handbags

Gennaro Gattuso, an Italian footballer, headbutted Joe Jordan, an English coach. Guardian Sport reports:

Gattuso's agent alleged on an Italian radio station yesterday that his client had been called a "fucking Italian bastard" by Jordan. Claudio Pasqualin said: "For someone like Rino, who has a strong sense of belonging to Italy, I think this is the most cowardly and unspeakable of insults."

Really? I'm not saying it's a nice thing to say, but this is:

A) (Uninteresting) mealy-mouthed
B) (Interesting) more evidence that footballers and other sportsmen, living in a (sort-of) extra-legal bubble, have retreated into a crazy and touchy code of 'honour', as per mediaeval knights. I haven't got time to expound on this, but you know in your heart that I'm onto something. Maybe lots of other people are onto it. They usually are. I just don't know who they are