No Clowning Around

Kevin Pietersen has issued a warning to his fellow teammates that there should be no clowning around after the Twenty20 Match a week from Saturday. Pietersen stated: "I respect everything that's happening in the world at the moment," Pietersen said today. "I've got friends who are struggling, people who have lost their jobs and stuff, and there's no way I want anyone to carry on like a clown, win or lose next week, because there's a lot more things happening in the world which we need to respect.

I'm very impressed with him for this. I think that the fact that he is thinking of others and making sure the team doesn't rub it in other's faces is a wonderful thing-rather surprising actually.

I am impresssed too, but I am wondering how realistic a request this is. Coming from a guy who I consider to be a "Mr. Bling", I am not sure what to read into this sudden soberness.

Yeah, it almost seems like a bit of a micky take honestly. He is rolling in it, so perhaps his new restraint is called for-necessary.

Let's give the guy the benefit of the doubt and assume his reasons are just because he empathizes with those who are having difficulties. He wasn't always where he's at now financially and I'm sure this crisis is affecting those he knows as well.

Exactly how is he going to reinforce this new 'rule'? While I can see definitely see where he is coming from, I think it's silly telling grown men how to behave with their money.

Yeah, its pretty much just pipe talk. He can ask for anything he wants but the team members are adults and there are no written team rules about this. So its just not enforceable.

So by telling his teammates not to clown around was he telling them they should not celebrate a victory or rally themselves after defeat? Does he want them to maintain a sober "dignified" attitude? I'm not sure I agree with this. Let the players and the fans have something to celebrate.

I think he just doesn't want them to wave the money around too much-not to be too flash and not show off generally. To carry themselves with dignity would be a good thing to say.