You have to admire how, in the absence of any games being played, the NRL has stepped up, taken the bit between its teeth and decided that, with such a void to be filled, the logical and necessary step is for the organisation itself to provide the entertainment.
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It really is a circus - a weird type of modern circus that nobody actually attends but that is still capable of such astonishing feats that we can't help but be endlessly talking and reading about them, mesmerised. In many ways the game itself has become the least interesting part.
Now they're suggesting, at least semi-seriously as far as I can tell, flying everybody to an island - probably a Queensland resort type of affair - testing everybody for the virus, and promptly getting the comp back underway.
The strangest part is that this may not be as utterly bonkers as it sounds.
The players are on such huge money that giving up the small stuff - like family, friends and a life - would more than likely be seen as a fair price to pay in order to hang on to the bucks.
The broadcasters are so starved of content that they'd almost certainly give the thumbs up because, for them, the sky has fallen in and hell has frozen over: People are cancelling their TV subscriptions.
And the public would definitely go for it. They have, after all, for years now, convincingly demonstrated their willingness to watch soulless games played in empty stadiums on the box.
In the meantime, given the more likely scenario that the season is kaput, the players have agreed to a 46 per cent pay cut, which is gracious of them. Interestingly the executives settled on only a 25 per cent cut for themselves.
On the surface this doesn't seem very fair, until you consider that, with no actual competition to run, the administration is more than likely working harder than ever at keeping this non-show on the road, with, as noted above, considerable efforts going into their entertainment division.
The latest is V'landys saying there'll be no cuts to player salaries for the 2021 season; that instead he aims to trim the organisational expenses (such as executive wages?). So, a complete reversal on the current status quo where the players are predominantly paying.
Greenberg, under heavy pressure from the public and the players, (and presumably having missed the memo about administrative austerity measures not kicking in until next year) has had to take his 25 per cent pay cut and pretty much double it, bringing his percentage into line with the players.
The right and left hand of the NRL appear to be operating with worrying independence - not an ideal situation with so much juggling required...
Confusing week for golfers
It's been a confusing week for golfers. Under the new social movement restrictions golf has gone from allowed to outlawed and then back to allowed again.
At one awful point I read an announcement that used the words "golf" and "non-essential" in the same sentence. Heresy.
Thankfully good sense has prevailed and we are currently allowed on the course for the essential "purpose of exercise," as long as we follow the social distancing orders.
Groups of two only, one person per cart.
This development will definitely save marriages.
The momentary ban did get me thinking though. What competitive sport can you play in isolation against others similarly confined?
I came up with only one real contender: Darts.
With our current technologies it's nothing to point a camera at your board in the shed, to pull up somebody else's similar set-up on your screen of choice, and a perfectly civilised game of darts may ensue.
There are very, very few sports of which this is possible. It really does have all the elements: It's a game of enormous skill; it'll get you out of your armchair and moving about (it's likely an exaggeration to call it "exercise," but still...) and in these difficult, stressful, most trying of times it is a sport that can be played with a performance enhancing drink of your choice in your non-throwing hand (known as a "counter-balance...") .One hundred and eighty!!!