A reporter who shall remain named took a phone call this week after writing a column on Rene Ranger being one of only a few who have turned down an All Black jersey.
Caller: "Is that Patrick McKendry?"
McKendry: "Yes it is."
Caller: "I've got two words for you: Greg Denholm."
(pause)
Caller: "Heard of him?"
McKendry: "Yeah, I have actually."
Caller: "Turned down the All Blacks twice."
McKendry: "That's right. My column was never intended to be definitive."
Caller: "You're starting to sound like Fonterra..."
Touche.
Big Dan's lasting impression
Tuesday marks nine years to the day that Daniel Carter hovered over Christchurch commuters in his undies, we are reminded in Rosemary Hepozden's The Daily Male. The 16m billboard, on the corner of Durham and Kilmore Sts, confirmed that Carter is not only a fine footy player, but a bona fide sex symbol as well.
Sign of the times
How times change. How they stay the same.
Having stumbled across a hard cover copy of 21 Years of Rugby News, eyes were drawn in the year 1982 to a spread that included Erica Roe's Twickenham intervention (Google it... but maybe not at work), and a story headlined "All Blacks denied 'exclusive rights"'.
The story dealt with a move by the NZRFU national council to have the black jersey with the silver fern reserved exclusively for the All Blacks.
The motion, promoted by Tom Johnson, was voted down after an impassioned speech from Wanganui councillor Paul Mitchell.
"If soccer wants to wear white jerseys, okay. If the Commonwealth Games Association wants to change its emblem, let them do so.
"And if a bolder lettering is required to distinguish out Maori, Junior and Colts teams, let that be done.
"But let us retain the colours of the national team for all our sides.
"I have been associated with the Colts and there is an amazing degree of pride associated with pulling on the New Zealand jersey."
Brings a tear to the eye, but you do have to wonder what Johnson would make of this AIG mularkey?
Tear-jerking ... and true
Talking of tears to the eye, we know Americans do mawkish sentimentality better than most - but go to YouTube and watch the video of a wheelchair-bound 8-year-old named Jack who got to be Carolina Panthers head coach for a day this week and try to feel nothing... just try.
Usyk won the fight by unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring it 116-112.