The Circus

Pup blurs the lines of sport and gossip
Sports fanatics are waking up this morning scratching their heads and gossip queens are twirling their hair in a state of confusion. Well, more than normal anyway. Yes, it seems gossip is sport and sport is gossip more than ever before and everyone wants everyone else's piece of the newspaper while the cornflakes are dolled out.

There are implications for Australian cricket in this mingled tale of Bingle and Clarke, but the colourful social life of model Bingle and the celebrity of sportsman Clarke have ensured this is a yarn for both ends of the paper. A nude photograph and a meathead ex-fling have been mixed in for good measure.

The Circus, while more literate in the sporting side of such dramas, would be lying if it said it was disinterested in a "disheveled" Bingle making a rude hand gesture to the media. However, debate about whether Clarke has damaged his chances of captaining Australia has piqued most interest, and the recent views of past Test cricketers have been most enlightening.

This from former captain Ian Chappell: "The first thing you need in an Australian captain is someone who is going to be there all the time. In other words, you can't afford to have someone who gets injured a bit, like Michael does, or has other issues that occasionally need to be sorted out."
 
Mark Waugh also weighed in: "I'm sure Michael would like to lead a much quieter life, but it's not possible with the arrangement he's got. There's always going to be that balance between playing and off-field dramas.''

But it was the razor sharp pen of Circus favourite Peter Roebuck that best summarised the vice-captain's pickle. His reference to the aforementioned ex-fling as a "dickhead" was also on the money.

Armstrong's passport too full to travel
Little like saying the wallet's too full to squeeze in that fiddy, or there's no space in the display garage for the latest Aston Martin V12, but we're here to listen, Lance.

You see, the poor bloke's spent so much time seeing the world on his two-wheeler (admirably, often victoriously and downright legendarily we might add) that he arrived in South Africa with no room for a visa.

Nothing a quick tweet couldn't fix and Lance was through the gate and ready to compete in the Cape Argus, the largest mass participation cycling event in the world.

Capello the visionary
Last week The Circus opined Fabio Capello could be destined for a political career after he muted his players in the wake of the John Terry scandal. Capello didn't want any "whispers in corners" you see.  

Well, while England players haven't been talking about their ex-captain's love life for the past week it may not be long before they're simply not talking.

A crafty undercover operator (or indeed an industrious fan looking for a quick quid) has recorded England players and management in private conversations reported to be "dynamite".

By "dynamite" we mean details of potential player bonuses if the England side is successful at the World Cup. Given the genuine dynamite Fleet Street has been lapping up in recent times it's no wonder the papers weren't willing to pay up and publish such fantastical tripe.

The Numbers Game
4 – Australians nominated at Wednesday's Laureus World Sport Awards
2 – Australian surfers – Stephanie Gilmore and Mick Fanning – nominated in the action sportsperson category
2 – nominations Lance Armstrong has received for comeback of the year, for one win (2000)
5 – nominations Armstrong has received for World sportsman of the year for one win (2003)

Quote of the day   
"Well, made it in to SA. Not the friendliest welcome I've ever received but we've all seen immigration officers like that."
- Lance Armstrong tweets about his South African experience.

Headline we'd like to read
Passport full, NZ blocks Pup's return


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