour you've done me is to show me that it isn't about sport - it's just about money. I don't know why I ever changed my mind.

See ya, Deaks.