TELEVISION bosses are such bullies.
After they've paid their money for the broadcast rights to a particular sporting event, they proceed to have their wicked way with it and expect no questions to be asked.
Olympic athletes have had to race before breakfast, cricketers have worn colourful attire that would shame a peacock and World Cup footballers were made to mimic mad dogs and Englishmen by playing in the midday sun, all for the convenience of TV schedules and ratings.
Even more ridiculous, golfer Gary Player was requested during a Skins game to 'take that putt again, sir, the video cassette ran out' and Hong Kong Sevens organisers were asked to 'move' the pitch because the centre line was not plumb with the cameras.
But, not content with coercing sports to move the goalposts, TV companies are now trying to buy them so they can shift them at will.
Rupert Murdoch, already regarded as the patron saint of cheque-book journalism, is acting as some sort of Messiah to rugby league in Australia with his TV companies representing the promised land.