The Bucket, when it wins (which is less often than you might think), celebrates that win with a quiet dignity: the odd handshake, a contented smile, perhaps a Cuban cigar. But now it’s thinking again. For the next big victory, do we go the Snowsill (a wildly premature celebration 10 minutes before the end of the event, including a flag round the fist and high fives), or our new favourite, the McLellan (bounce up and down squealing, followed by a frantic interview in which you say, among many funny things, “Did you see me?” No, love, we were watching CSI on the other side)? Sooner or later sinister agents and other suits will media-train our Sal into interview tedium, and she’ll talk about “team effort” and being “pretty pleased with the result”. But is that what we want? No.

Oh my God, you've got to be kidding me. Is this real? Sally McLellan, who else?

Is Lauren Jackson EVER fit? The 4m Opal has knacked an ankle again, joining Penny Taylor in the “ankle” section of the team’s injury bus. She can run, apparently, but shooting’s a bit of a problem…
Also in surgery is poor old Lleyton , whose iffy hip is going under (through? In?) the keyhole, making him miss the US Open. That World No.1 spot is looking increasingly ancient.
NRL stars Nick Youngquest and Greg Bird interrupted a peaceful Sunday afternoon drinking by having a fight with a cagefighter just out of jail. The fighter, Danyan, was described as a “nutter”. The rest of this brilliant story can be found here.