Time to lower our expectations?

[Booney]

In light of the recently well documented poor behaviour off field from not only AFL but also NRL players,I offer this.

Is it time the general public lowered our expectations of the players,and the behaviour we should expect from them?

After all,they are only footballers,not all of them posses great intellectual skills.Given they are a cross section of races and all males in the 18-30 year old category,do we expect too much?

I for one never find myself surprised,or for that matter dissapointed at the headlines we all read,no different to the rest of society,some good eggs,some stinkers.

[Aerie]

I for one never find myself surprised,or for that matter dissapointed at the headlines we all read,no different to the rest of society,some good eggs,some stinkers.

Yeah, me too. Doesn't really bother me except if it was a member of my team and it was effecting performance on the field, I'd probably be pretty pi**ed off. If I was a Freo supporter you'd be wondering why you're bothering with them.

[JK]

I for one never find myself surprised,or for that matter dissapointed at the headlines we all read,no different to the rest of society,some good eggs,some stinkers.

Yah, but thats coz you barrack for Port mate

Seriously, think there is plenty of sense to what you're saying, however rightly or wrongly, these guys will bring negative publicity to the company they represent, anytime they are involved in something like this.

I think the time has come whereby the players need to have private places setup for themselves to enjoy their downtime, any undesirable activity that then occurs can hopefully remain inhouse.

[Benchwarmer]

We all know that increased professionalism has caused this problem.

Before the advent of professionalism around the 1990s, players had to work full-time so they all went to uni or got into trades so that they were educated in the ways of the working world.

Now they enter the system as 17 or 18 year olds and don't go to uni, are far from wise as to society's ideals and standards and as a result we have the perception of "dumb footballers" in all the major football codes.

They have too much time on their hands, some blow their inflated salaries on gambling, booze, etc. and when their careers are over they have trouble "assimilating" back into the mainstream.

Do you blame the players or the system ... personally, I think that the system hasn't been tough enough because they don't ensure that their sport's ambassadors complete their studies or at least learn a trade so that they may have it as a fallback if their careers don't last long.

Too many hope to get a undeserved cushy job in the media ... and bore us senseless with their uneducated warblings!

[Booney]

We all know that increased professionalism has caused this problem.

Before the advent of professionalism around the 1990s, players had to work full-time so they all went to uni or got into trades so that they were educated in the ways of the working world.

Now they enter the system as 17 or 18 year olds and don't go to uni, are far from wise as to society's ideals and standards and as a result we have the perception of "dumb footballers" in all the major football codes.

They have too much time on their hands, some blow their inflated salaries on gambling, booze, etc. and when their careers are over they have trouble "assimilating" back into the mainstream.

Do you blame the players or the system ... personally, I think that the system hasn't been tough enough because they don't ensure that their sport's ambassadors complete their studies or at least learn a trade so that they may have it as a fallback if their careers don't last long.

Too many hope to get a undeserved cushy job in the media ... and bore us senseless with their uneducated warblings!

Good post.I think the Players Assosciation have in recent years been more active in ensuring the younger players develop off field skills whilst they are still learning the on field trade.

This also reflects badly on the 'system' as the AFLPA are looking after thier own,the AFL having little (publicised anyway) impact.

[heater31]

Good post.I think the Players Assosciation have in recent years been more active in ensuring the younger players develop off field skills whilst they are still learning the on field trade.

This also reflects badly on the 'system' as the AFLPA are looking after thier own,the AFL having little (publicised anyway) impact.

You are right boon, I often see Jono Giles wandering around at uni after looking at him and thinking where have I seen this bloke before. Have spotted Wilson occasionally also

[Sojourner]

I agree with the statement that being an AFL player does not give that player a moral obligation to act in a certain way. People are people and are going to act how they feel approppriate as anyone else does. There should be no requirement if you like for AFL players to be "Role Models" unless they wish to do so.

That said however I feel that the same applies in situations where an AFL player is brought before the courts on an assualt charge, they should recieve no special treatment and be treated just the same as anyone else. If Krakour from Richmond if found guilty of the current assult charge in Perth then he should get jail time within the season just like anyone else would. No bleating about it.

[Benchwarmer]

Exactly.
If we cop it, they have to, too.
No celebrity factor should be allowed to reduce their culpability.

[am Bays]

When i first saw this thread, I thought it was a Port supporter admitting it is time to lower his expectation on where Port is going to finish...

[Mr66]

When i first saw this thread, I thought it was a Port supporter admitting it is time to lower his expectation on where Port is going to finish...

LOL. What makes it doubly funny is that it applies to SANFL & AFL.
Benchy's post was spot on.
We are copying the US recruiting system and just have a look at the
immature drop-kicks they are turning out, eg. Terrell Owens,Randy Moss,Ron Artest etc...

[Psyber]

Perhaps the coaches should spank them for minor transgressions as Rookies as part of basic training - obviously no one taught them any discipline when they were younger, and they never incorporated any external discipline to learn self -discipline.

I saw an 8-year old punching packets of crumpets in a supermarket the other day while his mother calmly ignored it - another Taz in the making!

[Hondo]

When i first saw this thread, I thought it was a Port supporter admitting it is time to lower his expectation on where Port is going to finish...

LOL. What makes it doubly funny is that it applies to SANFL & AFL.
Benchy's post was spot on.
We are copying the US recruiting system and just have a look at the
immature drop-kicks they are turning out, eg. Terrell Owens,Randy Moss,Ron Artest etc...

I'd suggest it's not the recruiting system causing their issues over there, rather a societal issue. I follow NFL too and the regularity of players being arrested or banned for drug abuse, fire-arms offences, assault, etc would make us AFL supporters die with our legs in the air.

Tarrant punching someone once being one of 5 off-field issues this seasons makes AFL players look like Mormans compared to NFL guys

[JK]

We all know that increased professionalism has caused this problem.

Before the advent of professionalism around the 1990s, players had to work full-time so they all went to uni or got into trades so that they were educated in the ways of the working world.

Now they enter the system as 17 or 18 year olds and don't go to uni, are far from wise as to society's ideals and standards and as a result we have the perception of "dumb footballers" in all the major football codes.

They have too much time on their hands, some blow their inflated salaries on gambling, booze, etc. and when their careers are over they have trouble "assimilating" back into the mainstream.

Do you blame the players or the system ... personally, I think that the system hasn't been tough enough because they don't ensure that their sport's ambassadors complete their studies or at least learn a trade so that they may have it as a fallback if their careers don't last long.

Too many hope to get a undeserved cushy job in the media ... and bore us senseless with their uneducated warblings!

Good post ... I'd say the media fascination is the biggest difference between the professional and non-professional days ... The players are certainly better behaved now than they were then, but any misdemeanour now receives public airplay.

[Benchwarmer]

Maybe the AFL could revisit the recruiting strategies of the 60s, 70s and 80s ... the players recruited were in their early 20s with a couple of seasons of quality football behind them either in the WAFL, SANFL or VFA. Rarely did we hear of player misconduct - maybe it was better hidden or else they were better behaved.

There have been recent occasions where this has occurred with younger recruits (Cooney and Gibbs without having to stir the grey matter too hard) and maybe the draft age should be risen by a year or two in order for the players to mature mentally as well as physically.

The quality of recruits is worse than in past generations because the recruiters are drafting athletes and teaching them footy (a huge bugbear with me) instead of getting footballers and teaching them to run. How many decent SANFL or VFL footballers from the 70s or 80s would not get a game now because of a lack of altheticism - Greg Williams was punted by Carlton twice in the early 80s before he was picked up by Geelong only because they saw his skills over his lack of speed.

Maybe players shouldn't be recruited directly via the TAC Cup in Victoria - some of the better recruits seem to have come out of "mens" footy and benefitted from playing against older and more experienced players. To be an out and out shining star in the TAC Cup doesn't prepare you for a long and illustrious career in the AFL. A number of Morrish Medalists have NOT EVEN BEEN DRAFTED!

[Booney]

Part of the media fascination CP is the days of getting a punch in the nose from a punter at a pub and both walking away has turned into David hookes style incidents,shootings and having the life kicked out of you by a group of strangers.In years gone by it was a smack in the mouth and off you go,imagine how many times this happened during the 60/70/80's?

Now things are different.

This goes for all of us,and I think the media love to jump on these incidents.Of course,it also concerns the clubs who pay big $ to their stars,they want the players to avoid the possibility of this happening to them.

[doggies4eva]

Interesting topic. Just because a bloke has a job as a footy player he is then supposed to be a role model. Why? Are we the public so stupid that if high profile players act stupidly in public we will all follow suit?

I guess it comes down to the pressure that sponsors put on clubs when they sign up for the big dollars. They are paying for image not on-field performance.

[Psyber]

Interesting topic. Just because a bloke has a job as a footy player he is then supposed to be a role model. Why? Are we the public so stupid that if high profile players act stupidly in public we will all follow suit?

I guess it comes down to the pressure that sponsors put on clubs when they sign up for the big dollars. They are paying for image not on-field performance.

Yes, the general public is that stupid. There are a lot more Taz and Benny clones out there in the general public. The issue is that kids who grow up seeing this behaviour in front of them all the time accept it as normal without necessarily being stupid.

The problem is that these guys are plastered all over TV and other media, they get lots of attention and recognition, and they are very highly paid. To a kid that spells "SUCCESS". And if there is not countering propaganda from the parents - who are not always there - or obvious and immediate [and more than token] consequences of their delinquent behaviour, the kids grow up seeing it as acceptable or normal behaviour and copy it, and over time it becomes normal behaviour in society.

Anyone in the public eye who attracts media attention is a role model whether they ought to be or not, and if we don't want them to be the model kids copy we have to do something about it. Otherwise all your daughters could copy Paris Hilton, and all your sons Taz and his mates. What they see all the time outweighs what you tell them, especially when they hit the teens and parents are automatically wrong until proven otherwise.

[Magpiespower]

The ongoing Sonny Bill soapie is a joke.

He took a slash in the street - who hasn't?

He had a crack at a skank glamour in a pub toilet - who wouldnt?

Nothing's gonna change the fact that these are young dumb blokes doing young dumb things.

Like we all did.

And some of us still do...

[Psyber]

The ongoing Sonny Bill soapie is a joke.

He took a slash in the street - who hasn't?

He had a crack at a skank glamour in a pub toilet - who wouldnt?

Nothing's gonna change the fact that these are young dumb blokes doing young dumb things.

Like we all did.

And some of us still do...

Nope, never did either. I'm a bit fussy about health and safety. I once had a woman in an office ensuite, and, when I had a farm in the Adelaide Hills, occasionally peed in paddock, from whence it flowed towards Mt Bold Reservoir with all the stock's by-product.

[Strawb]

As Sir Charles said I am not a role model and he was saying the truth. I believe that sports players are people like you and me we shouldn't treat them any different. I saw Matty Primus at the bank one time at West beach and all i said was hello and good luck for the up coming season he thanked me for that. In reality they are like you and me we all do stupid things and Mods took a piss in the street i think nearly we all have once when pissed.