Etc...

Aw, who gives a rip?

Say this much for the officiating at the Wimbledon tennis tournament in London: It has people in stitches. And not because there's something funny about the quality in this year's edition. There was great excitement among the tournament staff because each was the recipient of a new high-fashion uniform consisting of navy blazer, lighter blue dress shirt with white collar, rep tie, and cream-colored slacks cut fashionably slim. What's more, in a break with tradition, the contract for the new duds went to an American designer, Ralph Lauren. "It fits with our image; it's timeless elegance," Wimbledon's marketing director gushed. It's also not cheap: The blazer alone cost roughly $775. What's so amusing about that, you ask? Well, about the blazer, nothing. It's those cream-colored slacks, 60 pairs of which opened at the center seam as the line judges – ah – bent to their tasks. Said one, defensively, "We're not allowed to talk about it." But another was less reluctant. "There were lots of accidents," he told reporters. "It was embarrassing." The Sun (London) printed a photo of one official holding his hand over the seat of his pants where the split had occurred. Result: The designer had to send in a tailor to double-stitch each pair, after which his spokesman proclaimed, "Everyone is happy."

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