The Times notes that they're trying to turn things around they've just brought back Hiroshi Ota, aka the man who helped dream up the first cameraphone but in the meantime they've let archrivals KDDI and DoCoMo get a serious leg up on them.

ENGADGET: Vodafone stumbles in Japan

As he watches Orlando superstar Dwight Howard ultimately lead the Magic to a comeback win by torching the Warriors for 45 points and 23 rebounds tying an NBA record of 39 free throw attempts in the process Lacob could only dream of luring the dominant big man to the Bay Area.

FORBES: NBA: Why The Warriors Are The Best Deal In Basketball

But his mother once returned to him in a dream, telling her small son that even he would master a white man's tool, the guitar.

ECONOMIST: Papa Wendo

But without star quality even the most efficient of teams cannot dream of glory, and for the Kiwis it comes largely in the shape of one man: Shane Edward Bond.

BBC: Bond in the swing for Kiwis