[Servais Knavendish]

So it's been an emotional week for the worlds sporting press snappers most recently the Aussie Skip and coach in the aftermath of the tampering scandal.  Both good men, and the sight of Smith in particular sitting with his dad was very moving; and perhaps was the start of a more rational less knee jerk re-assessment of whether the level of censure and resultant financial implications are in fact too severe - but what do I as a pomm know about the shame felt down under.

However it was the kerbside, cradled shoulder wailing of Viviani at GW last Sunday that most stood out for me.  Sure he was gutted that in his mind he was blocked from chasing down Sag's; and that anger was natural and tangible as he thumped his handlebars; but the aftermath of solo inconsolable tears was for me less easy to appreciate.  It wasn't a monument, a gt stage, the worlds, so why so public an outpouring of saline?

I rationalised this as the eons old Northern~Southern European divide in emotional cultural norms; and I firmly believe that a good cry is a great pressure relief valve, and don't get me started on multiple blurry eyed viewings of say just for example Field of Dreams; but was Viviani's outpouring at the extreme end of the scale of dissapointment vs the real importance of the event?

[AG]

well - Vivianni was clearly absolutely devastated.  He had set himself for that race and was gutted that they did so much for him and he couldnt pull it off.  It shows just how much these guys out into this.

A bit like GVA and all those seconds - he was just gutted.

Smith and Bancroft ... guilt and remorse (more for getting caught and the consequences than remorse for what they did), but emotional all the same

Warner today - just followed the script.  comes off as a staged ... "it worked for Smith, so I will eke out a few tears"

[Ram]

Don't have much sympathy for those who lost at sporting events, tbh, unless under exceptional circumstances. Yes, it's a huge miss, but that's part of sport/life. Remember having a right laugh when Murray and Federer broke down on losing major championship finals.

Smith/Warner was a shame, because the players have been hung out to dry to save cricket Australia's face and money.

THat said, the irony of Lehmann going home crying after asking for Broad to be sent home crying was worthy of a snigger. This is really a manifestation of the macho culture that was brought in by Chappell way back in the 70s. Steve Waugh, high and mighty on his perch today, but happily cheated in his time by claiming obviously dropped catches. Is that better? Equally, I don't feel too sorry for any of them. Australia, as a team, have generally been unsavoury since.

[Caruut]

I can't quite remember where (maybe CN?), but I read a short interview with Viviani about it. He said when he gets outsprinted he's okay, but when the situation gets the better of him like that he's just overwhelmed in the moment, but completely fine just minutes later. Like he's not inconsolable on the team bus, or losing sleep, just very emotional right in the moment. Also, he had a fairly disappointing spring to be fair, so I guess the pressure is on a little bit as a sprinter when practically everyone else on the team is bagging wins.

With all these (coming after losses, not the presser ones) I can't help think that the tiredness, exhaustion and general stress of being in the public eye so much during the week or so before must play a part.

[L'arri]

Viviani put an enormous amount of pressure on himself to deliver a quality win and he came so close. Folks in Flanders might start calling him "Den Blijter" now.