Capital Times, What's on in Wellington

winesale.co.nz

6 February 2012

Sports sex scandal

9/12/2009 11:10:00 a.m.

I laughed my head off on Saturday when I read that one of Labour’s seatwarmers wrote on a blog:
“2010 is the year of the Tiger.  It is a sign of courage and a fearless and fiery fighter.  I bet that means us.”
She obviously hadn’t kept up with the news about Tigers last week.  What do seals, and Tiger Woods, have in common? They both get clubbed by Scandinavians.
It got so bad that my son said to me “Daddy, they said on the news Tiger’s doing well after a car crash......but are Pooh Bear, Eeyore and Piglet OK?”
OK, enough of the much-raked over coals of another top sportsman’s dalliances.  I’ve often thought one would have to be completely stupid to try and have an affair when one has a profile higher than that of Jesus.
It seems that no matter how discreet, there’s always a human desire to let the cat out of the bag.
I recall a conversation between a flatmate and one of her friends many years ago:  
“How was your night?”
“Gooooooooodddd…” (drawn out vowels are apparently a dead giveaway)
“What do you mean?  What happened?”
“You won’t believe who I scored last night…” and on it went for some time.  I was amazed, not because the sportsman in question was a serial shagger, but because he picked this particular person.  Still, there’s a Jack for every Jill…or he was really drunk…anyway, she couldn’t wait for him to leave so she could tell the whole world.
It’s not just sportsmen, either.  I was coming home from an early morning run once when a well-known sportswoman was leaving the flat next door.  The lads who lived there couldn’t wait to come over and tell us about their visitor.  Once again, the vicarious nature of the event made for human interest, but I couldn’t quite get my head around the why.
Why, other than the good old animal desire for copulation (particularly after donning the beer goggles – proven through academic research) would a top sportsperson risk their reputation and in Tiger’s case, his marriage?
Sex and sport is a subject that has troubled the minds of many a researcher.  Ten years ago, researchers in Italy (the home of l’amore, if the myths are to be believed) found that sex makes men more aggressive, improving their performance on the sportsfield.
The quote from the researchers that made me laugh out loud was “If a man has sexual intercourse, testosterone causes him to desire the next sexual intercourse.”
That could explain why so many footballers go through patches without scoring (on the field).  They’re thinking about where their next conquest is going to come from.  
This could have great possibilities for the Phoenix.  All they need to do is load up the seats behind their goal with attractive women (and/or men, depending on who they are playing) and watch the testosterone-fuelled opposition strikers suddenly go all weak at the knees.
At the other end of the scale, GQ magazine found 20% of American blokes turned down the offer of sex to watch sports on TV.  While we have known for some time that Americans are odd, did they not realize that if they mute the sound, they can be like Australians and do both at the same time?
It has been noted, however, that out of the latest sex scandal to hit sports, the biggest worry lies with Gillette.  After Thierry Henry’s cheating for France against Ireland, and Woods’ car crash and sex drama, what’s Roger Federer going to come up with?  Machine-gunning a kindergarten?

Cover Story

Best of Wellington 2011

Fringe Festival

Briefs

  • Plane direction

    A new training academy will open in June to help fill a shortage of qualified air traffic controllers in the Middle East and Asia. Global-ATS, a privately owned UK-based academy, will operate from the Wellington School of Business and Government campus. The academy will open with three staff, up to 10 air traffic control students and 70 associated safety management course participants.

  • Here comes the sun

    WELLINGTON city council is one of several New Zealand councils signing up for Solar Promise, a campaign launched last July by the Nelson Environment Centre. The scheme aims to take away barriers to using solar energy and make the technology more affordable. City Council is working with the Regional Council to develop a targeted rate for solar hot water systems, as well as setting up an online map to indicate levels of solar radiation across the city.

  • Parsons stays put

    JULIAN Parsons says his bookstore Parsons Books and Music isn’t going anywhere, despite news that brother Roger’s Auckland Parsons store is closing its doors. Parsons opened in 1958 on Lambton Quay and is still on the same site today.

  • Bikes allowed

    Bikes will soon be allowed on trains on the Johnsonville line at all times following a review by the Greater Wellington Regional Council. Councillor Daran Ponter says that the introduction of the new Matangi units on the line, scheduled for mid-March 2012, means that there will be greater capacity than currently provided by the English Electric units.

  • Carter clean and green

    TEAM members at Carter Observatory have been recognised as keen greenies. Carter has won a Qualmark Enviro-Bronze Award for high standards in environmental practices including energy efficiency, waste management and water conservation. More than 700 businesses carry the Enviro Award mark.

  • Bowling for a market

    MORE than 25 stalls will be waiting behind the fence at the 100 year old Hataitai Bowling Club at the suburb’s Community Market on Saturday. The stalls include sweet treats, produce, books and vintage clothing. The market runs the first Saturday of each month.
    Hataitai Community Market, Bowling Club, 9am-1pm, February 4.

  • Iconic tour

    THE second largest wooden building in the world graces Lambton Quay near the Cenotaph and it’s now open on Saturdays for free tours. The colonial-style Government Building features a Kauri-clad interior and cast iron fireplaces.
    Government Building Open Day tours, 11am and 2pm, Saturdays, until March 31.

  • Get arty

    FOR those who would like to progress from finger-painting, artist Stephanie Woodman is running classes to teach drawing and painting in a range of styles and mediums. Sessions include acrylic painting techniques, glazing, watercolour and abstract, and there are special classes for teenagers and kids.
    Stephanie Woodman art classes, Toi Poneke, Feb 7 – April 5.

  • Wheels are turning

    WELLINGTON Regional Council’s Daran Ponter and Paul Bruce are to present the Bus Review, a proposal for a major shakeup of bus services in the city. It’s also a chance for the public to discuss their ideas and issues.
    Bus Review, Crossways Community Centre, 7.30pm, February 7.

  • Violinist awarded

    CONGRATULATIONS to violinist Minsi Yang, recently awarded The Elman Poole Music scholarship.
    The scholarship is an annual award for up and coming New Zealand instrumentalists to train with the London orchestra, Southbank Sinfonia.
    Yang gained her music degree from Victoria University, before heading to Auckland to study for her Masters degree.

  • Leap into song

    LOCAL songwriters will this month participate in February Album Writing Month, an international songwriting event that usually challenges participants to write a song every two days for the whole month. But it’s a leap year this year, so songwriters have to write 14 and a half songs in 29 days, the ‘half song’ being a collaboration with another writer. At least 12 Wellington songwriters have signed up to take part. ‘Fawmers’ will post audio recordings of their songs on http://fawm.org

  • Coastal tunes

    THE Tora Coast in the Wairarapa will this Waitangi weekend host a music festival celebrating good food and good sounds. TORA!TORA!TORA! features Imon Starr aka Olmecha the Relic, Jon McLeary and The Spines, Louis Baker, Vanessa Stacey and Conor McCabe. This is the third time the festival will take place.

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