Ernesto's Protocol of the Imagination

You have to hand it to him.

The Prince of Alinghi, Ernesto Bertarelli (SUI),  is probably the best public relations diffuser on the planet.

Not only does he adeptly deflect criticism of his infamous, scorched-earth Protocol for the 33rd America's Cup with his answers in the Porto Cervo interview conducted by the Italian editors of the sailing website, Zero Gradi Nord, as reported by Valencia Sailing on Sept. 8, 2008. 

But Ernesto, amazingly, also finds a way to dispense with the original 33rd Protocol itself and put in its place a Protocol of the Imagination, where every megalomaniacal detail is suppressed and a litany of pathetically tiny adjustments, forged by stunned AC33 hopefuls, takes center stage as the defining document for a sporting event that, the Prince despairs, was wrenched from his perfectly clean, sanctified hands by the egregious and despicable desires of Larry Ellison (USA), the litigiously obsessed head of BMW Oracle.

That Ernesto is capable of such extraordinary sleight of hand -- and can achieve it with such reckless abandon in the face of truth -- would be extraordinary, if it wasn't so chilling.

"What is it with this man?" we recently asked the chief executive of a major team sponsor in America's Cup 32.

"Something in his childhood," he replied.