Perhaps he was only trying to keep some scraps of control in a humbling situation, but imagine the withering scorn that Mr. Wallace would direct at any executive who withheld a newsworthy item for such a reason.

"It's been a humbling situation," said Edward M. Zifkin, a broker and developer based here.

A pleasantly ironic man of 41, with curly brown hair and a mustache to match, Mr. Figgis is not only someone who can see the humor in the most humbling situations, he is also, more to the point for a director, unfazed by them.

"It is a very humbling situation, and it is a very embarrassing situation," O'Neal said.

This is the kind of humbling situation that Neymar will never pass through in Chelsea, but its NORMAL for any player in Brazil playing at the same club for more than 2 years.