Seemingly lost in the media feeding frenzy accompanying accusations of One World rule violations is Oracle, the really Big-Buck American challenge whose boss publicly stated his belief that spying was his patriotic duty. Unlike the less experienced challenge from the Northwest, Ellison effort relies on the wiles of sophisticated shit-stirrers and rules evasion experts like former US Sailing boss Tom Ehman and America's Cup perennial loser Bruce ("it wasn't my fault") Farr. With an incredibly well compensated brain trust like Oracle should invulnerable to rules challenges, right? Wrong!

Those who have worked for Ellison describe him as just what he seems, a really rich guy who acts like a really rich guy and doesn't give a shit about rules or what anyone thinks about his behavior, kind of like the Colombian "rico" that someone mistakenly invited to a formal Hamptons dinner party. Add to the mix self-important yahoos who have convinced the emperor to put them in charge and the result is a veritable rules violation orgy.

My prediction: based on indisputable evidence, Farr will be accused of violation of the AC Protocol due to his use of designs and other technology from other America's Cup efforts including, particularly, that developed and used to design Young America's AC-30 yachts. Oracle's rules dream team will try to justify Farr's acquisition from John Marshall of YA's baseline tank test model in November 2000 and its subsequent use by Oracle at the U.S. Navy's Annapolis test tank the following January, with cockamamie arguments accompanied by a less-than-veiled threats to sue anyone with the audacity to pursue "sugar daddy's" rule violation.

And that will be the end of it. I don't see Larry Ellison as a Sid Fisher type who while, irreverent and irascible, still understood the simple fact that the America's Cup was more important than himself. Ellison, like Bill Koch, will be remembered as no more than a bit player in a drama that has endured similarly nouveau rich pretenders while preserving, honoring and remembering those who, without cheating, have proved themselves worthy of respect.

04/18/2002