Johnson in trouble again

[sydney-dog]

As reported, little bit disappointing considering the safety risk of harming himself and others

Johnson in trouble again
By Roger Vaughan
January 17, 2008 THE rollercoaster AFL career of Geelong star Steve Johnson has again plummeted, this time at 128km/h.

Police have impounded Johnson's car and he faces the loss of his licence for 12 months after he was clocked Wednesday night at 128km/h in a 50km/h zone.

As they did a year ago, Geelong's players will again play a major role in deciding a club penalty for the star forward. But unlike last summer, his career with the Cats is unlikely to be in jeopardy.

Teammate Shannon Byrnes was also in the car at the time of the incident, with the pair on the way to Eastern Gardens golf club in Geelong.

“We are extremely disappointed that Steve was found to have exceeded the speed limit in this manner and we are thankful that Steve, his passenger Shannon Byrnes or any other people were not injured,” Geelong chief executive Brian Cook said in a statement.

“We know the risks associated with speeding and speed is a major cause of road crashes in Victoria.

“Steve's actions were dangerous and unacceptable and could have resulted in tragic circumstances.

“Steve has worked hard over the past year to regain respect, but this is a major setback in this regard.

“In the past many of Steve's issues have been alcohol-related however that is not the case on this occasion.”

The Cats suspended Johnson for the first five games of last season for an alcohol-related incident late in 2006.

Compounding the situation, which had followed a series of off-field incidents involving Johnson, he did not tell the club for several days.

On Wednesday night, he apparently contacted Cats officials within an hour of being booked.

The club made it clear at the start of last year that Johnson was on his last chance at Geelong and he finally took the hint.

His turnaround was one of the best stories of a turbulent AFL season. Johnson did not miss a game for the rest of the year after he returned to the senior side and he gained All-Australian selection.

He capped his outstanding comeback by winning the Norm Smith Medal for best afield in Geelong's record-breaking 119-point grand final over Port Adelaide.

Until Wednesday night, Cats officials had been pleased with Johnson's preparations for the coming season.

The players will meet within a week to discuss what penalty they want for Johnson this time.

“The club will consider the possibility of further sanctions over the next week which will include discussion with the player leadership group,” the statement read.

“The club will not speculate any possible penalties until such time as the process is completed.”

While the Cats will go into the new season as favourites, this is not the first off-season issue for the club.

Last week, key forward Nathan Ablett confirmed he would take a break from the AFL for at least this season.

The incident also came a week after Collingwood announced they would forfeit their $500,000 sponsorship from the Transport Accident Commission.

The Magpies were forced to give up the sponsorship after rookie Sharrod Wellingham was booked for drink-driving.

AAP

[Mr66]

Q: Are athletes/sportspeople getting dumber?

[Hondo]

I think for some 'getting dumber' is like Jennifer Hawkins getting hotter

Be interesting to see how the leadership group deals with this ....

[Macca19]

80km over the limit is insane!!

[brod]

80km over the limit is insane!!

Following the standard set by Geelong last year..Dont do anything by halves...do it all the way

[Dutchy]

LOL in these incidents they usually mention the make of car, guessing it was a Ford it has been conveniently left of the media release!

WADH!

[grant j]

..

[Pup]

Crazy speed in a 50 zone.

Just does not learn Steve. His career will continue to have these sort of incidents scattered through it IMO.

The only positive was that he was not drinking

[mighty_tiger_79]

seriously its all part of the plan

he will miss a few weeks at the start of the year like he did last season and like last season, play all the way through and win back to back flags and norm smiths!

[Booney]

IMO,he see's himself as being excluded from behaviour standards the leadership group sets.Otherwise,why do this?

[Rik E Boy]

Ah, poor old Dog isn't the sharpest bloke going around. Did you hear any of his post match interviews after the Grand Final? The guy can barely string a sentence together. At least he wasn't on the turps.

What Johnson did was stupid no doubt, the Dog just doesn't dig playing football in April. I reckon he's earned himself a three or four week holiday.

regards,

REB

[Mr66]

grant j: Current best avatar.(Non-mammalian category).

[Fonz]

cock

[Psyber]

You don't have to be smart to be an athlete. You give any young bloke a sh1t load of money and plenty of free time combined with their "star" status and hot chicks lining up to be with them and you will get trouble. Just because they excel at sport that doesn't create someone of good moral fibre.
However look at how many athlete/sportspeople there are compared to how many get into trouble the % is low, much lower than in normal society it's just these people get their pictures in the paper on page 1 or back page instead of average joe who gets a few lines on page 28.

You will always get the idiot,no matter what career he has, will think he is bullet proof and do something that is totally stupid and he should pay the penalty.

True, in fact it probably reduces your odds of becoming a professional athlete, or staying in sport at all.

My school Cricket captain became a Professor of Mathematics, as did his cousin and vice-captain, and the Hockey captain became a Geologist/Geostatistician. Then people like Peter Oatey pack in playing for Norwood to become a Neurosurgeon!

[Strawb]

he does a top j old Stevie J he makes himself hungry and the team hungry for success by his mistakes. Remember all people make mistakes thats why they put erasers on pencils

[MatteeG]

he does a top j old Stevie J he makes himself hungry and the team hungry for success by his mistakes. Remember all people make mistakes thats why they put erasers on pencils

Crap- this bloke must have an eraser 3/4 the way down the pencil strawb. Anyone else with a previous record like him would be in a fair bit of strife for this- he'll probably get another smack on the wrist and a suspended fine or something.

Cant gloss over this cos he is a premiership hero- This is reckless behaviour, even moreso as he WASNT drinking! If this is how he thinks clearly, a dozen sherbets would actually cease brain function I reakon...

Send him to the hospital/morgue and let him see the damage car wrecks can do...

[Rik E Boy]

Yeah it would have been much less reckless if he had been drinking. Now THAT's crap*.

regards,

REB

*for the record I do not condone such stupidity, even if he is a Cat player. r

[Strawb]

he does a top j old Stevie J he makes himself hungry and the team hungry for success by his mistakes. Remember all people make mistakes thats why they put erasers on pencils

Crap- this bloke must have an eraser 3/4 the way down the pencil strawb. Anyone else with a previous record like him would be in a fair bit of strife for this- he'll probably get another smack on the wrist and a suspended fine or something.

Cant gloss over this cos he is a premiership hero- This is reckless behaviour, even moreso as he WASNT drinking! If this is how he thinks clearly, a dozen sherbets would actually cease brain function I reakon...

Send him to the hospital/morgue and let him see the damage car wrecks can do...

I got a bite. I reality I feel Geelong should SACK him the problem lies with that is Geelong cannot add another player onto the list. With losing one N. Ablett we are short one player now as Ablett remains on the list. I disagree with Steve's actions and I don't condone them.

[saintal]

what a clown

[Strawb]

Cats coy on Johnson's penalty

22Jan08

GEELONG premiership hero Steve Johnson yesterday met the Cats' football department to explain his actions over last Wednesday's speeding incident.

The club said it would publicly announce its decision on his punishment later this week.

The Norm Smith medallist was clocked at 128km/h in a 50km/h zone on his way to East Geelong golf course about 8.15pm.

President Frank Costa told the Geelong Advertiser on Sunday that Johnson would not face the sack over his latest off-field indiscretion.

``Sacking is not in the question,'' Costa said.

``It won't do the boy any good and it won't do the club any good. We have just got to make sure the punishment is right. This has hit him so hard that I would be surprised if we heard of any trouble from Steve Johnson in the future.''

It is the fourth off-field incident for the 87-game forward has since making his debut in 2002.

He was banished from the senior group last summer when he was arrested in Wangaratta for being drunk in a public place on Christmas Eve, 2006.

In November, 2005, he and Andrew Mackie were placed on a court-enforced diversion program after being arrested for being drunk in a public place three months earlier.

Two years earlier he found himself in trouble when he broke an ankle after jumping a fence at a Torquay pub.