The combination of sport and politics can be a lethal cocktail or at least a cock-up tale. One of our abiding myths is that Harold Wilson won the 1966 general election on the back of England's 1966 World Cup win. A chronological impossibility since Wilson won in March and England in July. Wilson may have inspired Alf Ramsay's boys but I doubt it.
Do you remember the cricket team that were shot out by a chicken farmer in Zimbabwe just six months ago? They are now being lauded as the Aussie tamers. In the grim midwinter the underperforming sporting sides added to the underachieving Major Government; now The Sun trumpets British success at football, rugby and cricket! It reminds me of the Scottish press in the run-up to the 1974 World Cup. Their enthusiasm was described as "premature Jock elation" but they all finished with egg on their faces.
It has been suggested to me that this short-lived sporting success is Tony Blair's repayment for The Sun's election endorsement. Now that the English boys are worth watching Old Rupe can bring in Pay Per View!
I was nearly (I said nearly) tempted to get up at 5 am to watch my home town Rugby League team, Salford, play in Adelaide in the World Club Championship. This is a competition so bizarre it's sure to be a collector's item. It consists of shuttling 22 teams between Europe and Australasia in a frantic three week period. It expects to lose £2 million, but as it underwritten by Mr Murdoch, and sponsored by Visa, who cares?
Getting back to Pay Per View, it's curious that the only sport (at least in the UK) where it has been tried is boxing - which is also the only sport where the action can be over in 10 seconds (and with Prince Hamed it usually is). Still, that leaves more time for the adverts. I think even Rupert Murdoch would fail if he tried to sell the Pilkington Cup Final as PPV, judging by the last two. Rupert might even have to pay people to watch it. Enjoy the feel good factor while you can. It won't last.