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johnnyrocket - MyTwoCents
Daily sports briefs | SA-born players dominate Wisden's 'best' list, EPL clubs face ruin - and more!
TWO SOUTH AFRICAN CRICKETERS ON THE WISDEN LIST, BUT NEITHER ARE HERE
While every South African's favourite cricketer (ahem), Ben Stokes, was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year, it was notable that two South Africans, Simon Harmer and Marnus Labuschagne, were named on the prestigious list of top 5 cricketers of the year. Ok, Marnus Labuschagne is technically Australian now so we can't really claim him as our own any more, while Simon Harmer continues to ply his trade overseas on a Kolpak deal.
MYTWOCENTS VERDICT: Graeme Smith ... let's try to get Simon back! Just kidding, we know it's not that simple ... Simon?
TYSON V A GORILLA ... A REAL ONE!
"Iron" Mike Tyson has revealed how he once tried to bribe a zookeeper R200k to let him into a cage to fight a Silverback gorilla. Apparently the gorilla had been "bullying" the other gorillas in the compound and this had rattled Tyson's cage so to speak. Tyson, in his words, wanted to "smash that silverback's snot box". He has since educated himself on animal cruelty and accepts that he was "foolish".
MYTWOCENTS VERDICT: Our money would have been on the gorilla.
PREMIER LEAGUE CLUBS FACING RUIN
The threat of an extend lockdown and potential cancellation of the rest of the season, has left many over-leveraged Premier League clubs facing possible financial ruin. Clubs like Bournemouth rely on TV money for 88% of their revenue. If the season gets cancelled, their slice of TV money will be dramatically reduced. According to reports, Premier League clubs owe a whopping £1.6bn (R35bn) in transfer fees alone. As a rule of thumb, the smaller the club's ground capacity, the more they depend on TV money as a percentage of revenue. The financial structuring and fallout is similar to the 2008/09 financial crisis when banks where considered too big to fail.
MYTWOCENTS VERDICT: The season has to be completed behind closed doors at all costs. Watch this space!
BOXING PROMOTER TAKES A JAB AT UFC BOSS
Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has slammed UFC boss Dana White for pushing on with plans to host remote UFC fights during the current coronavirus pandemic. In his opinion, White's stubbornness is in "bad taste" and that he would never consider promoting fights under these circumstances. “I’m not even thinking about options, not even on the radar," said Hearn.
MYTWOCENTS VERDICT: We can see both sides of the argument. On the one hand if fighters' safety from contagion can be secured (bearing in mind they risk getting their heads kicked in) then why not? On the other hand, we can understand the sensitivity of the issue right now.
