Outside Edge

Sad news for American football fans who also enjoy looking at ladies in underwear; for the second year running, the Lingerie Bowl has been cancelled. This pay-per-view alternative to tonight's official Super Bowl half-time show featured models in minimalist outfits grappling away at gridiron, but problems with venues and sponsors led to its demise. Maybe the organisers could adapt the concept to liven up half-time at the FA Cup; a WAG Cup final perhaps, featuring two teams' partners in outfits designed by Agent Provocateur. Players with particularly energetic love lives could be allowed up to three subs. The referee? It has to be Sven, as long as he promises not to cop off with any of the players.

7

Number of 2012 Olympics Delivery Authority staff earning more than £200,000 a year, led by David Higgins, the chief executive, on £372,600. Gordon Brown's salary as Prime Minister is £188,848, but then he's only got the country to run.

Rising star of the week

He's not quite ready for the Super Bowl, but don't bet against young Michael Thatcher, son of Sir Mark, in the future. The Iron Lady's grandson is a high school gridiron star in Texas, where he lives with his mother, his skills as a running back helping to take his team to the state final this season. (Dad couldn't be there; after that coup business in Africa, he can't seem to get a US visa.) Please try to avoid weak jokes along the lines of "We are a footballer" or "The laddie's not for turning"; they're just not funny.

Good week for

Dario Franchitti, Scottish driver, completed clean sweep of major US motor races by winning the 24 Hours of Daytona... Novak Djokovic, became first Serb to win a tennis Grand Slam by taking Australian Open... Ben Ainslie, British Olympian, won fifth Finn sailing World Championship... and Frenchman Sébastien Loeb, won record fifth Monte Carlo Rally.

Bad week for

Joachim Johansson, Swedish former tennis world No 9, forced to retire at 25 due to a shoulder injury... Ski Sunday, whose new 'Top Gear'-style format has lost 500,000 viewers... Chris Paterson, dropped by Scotland despite a 100 per cent kicking record in the last Rugby World Cup... and Burton Copeland, law firm dropped by Joey Barton despite negotiating the Newcastle United player's release on bail after a New Year's Eve fracas.

Website of the week

Rafa benitez's rotational tendencies may exasperate his players, but for the rest of us there's a certain amusement to be had trying to guess whichLiverpool XI will line up for each game. Now you can sign up to fantasyrafa.com and pit your wits against other pin-stickers. But beware, it ain't easy; of the 1,642 subscribers who attempted to guess the line-up against Havant eight days ago, precisely zero got it right. So far, out of 74,214 predictions, a mere 1,941 have been correct. A certain Patrik Berger is doing suspiciously well on the leaderboard, though; is he getting a steer from old mates at Anfield?

s.redfern@independent.co.uk