Super shorts: The full package

The full package

Sexism? In the NFL? Never ...

TV Azteca reporter and former Miss Universe contender Ines Sainz landed at the centre of a media storm after a wee dose of harassment from New York Jets coaches and players. While Sainz waited to interview players at training, coaches had the balls thrown towards her so players could move closer. Later, in the locker room, "lewd" comments were aimed her way.

Jets owner Woody Johnson apologised and the NFL tut-tutted about equal access in the locker room for all reporters.

The memo on locker-room access didn't get through to Washington Redskins running-back Clinton Portis in time. "What kind of woman wouldn't react, given the chance to go and look at 53 men's packages?"

That old chestnut ...

Sainz finds herself at the forefront of an old debate in American sport. Pioneering female reporters in the 1970s and'80s broke new ground in gaining access to the inner sanctum of American sports journalism. It was hard work for Melissa Ludtke, of Sports Illustrated, who went to court for the right of women to report on the World Series. The NFL guaranteed equal access for all reporters in 1985.

But even supporters of equal access have trouble with Sainz: "This is a woman who went to last year's Super Bowl and had several players ... lift her on to their shoulders," points out Bob Kravitz, of the Indy Star. "This is a woman whose idea of a story is using a tape measure to measure their, um, biceps."

Hmm, measuring biceps, eh? Stanaway: fetch the toolkit!

Pseudo Togo

The world is creeping closer to illumination on the pseudo-Togo side that recently graced these pages following a farcical friendly match in Bahrain.

The country's former manager Bana Tchanile has been banned from all soccer-related activities for three years for his involvement in setting up the match. "I'm obliged to accept it in a gesture of sportsmanship," he says.

Farewell Freddie
SuperShorts was there at the Oval in 2005, but our favourite anecdote about Andrew Flintoff, who retired this week, came from Michael Vaughan on Twitter: "Fred had an unbelievable ability to put six bottles of beer in his mouth at once and down the lot. Quite remarkable."

FREE STUFF!!!

"Assume the fetal position, New Zealand," says wait-of-a-nation.com. "The agony of a World Cup is almost upon us."

Wait of a Nation are giving five lucky SuperShorts readers T-shirts featuring their prints (see left). Just email us your name and address with "Wait of a Nation" in the subject line and answer this question: "When did we win the damn thing?"

---

Good week - Romeo Beckham
At the age of 8, most kids are happy to own some Lego. Not the Beckham spawn. Romeo has launched his own fashion label. "Romeo has a real eye for fashion," says "a source". A fitting end to the garbage that is Fashion Week.

Bad week - The New York Giants
A proud full-house history goes down the gurgler. After selling out every game at Giants Stadium from its opening in 1976 to its closure in January, they couldn't get a full house for the first game at the $1.5 billion New Meadowlands Stadium.

The number - $21.3m
The amount quoted to the ECB for the cancellation of Pakistan's tour of England following the first spot-fixing allegations.