Goodes

[Dosser]

I have turned around and given a few knife edged comments in the past which shocked most around me; no applause but the more racial abuse settled. Nowadays I could probably just say "What would Adam think of you?" if its our mob, and "not acceptable" if its their mob. And get the men in charge if it was truly awful.

I have also called Richo a sook, Lloyd Precious and James Hird a Precious Poppet. Not sure anymore what constitutes abuse. Can I keep calling Ballentyne a little twerp? or the umps maggotty bastards? Probably not. Probably do my blood pressure a favour anyway.

This whole thing keeps ticking over in my mind - where do I stand, where have I stood, what am I going to do in the future. Not a bad thing.

Probably cant call them 'white maggots' now they wear fluoro anyway.

[Melbournehammer]

I consider myself to be fairly critical of adam on the field - i often feel that he tries to do the hardest thing when sometimes the easiest would work just as well. But ever since the first time I saw him in a reserves match against footscray in 1997/8 (?) at waverley park (a game which we lost in the firsts by less than a goal as i recollect) I have thought this guy looks pretty special. Over the years his ability has astounded me so much so that he has played some of the best individual games i have ever seen - often against collingwood in losing games mind you - but it has been what he has been prepared to offer to the indigenous players that has often caught my eye. Quite often he will do a sneaky fist bump with the indigenous players on the other teams before or during games which emphasised how much he saw himself as a leader and role model. That generally made me proud - football is a game when all is said and done and society has much bigger fish to fry. And i was so pleased to see that he was part of that.

I am proud of what he has done and that maybe people will actually recognise it.

I think andrew bolt is a right wing nutcase and most of those who comment on his blog likewise. History is against them. I think those who have been critical of adam are people whose minds are closed to things - but i still feel that education is what changes things and improves things. if anyone has read "Fever Pitch" by Nick Hornby they will realise that there is still work to do - but that crowds are getting educated - He has a great section on the slow demise of racism in English football, at least insofar as the culture at Highbury and Arsenal is concerned.


On the other hand the whole event hasn't given me much to worry about though at a personal level. I almost never comment on the opposition. I almost always only direct comments towards our team like you've got to go mal, or oh goodesy or great spoil smithy. I don't even really notice the opposition, other than a who the hell is supposed to be playing on xx.

Umpires on the other hand I would regularly yell "umpire both sides" or the same rules apply to both sides.

I can't really see the point of abusing anyone - although i came pretty close to giving it to stevic at last years gf.

[Swansongster]

Serious question... if you saw or heard any instances of racial abuse at the footy, would you speak up? I've thought about it, and while normally I'm the low key type who wouldn't rock the boat, I think it's important that we set a boundary of what's right and wrong. Thoughts?

I too would like to think I could stand up to racial abusers. Particularly when with the family. I think this incident with Goodes will change a lot of attitudes (footy is a powerful tool for social change). I can imagine most of a crowd standing side-by-side (pardon the Pies association) to silence any minority voices sitting nearby.

[magic.merkin]

I myself and Dad got into it with a family of carlton knobs that kept calling him a monkey at one game. He looks like one, it's not racist. I said fair enough, but know what you are saying won't be taken as what you meant (explained they were considered sub human etc). But we are italian, how can we be racist. At this stage i stopped wasting my breath. They were clearly wasting enough oxygen.....

[dimelb]

Funny story from our League-watching days.
Older son was about 16 and, after a stellar career in the under-12s and 13s, had moved into refereeing. He had the grand final of the (I think) under 8s at Leichhardt Oval. By that stage we weren't going to watch the players, we were watching the ref. A couple of blokes sat behind us as the little kids came on and one said, "Oh no, we've got that bloke in the glasses!"
Mrs d turned around and said, "That's my son refereeing and we're very proud of him." I shrank inwardly but got ready to speak up if necessary. It became the funniest football match I ever attended. Every couple of minutes we would hear "Oh ... (splutter)" from behind, then silence. We had to attend to the game to suppress our laughing. After the game Mrs d turned around and said, "Thank you for not rubbishing him." Friendly nods all round. Older son started wearing contacts.
On a more serious note, I've already told here about our younger son and friend objecting to parents of kids yelling gay slurs and saying they'd call security if it didn't stop. It did.

[Big Al]

The only issue I have had with anyone at the footy is with the good looking bloke looking back at me from the mirror. He can be an absolute ratbag and admits he needs to tone it down a bit. Usually the Umpires bear the brunt of his temper tantrums but sometime it might be a player that cops it. Or in the case of the Freo capitulation, the whole bloody team.

[barry]

I actually like abuse at the footy. We can cut out the racial and homophobic stuff, but no reason to not give everything else to the players.
Doesnt have to be factual, helps if its funny.

I expect plenty of drug references to be targetted at the bombers this weekend.

[hot potato]

I dearly want the Swans to win, but am interested to watch the amazing skills of all players on the ground. But unfair play and vilification on and off the ground is extremely disturbing .
Capturing the Pies member on the IPhone was pretty effective and avoided a possible ugly scene.
Open Mike was fantastic last night with Nicky Winmar and Gilbert McAdam... One of them , Nicky I think was vilified by Dermot Brereton in a game (since admitted by DB) , Nicky was upset, responded physically and got 10 weeks.
Don't miss it, if you get a chance.
HP

[ShockOfHair]

I actually like abuse at the footy. We can cut out the racial and homophobic stuff, but no reason to not give everything else to the players.
Doesnt have to be factual, helps if its funny.

I expect plenty of drug references to be targetted at the bombers this weekend.

I reckon the rule is as long it's to do with the footy, it's cool. There's a difference between mocking a player because he's on the other team and hurling personal abuse. I've been amazed at some of the things people have been saying about the Goodes incident, as though racial abuse is part of the game.

[ShockOfHair]

I dearly want the Swans to win, but am interested to watch the amazing skills of all players on the ground. But unfair play and vilification on and off the ground is extremely disturbing .
Capturing the Pies member on the IPhone was pretty effective and avoided a possible ugly scene.
Open Mike was fantastic last night with Nicky Winmar and Gilbert McAdam... One of them , Nicky I think was vilified by Dermot Brereton in a game (since admitted by DB) , Nicky was upset, responded physically and got 10 weeks.
Don't miss it, if you get a chance.
HP

That would be the same Dermot Brereton who passed judgement on Adam Goodes' character.

[Dosser]

That would be the same Dermot Brereton who passed judgement on Adam Goodes' character.

And who stomped on someone's head. After that, a simple kicking in danger isnt so bad.

[ScottH]

I reckon the rule is as long it's to do with the footy, it's cool. There's a difference between mocking a player because he's on the other team and hurling personal abuse.

Especially when it is by a Tigers fan mocking his own team. Then it's hilarious.

[rojo]

I went to the Herald Sun site and read the Andrew Bolt article. All the blogs underneath emphatically support his view so I wrote one with a different point of view and surprise surprise, so far it hasn't been published. Interesting!

[ernie koala]

I expect plenty of drug references to be targetted at the bombers this weekend.

I assume you mean the Essendon 'Guinea Pigs'.....or were you referring to the Essendon 'Pin Cushions'

[aardvark]

I copped a sneak peek at the Bombers forward line for Saturday night,


FF. Ben Johnson, Lance Armstrong, Marion Jones.
HF. Ben Cousins, Alberto Contador, Diego Maradonna.

I think Marion as the first female to play AFL should star in the forward pocket, Smoocher better keep his mind on the job!