We've had enough McGuire!

[goswannies]

I'm disgusted by many of the comments that follow online articles. It's too depressing to read the ignorant pro-Eddie/anti-Carro comments. They are all too often vitriolic & offensive, & far more vocal than those who admonish the bigot for his behaviour.

[Nico]

Listening to callers to SEN today really got me. The number of men ringing up defending McGuire because they were Collingwood supporters was quite mind boggling.

[Mug Punter]

Absolutely weak as urine were the On the Couch team tonight too.

They spent as more time praising what a wonderful fellow Eddie was as they did addressing his appalling behaviour.

I didn't see Robbo on AFL 360 tonight but I imagine he was equally as weak. He loves to talk tough and hit easy targets like Alan Jones from the safety of Melbourne but he hasn't the balls to look straight at the camera and say "Eddie, it's time to go"

Pathetic but exactly what I expected

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Jamar gets a fine for swearing at an umpire. Brad scott is sure to be fine for insuating a bias. Eddie walks after saying hed like to drown a woman.

Gill the dill.

On this we are in total agreement

[Doctor]

Caroline Wilson: Eddie McGuire's ice pool attack took me back to the bad old days

A fairly measured response from Caro.

You say measured, I say classy.

[Danzar]

New Statement from Eddie McGuire this evening

Eddie has now issued another (?) apology, apparently this one is unreserved. I'll reply with an interpretation. Here it is in its original.

TO THE Collingwood and the football community at large, I?ve spent the day taking counsel from friends and foes, senior government politicians, the AFL and community leaders.

In particular, Rosie Batty and an old footballing and political mate, Phil Cleary, both of whom have seen first-hand the tragic consequences of domestic violence.

I believe there are two issues at play here.

First the perception, real or otherwise, that last Monday on the stage of the MND Freeze event, in an interview on Triple M that was meant to be harmless fun, things were said that could also be seen as men with a pack mentality attacking a woman.

I met Caroline Wilson in a press box when I was 14.

Over the journey we have had plenty of battles and laughs. It?s all part of the cut and thrust of the media and football.

I?m long past thinking of Caroline as anything but Caroline Wilson.

Gender has never entered my head in terms of the role she plays.

In fact, I hired her for the role she has on Footy Classified because she was the best person for the job.

In the last 24 hours, and particularly since this morning, I?ve seen the impact of the comments on her.

No person should ever feel uneasy or threatened in football?s family.

For that, I am deeply sorry and I apologise unreservedly to Caroline for putting her in that position.

I am a father and a husband.

I am passionate about stopping the violence that claims the lives of more than 65 women a year in Australia.

So too, do I want to continue to play my part in changing the culture that has sustained violence against women.

That includes giving no comfort to men who belittle or mistreat women.

I am really disappointed that I made remarks that are at odds with my views on the place of women in modern Australia.

On July 23, our club, in conjunction with the Pratt Foundation, will host a scheduled fundraising function with Rosie Batty.

Today, on what would have been her son Luke?s 14th birthday, and having spoken to Rosie earlier, I?ll be making a personal contribution to support the victims of domestic violence.

At a time when I am so looking forward to being president of three women?s sporting clubs ? Collingwood women?s football, Collingwood netball and the Melbourne Stars women?s cricket club, it is important to show leadership on this issue.

That includes being able to admit you are wrong and willing to learn.

[Doctor]

It might not be comparing apples for apples, but the two other sports I follow are baseball & golf, and the standard and professionalism of the commentary in them is way beyond what we get in AFL. Sure, these sports (esp golf) are multi billion dollar international industries with significant amounts of corporate involvement and that may lead to a level of homogenisation in the way they are reported on. But you don't just get the inanities of a small town boys club ad nauseam when you watch a MLB game or PGA tour event on TV. The Yankees CEO is not commentating their games on national television, a PGA tour director is not performing stupid so called comedy skits on a golf show. The baseball & golf commentators are mostly intelligent and thoughtful people not prone to histrionics. They know their place, that the game or tournament is not about them. They are not perfect but are a long long way ahead of what is served up as commentary & reporting in the AFL.

Well said. My favourite US broadcaster, Joe Buck, is all class.

[Doctor]

Probably still bruised from when Dermie flew off the handle and attacked Caro on air when she called him out on Goodes last year. Caro may believe it is safer now to be a small target.

Disgusting. All of these dickheads are culpable. Those in power should have, and could have put a stop to this long ago and didn't, and will continue to close ranks when it happens again. Gill is a coward and fails the leadership test yest again.

Couldn't agree more. It also says to the "less nuanced" fans out there that Eddie and co. did nothing wrong and that this was just the PC brigade making something out of nothing. It's not good enough. I've had it. I want action and change. I want to know what to do to make it happen because this is rubbish.

[KTigers]

Exactly, Joe is the benchmark. In my house we've just spent four days listening to Joe cover the US Open at Oakmont.

Well said. My favourite US broadcaster, Joe Buck, is all class.

[jono2707]

Absolutely weak as urine were the On the Couch team tonight too.

They spent as more time praising what a wonderful fellow Eddie was as they did addressing his appalling behaviour.

I didn't see Robbo on AFL 360 tonight but I imagine he was equally as weak. He loves to talk tough and hit easy targets like Alan Jones from the safety of Melbourne but he hasn't the balls to look straight at the camera and say "Eddie, it's time to go"

Pathetic but exactly what I expected

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On this we are in total agreement

Robbo was fairly strong in his condemnation of Eddie on 360 tonight.

And in other good news, Holden are 'reviewing' their sponsorship of the Pies as a result.

Eddie won't be brought down by the indignation of others; it'll be dollars that do it.

[Plugger46]

Absolutely weak as urine were the On the Couch team tonight too.

They spent as more time praising what a wonderful fellow Eddie was as they did addressing his appalling behaviour.

I didn't see Robbo on AFL 360 tonight but I imagine he was equally as weak. He loves to talk tough and hit easy targets like Alan Jones from the safety of Melbourne but he hasn't the balls to look straight at the camera and say "Eddie, it's time to go"

Pathetic but exactly what I expected

- - - Updated - - -



On this we are in total agreement

Thought Robbo was pretty good Mug. Gerard was OK.

[goswannies]

Eddie has now issued another (?) apology, apparently this one is unreserved. I'll reply with an interpretation. Here it is in its original.

That includes being able to admit you are wrong and willing to learn.

Nice sentiment & eloquently put. Pity it's in stark contrast to the pathetic excuse of a response that he blurted out in his television interview. I would have liked to have heard a verbal off-the-cuff unreserved apology rather than the well considered and well constructed re-issue, so that I can gague the sincerity.

The fact that he hadn't learned (from questioning the orientation of male skaters, the Goodes incident, the GWS falafel reference, the Muslim gaff) just makes me think that the spin doctors of team Eddie thought they needed an articulate comprehensive clensing of the public's palate.
I'd love to hear Caroline's response, but I suspect that whatever she feels, she will graciously accept the "apology" because it's the dignified thing to do.

[Danzar]

Here is an interpretation of Eddie's apology.

TO THE Collingwood and the football community at large, I?ve spent the day taking counsel from friends and foes, senior government politicians, the AFL and community leaders.
Eddie begins with his number one priority - Collingwood, because that's the one community who has the power to kick his arse out of football. Then, Eddie places himself, hard at work, among the decisions makers, the leaders, the greats, in attempt to put as much distance between lowly you, and high born he, as possible.

In particular, Rosie Batty and an old footballing and political mate, Phil Cleary, both of whom have seen first-hand the tragic consequences of domestic violence.
Eddie has been chastised by his mate Rosie Batty (uses the old mention one mate and everyone in that sentence becomes a mate PR trick). Now he has you all softened up, and gears up for his apology.

I believe there are two issues at play here.
Hang one, what? Two issues? I thought there was just one....Eddie sows confusion in the ranks

First the perception, real or otherwise, that last Monday on the stage of the MND Freeze event, in an interview on Triple M that was meant to be harmless fun, things were said that could also be seen as men with a pack mentality attacking a woman.
"..in an interview on Triple M that was meant to be harmless fun"...I'll let that speak for itself.
"Perception, real or otherwise"...that 'ole chestnut. You see, 'perception' cannot be 'real' nor 'otherwise', therefore Eddie is really saying "first, the perception that I said the wrong things".

Actually, he doesn't say that, he says "things were said that could also be seen as men with a pack mentality attacking a woman". Says it all that does...

Where were we again?

I met Caroline Wilson in a press box when I was 14.
Naww, Eddie, was 14 once. And he met Caroline all those years ago. Eddie warms the heart with his story, softens you up a little bit more.

Over the journey we have had plenty of battles and laughs. It?s all part of the cut and thrust of the media and football.
A journey, just like Thelma and Louise. "Eddie and Caroline"

I?m long past thinking of Caroline as anything but Caroline Wilson.
Eh? Is Eddie saying that he used to think of Caroline Wilson as not Caroline Wilson, but at some point in the 'long past' he settled on only 'Caroline Wilson'? Phew, anyway, Eddie does nothing to give Caroline Wilson a real identity of her own, such as say, a warm hearted, hard working, Walkley Award winning journalist, loved by her husband, mother to three loving children...the things Eddie would actually value if that implication about being best mates since aged 14 were actually true.

Gender has never entered my head in terms of the role she plays.
Which role is this? Being a person? And who are we talking about again, she?

In fact, I hired her for the role she has on Footy Classified because she was the best person for the job.
This is where Eddie demonstrates his benevolence and charity, he gave Caroline (aka 'her') a job, it was a merit selection, this is proof (not that having a Walkley should lead anyone to believe otherwise)

In the last 24 hours, and particularly since this morning, I?ve seen the impact of the comments on her.
'The comments"? Is this an event, like the now infamous "The Dismissal"? Assuming 'her' means 'Caroline Wilson', I'd say this is a clever 'I've been part of your journey Caroline' ploy, while strangely making it seem like it's been Eddie McGuire's battle more than 'hers'.

No person should ever feel uneasy or threatened in football?s family.
Agreed, but who exactly is Eddie talking about here? 'Her', 'Caroline Wilson' or some new entity?

For that, I am deeply sorry and I apologise unreservedly to Caroline for putting her in that position.
This should have been Eddie's first sentence. I'll help out here. Omit the words 'For that' because 'for that' limits your apology big time, explain what you said and how that harms Caroline Wilson from her own perspective, and that of other women.

I am a father and a husband.
So was Al Capone, Darth Vader and other notable identities I saw on television.

I am passionate about stopping the violence that claims the lives of more than 65 women a year in Australia.
Well I am too, and I demonstrate that by endeavouring not to say or do harm to women. At least Eddie shows he knows his topic with this amazing statistic...but overlooks the statistics on how many additional lives bullying claims

So too, do I want to continue to play my part in changing the culture that has sustained violence against women.
Eddie continues to be a tireless advocate against violence towards women, just like he was a tireless advocate against racism.

That includes giving no comfort to men who belittle or mistreat women.
This I really don't get...is Eddie punching himself in his own face, or is he punching all of YOU who he knows harbour the sames thoughts as he?

I am really disappointed that I made remarks that are at odds with my views on the place of women in modern Australia.
Another old PR consultant trick...Eddie separates the 'remarks' from the 'person who made the remarks', overlay some good principles on the 'person who is now separated from the remarks' and presto! A saint is born from humility without responsibility.

On July 23, our club, in conjunction with the Pratt Foundation, will host a scheduled fundraising function with Rosie Batty.
Plug the Club, add in Rosie Batty (refer above) and Eddie is on the home straight.

Today, on what would have been her son Luke?s 14th birthday, and having spoken to Rosie earlier, I?ll be making a personal contribution to support the victims of domestic violence.
Eddie, you plumb new depths.

At a time when I am so looking forward to being president of three women?s sporting clubs ? Collingwood women?s football, Collingwood netball and the Melbourne Stars women?s cricket club, it is important to show leadership on this issue.
Eddie says that to attack him, you attack women's sports, while entrenching his claim over the Collingwood Presidency for some time to come

That includes being able to admit you are wrong and willing to learn.
That'll be all folks.

[barry]

Danzar the great

[liz]

He certainly is very skilled at making his apologies all about him.

I confess I don't overly buy into the sexism angle that the media has run with. I do take him at face value when he says that the comments were made about CW the person, rather than CW a woman. But I don't think those make his original comments any more palatable.

[Ludwig]

Absolutely weak as urine were the On the Couch team tonight too.

They spent as more time praising what a wonderful fellow Eddie was as they did addressing his appalling behaviour.

I didn't see Robbo on AFL 360 tonight but I imagine he was equally as weak. He loves to talk tough and hit easy targets like Alan Jones from the safety of Melbourne but he hasn't the balls to look straight at the camera and say "Eddie, it's time to go"

Pathetic but exactly what I expected

Agree with your sentiments, Mug.

I heard Robbo on SEN today. Although he condemned Eddie for what he said last week, also spoke highly of him as a person and how much he has done for 'good causes.' Many others have said similar things. Collingwood's statement on the matter was more or less one about how much they do in support of women's causes.

To me it is so disingenuous how the rich are able to buy their way into respectability. They always have an out because they've donated money to this this group or that cause, and they've put on this fundraiser or that one in support of every imaginable good cause you can think of. It's an option open to the wealthy and affords an easy way out.

People like Eddie set the tone of what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour and 99% follow his lead. What happened on that radio program was that Eddie started the ball rolling and no one else felt strong enough to make a stand and just went along for the ride. Eddie loves being the chief honcho, the man with the big ideas, but hates taking responsibility for all the inane things he says.

In the end he will make his usual apologetic statement, talk about all the good things he's doing every day, Gill will nod his head, and we will all move on. People will be hurt. They will suffer in silence. Nothing will change.