As if proof were needed that Manny Pacquiao is an unusual kind of sports star, here is how he spent last Saturday night in the Philippines. He had been attending a local town’s tourism council in Malungon when he heard that in another town, Maasim, two bombs had gone off. Pacquiao immediately headed for Maasim and its St Elizabeth Hospital, where the 32 wounded were being treated. He also gave a financial donation.

Given that rebel militias and government troops historically lay down arms when Pacquiao is boxing, he brings considerable sway, plus the official title of Ambassador for Peace and Understanding. And, given that Pacquiao is standing in next year’s elections, he has been criticised for making political gain from acts of terrorism. Yet it would seem political opponents may find him as hard to stop as those he faces in the ring.

Daly really is a car crash waiting to happen

The idea that John Daly’s life is a car crash waiting to happen was fulfilled to the letter last week when he drove into a tunnel that was too low for his RV. “The sign said ‘No trucks, cargo or hazardous material in the right lane’,” the American golfer said. “I’m reading the sign and don’t see the [clearance] footage. I’m [thinking] I’ve got to go to the left lane and before I know it, the roof is torn out.”

The reason for the trip? Daly was en route to Florida with his daughter, who was to receive the same lap-band surgery that helped him to lose 60lb. His daughter was unlucky to miss her appointment; Daly says that he has never hit a tunnel before.

Theft of Armstrong’s bike was bound to end in tears

One of the less intelligent crimes against sport was the theft in February of Lance Armstrong’s time-trial bike. Given that the bike is personalised, that Armstrong is kind of famous and that the American put up picture links of the bike on his Twitter site, the sell-on process would have been tricky.

Sure enough, on Monday, a 40-year-old from Sacramento, California, is to be handed a prison sentence of an expected three years, which reflects a certain amount of previous and multiple jail stints. But only by pinching from Armstrong has he achieved notoriety as well as a return to the clink.

Read the next instalment online on Tuesday