Send in the Clowns

So the Cup Circus moves to Malmo, Sweden next week for "Acts" 6 and 7. What's with the "Act" thing anyway? "Regatta" always worked for us.

Maybe "Act" is the right word given ACM's penchant for making the once dignified and classy event look cheap - the latest example of which is their new AC 32 logotype. We hear the teams, and their sponsors, are universally appalled. "ACM graffiti" they call it.

Last week we revealed that South Africa's Shosholoza will use Cup veteran and match racing champion Chris "The Claw" Law to drive RSA 83 in Malmo. Turns out he will only be starting helmsman, but SA predicts that once his paws are on the wheel they will be hard to remove. Look for The Outlaw to be more than starting helmsman before the curtain falls on the next Act. Unless John Sweeney has other ideas.

Huh? Sweeney?

SA has learned that the Bay Area's Ebay sponsorship schemer - give him at least an "E" for effort - has signed on with Shosholoza as "Sporting Director". Somehow Shosholoza has the idea that Sweeney held the same position with America True in 2000 and Oracle last time. That ought to get more than a good laugh out of Dawn Riley and Chris Dickson.

SA likes Shosholoza - who wouldn't. We hope they improve and do well. Kudos having the balls to launch the challenge and bringing Africa into the Cup for the first time.

But Chris Law and John Sweeney? With all the AC former AC talent still on the sidelines, can't they do better than that? Cripe sakes, in a pinch there's always Peter Gilmour.

When you think about it maybe words like "circus" and "act" are not that far off. Send in the clowns!

8/22/05