A gamble too far

PLUS: The Week That Was and the Weekend That Will Be

Photosport/ Andrew Cornaga

There was a slice of dark comedy in the furore surrounding the Brendon McCullum betting ads, when a spokesperson for New Zealand’s Problem Gambling Foundation called the campaign “the most aggressive marketing I’ve ever seen”.

So what you’re saying is it was the ‘Bazball’ of marketing campaigns?

All jokes aside, I have no idea what McCullum was thinking with this “partnership” with a gambling app, beyond dollar signs in the eyes.

I’m an unabashed admirer of the way he approaches his cricket and would rate him as the single-most transformational figure in the history of the sport here, but even without hearing his side of the story, this just seems so dumb.

It’s no secret that McCullum is a punter and big investor in the equine industry and how he chooses to spend or invest his money is his business, but if anybody should be acutely aware of the awkward connection between cricket and gambling it is him. 

In no world does a connection between the England cricket coach and a “parasitic” - the TAB’s Cameron Rodger’s word, not mine - gambling app make sense. If he didn’t recognise that himself, then his advisers or manager should have.

As it turns out, the ECB sounds unimpressed, and it could be a breach of its anti-corruption code, which prohibits “directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging, facilitating or authorising any other party to enter into a bet in relation to the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of any match or competition”. 

To cap it off… the ads were truly awful.

THE WEEK THAT WAS

I’m not sure we as a collective sporting public quite understand how big the Fifa World Cup that’s about to hit these antipodean shores will be, but Stuff is certainly pulling out all stops to make sure we’re aware, know finding 100 reasons to be excited with the event 100 days away (it’s now 97).

It’s a hell of a compilation effort, but I was tempted to end my journey at No2 when I came across the scourge of NZ football journalism - yes, it’s the obligatory reference to “a truly global sport”.

Take that all you falsely global sports.

Minor quibble aside, it was a big week for Andrew Voerman, whose word count must have come close to breaking Stuff’s content management system. He also went where was absolutely necessary with the Football Ferns, questioning how we can have any faith in them performing well at the World Cup with such a dire string of results under coach Jitka Klimková, the latest being a 0-3 loss to Nigeria.

The pressure is on Klimková to deliver a transformational training camp in Auckland in May and June, because the Ferns need to come out of it looking like a different team if they’re going to play their part in making the World Cup a memorable occasion.

Guardian Football laid out their World Cup power rankings and somehow found nine teams in worse shape than the Football Ferns. England are No1, USA 2 and Australia sit at 5.

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I don’t tend to reply to criticism because a) it would take too long and b) you can never please everybody and, frankly, nor should you try to. However, this feedback (in italics below) was pointed enough for me to feel some obligation to respond.

Unless you are prepared to do your homework and put in the effort the event attracts from other serious commentators, you are probably best advised not to comment at all [on The Masters]. To most golf fans it represents perhaps the year’s pinnacle event. To have it mentioned so disdainfully, as per your report, doesn’t do the event nor The Bounce justice.

This is not, as a rule, how The Bounce works, but even if it was, the idea that anything in the world of professional fun and games is above disdain doesn’t wash with me. The reason following sports is so captivating is because it taxes such a wide range of human emotions from joy, to agony, to frustration, admiration and, yep, a good dollop of disdain.

My interest in golf as a competitive sport is mostly limited to the four majors and the Ryder Cup and even then I’m more a back-nine-on-Sunday type of follower than someone who tunes in to watch them tee it up early on Thursday. I would never purport to be a serious golf commentator. Over the past 12 months or more, however, I have been engrossed by the off-course action, specifically the creation of LIV Golf, the dubious business case and funding for it, and the reaction of the established tours to the player defections. The unsubtle framing by the PGA Tour that the fight for golf’s soul is a battle between good (them) and evil (LIV) spins my wheels far more than the week-by-week results on the tours, so I will keep pointing you in the direction of the best reporting and most interesting writing on the LIV saga.

In the newsletter in question, there was also disdain reserved for Super Rugby, UFC, the Football Ferns and even my wife, but that is by the by. As valued subscribers, please feel free to continue to disagree with my takes. I mean that. There have been many cricket pieces I’ve filed where Andy, as one example, has found wrinkles in my logic. That’s great - I love his passion and commitment. Sport is a broad church with infinite room for thoughts and opinions. I’m even open to suggestions about what sports and events you’d like to see more of (or less) in the newsletter, but please prepare for disappointment if you expect me to like all the things that you like in the same way that you like them.

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A small skite. The Bounce, aka me, was today nominated for two national media awards: Best Opinion Writing alongside Madeleine Chapman (The Spinoff), Kate MacNamara and Vaimaona Mase (both NZ Herald); and Sports Journalist of the Year, up against Chapman again, Dana Johannsen (Stuff), Suzanne McFadden (Newsroom) and Christopher Reive (NZ Herald).

I’ve been lucky enough to be nominated for awards in the past but I’m not going to lie - it is more gratifying to be recognised when you’re a one-man band. Thanks for the support that allows me to continue writing.

THE WEEKEND THAT WILL BE

There could be a few oval-ball hours spent in front of the gogglebox this weekend.

It’s another really weak slate of matches for New Zealand Super Rugby fans - with one notable exception. The top-of-the-table clash between the Chiefs and the Hurricanes has an element of dress rehearsal about it because the format basically guarantees them a spot in the playoffs, but there is still plenty of intrigue, particularly around how the home team will go in a derby having feasted on weaker Australian fare.

I, for one, am very happy that the upgrade to the lights has not been completed and it’s an afternoon clash. Love, love, love my daytime kickoffs.

Hurricanes v Chiefs, Wellington, tomorrow 2.35pm, Sky Sport 1

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The above is just Pt I of a potentially cracking Saturday arvo, oval-ball double-header, with the Warriors looking to bounce back from their disappointing loss to Newcastle. I would like their chances against the Cowboys a whole lot better if Wayde Egan (pictured) was there, but I also hope for his sake that he doesn’t try to rush back from concussion symptoms. He has taken a couple of brutal hits to the head already this season and plays such a busy, physical style of footy he is going to be more and more vulnerable to trauma unless he gets the appropriate rest and recovery time.

AAP/ Darren Pateman (via Photosport)

I’m not totally sold on his replacement at hooker, Freddie Lussick, but he could have an extended run to show what he can bring to the club. 

Dylan Walker steps up off the bench and into the halves to replace the luckless Te Maire Martin, who broke his leg against the Knights.

For nostalgia’s sake, I might relive the glorious 80s and get in front of the West Sydney derby as well. With a bit of luck, they’ll put on a repeat of the 1986 grand final, which was tryless and went the Eels way 4-2.

NZ Warriors v North Queensland, Auckland, tomorrow 5pm, Sky Sport 4

Parramatta v Canterbury-Bankstown, Parramatta, Sunday 6.05pm, Sky Sport 4

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In terms of global column inches, the New Zealand Pakistan T20 series will be dwarfed by the Indian Premier League, but I’ll be watching. Can’t help myself.

Pakistan v NZ, 1st and 2nd T20Is, Lahore, tomorrow and Sunday 4am, Sky Sport 1 

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I’m as intrigued as anybody about whether Arsenal can stave off the marauding Mancunians, but that is a two-horse race. The jostling to stay out of the bottom three is just as fascinating, with Crystal Palace in 12th place just six points out of the drop zone occupied by Southampton (23 points), Leicester City (25) and Nottingham Forest (27), while Everton (27), Leeds United (29), Bournemouth (30), West Ham (30) and Wolverhampton Wanderers (31) hover just above it.

Manchester City v Leicester, Etihad Stadium, Sunday 4.30am, Sky EPL

West Ham v Arsenal, London Stadium, Monday 1am, Sky EPL

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The NBA playoffs start this weekend. I’m intrigued by the formerly hapless Sacramento Kings, whose reward for finishing third in the Western Conference and making the playoffs for the first time in 16 years, is a date with the defending champions Golden State Warriors, who fudged their way through an injury-hit season but look poised to make another run.

Sacramento v Golden State, Sacramento, Sunday 12.30pm, ESPN

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A couple of other bits and pieces to keep an eye on might be the Long Beach GP on Monday. Scott Dixon sits third in the IndyCar driver standings and Scott McLaughlin eight, but the latter has looked quick. It’s not Dixon’s favourite venue, with the Kiwi veteran having won just once, in 2015, at the circuit. The Mystics hosting the Pulse tomorrow looks the pick of the round in the ANZ Premiership.