Goodes

[Melbournehammer]

So sad that in his last year for the swans, football needs Adam Goodes more than he needs football. I'm deeply ashamed of the way goodesy had been treated but it has opened my eyes to some disturbing truths about our society and culture.

I hope to see goodesy kick goals in public life. He had so much to give and stop much to teach. Of course anyone would totally understand if he chooses to live a private life given what he's been through this year.

Anyway going to miss the big fella in red and white.

I must say that I can't really believe people need their eyes opened. The history of Australia is basically racist. It probably is everywhere. Hungarians hate Roma. Malays hate Chinese. Fijians hate Indians. First peoples everywhere have been colonised and subjugated.

I've previously said that my memories of Goodes will all be against Collingwood where we lost over and over and he was best on ground over and over. It takes a very special player to repeatedly be best on when your team is getting well beaten. On 8 September 2007 my younger son was born and that night I went to the game. I will remember him just being the only thing between a crushing defeat and a loss.

[barry]

So sad that in his last year for the swans, football needs Adam Goodes more than he needs football. I'm deeply ashamed of the way goodesy had been treated but it has opened my eyes to some disturbing truths about our society and culture.

Totally. It has shown that there is a much deeper vain of racism in our society than we thought. When is able to be "disguised" as something else (booing a footy player) it becomes rsmpant.

The problem is that through AFL inaction this issue will be able to be buried. The racist have won. The AFL have waited it out. A pathetic response.

I would have loved for the swans to get perth and then walk off the ground due to the extreme booing he would have got. But not to be.

[Untamed Snark]

Caro's article said Goodes would not be at the GF and Brownlow which is understandable if regrettable.
But I really hope we get a proper farewell lap at the SCG-not one of those half arsed efforts of late but a proper halftime lap for the fans to show Adam one last time how much we appreciate and admire him.

[Margo]

Beautiful tributes here. I hope he reads them.

[stellation]

I genuinely adore Adam Goodes- he is my favourite footballer, ever. I loved the grace he played with, the power he dominated games with, the heights he achieved in the game both personally and with our team. Huge parts of the blissful memories of euphoria I hold from sport over the past more than a decade are due to Adam, and I am thankful for them. Standing up for what he believes in, highlighting parts of society that a lot of people would prefer were not highlighted- I can't say enough about how much respect I have for him outside of football. I can think of few people I believe would serve as a better role model to my son than Adam, and I can't think of a higher opinion than that I could hold.

Adam's treatment this year has destroyed a large part of the childlike enthusiasm that I held for football. Every year as finals rolled around I have turned into the classic sports nut that watches every game- my family noticed this year I was interested in the Swans games only, and perhaps have watched 30 minutes combined of the other games played. I hope next week with the Preliminary Finals I absentmindedly sit down and enjoy the game before I start to overanalyse this year too much. I hope I go back to just finding joy in someone kicking a ball perfectly to where their friend can catch it, regardless of the guernseys they wear, and don't succumb to tribalism- if I find I do I'll just walk away.

For most of my son's life we've eaten pancakes for breakfast every Swans game day just because we once heard Goodesy did- it makes sense for a little kid to do that sort of thing, but for a grown man it's a little silly. I'm glad Adam helped me hold onto being a little silly for so long, and I'm eternally grateful that he allowed me to experience the starry eyed joy of having a hero with my little boy.

[dimelb]

A genuinely great player, a fine man who fits so well the too-frequently awarded label of an adornment to the game.

Thank you Adam for all you gave to the club and will keep giving in the light of the legacy you leave with us. Your contribution to indigenous people is massive, and long may it continue, as directly and indirectly it will benefit us all.

[Ludwig]

Adam Goodes: His life is his legacy.

He needn't exit the game in the usual way for there is nothing usual about him. An extraordinary football player. An extraordinary man. He's given so much to so many in so many ways.

[Swanny40519]

A fantastic footballer and a very very articulate and gracious person.

I have watched nearly all the the swans games that Adam has played in Sydney and some magnificent games at the MCG.

I was fortunate enough to see a very young Adam Goodes play in a pre season game in Newcastle, and you could tell that this skinny tall footballer did enough in his first game to show that he had the makings of a great champion.

I fully endorse all the above suggestions -

* Retire no. 37
* Have a great farewell send off at the first home game next year at the SGC
* Strike an Adam Goodes medal for one of the annual awards.

Adam deserves to be congratulated by the many many thousands of Swans fans in a farewell gesture next year.

[Margo]

Adam Goodes: His life is his legacy.

He needn't exit the game in the usual way for there is nothing usual about him. An extraordinary football player. An extraordinary man. He's given so much to so many in so many ways.

Beautifully said. As long as he is happy and not feeling cheated.

[Margo]

A fantastic footballer and a very very articulate and gracious person.

I have watched nearly all the the swans games that Adam has played in Sydney and some magnificent games at the MCG.

I was fortunate enough to see a very young Adam Goodes play in a pre season game in Newcastle, and you could tell that this skinny tall footballer did enough in his first game to show that he had the makings of a great champion.
I fully endorse all the above suggestions -

* Retire no. 37
* Have a great farewell send off at the first home game next year at the SGC
* Strike an Adam Goodes medal for one of the annual awards.

Adam deserves to be congratulated by the many many thousands of Swans fans in a farewell gesture next year.

Agree !! I also saw Adam play one of his first games as a Swan in the pre-season (I think) 1998 at Macquarie Fields. It was a blistering hot day and he was magnificent. So happy to have also been present at his last game and did my very best at negating the ignorants. I must say that there was a large number of NM supporters cheering Adam as well. I was very close and above them so had a clear view so good on them.

[dejavoodoo44]

I genuinely adore Adam Goodes- he is my favourite footballer, ever. I loved the grace he played with, the power he dominated games with, the heights he achieved in the game both personally and with our team. Huge parts of the blissful memories of euphoria I hold from sport over the past more than a decade are due to Adam, and I am thankful for them. Standing up for what he believes in, highlighting parts of society that a lot of people would prefer were not highlighted- I can't say enough about how much respect I have for him outside of football. I can think of few people I believe would serve as a better role model to my son than Adam, and I can't think of a higher opinion than that I could hold.

Adam's treatment this year has destroyed a large part of the childlike enthusiasm that I held for football. Every year as finals rolled around I have turned into the classic sports nut that watches every game- my family noticed this year I was interested in the Swans games only, and perhaps have watched 30 minutes combined of the other games played. I hope next week with the Preliminary Finals I absentmindedly sit down and enjoy the game before I start to overanalyse this year too much. I hope I go back to just finding joy in someone kicking a ball perfectly to where their friend can catch it, regardless of the guernseys they wear, and don't succumb to tribalism- if I find I do I'll just walk away.

For most of my son's life we've eaten pancakes for breakfast every Swans game day just because we once heard Goodesy did- it makes sense for a little kid to do that sort of thing, but for a grown man it's a little silly. I'm glad Adam helped me hold onto being a little silly for so long, and I'm eternally grateful that he allowed me to experience the starry eyed joy of having a hero with my little boy.

Very nice bit of writing, stellation.
And I do think that you have hit on something very important there. That is, essentially since humans evolved into being human, we have been choosing the elements of the past, that we think are the important elements to guide our actions today and to pass on to the next generation. And to a certain extent, we can choose the role models that we think exemplify the values that we wish to pass on.
And I do think that the booing issue has largely been one of a significant number of people choosing to follow the worst sort of role models. The sort of sociopaths that have been distorting human history, also for a very long time. The sort of people who insist on blaming others for their own problems. The sort of people who always claim that other human groups are a threat. The sort of people whose main task in life seems to be to construct a more powerful role for themselves, by identifying and persecuting minorities. Unfortunately, we have a number of these people in privileged positions in our media: Andrew Bolt, Alan Jones, Miranda Devine, Ray Hadley, etc, etc, etc. And even more unfortunately, it seems to me that a number of people have chosen to bring the narrow and ugly world view of these people, to indignantly boo a great player and champion person, like Adam Goodes.
So, to me, it's a question of what role models that you choose to follow and what actions you choose to perpetuate. On one hand, people can elect to follow the likes of Bolt and Jones. Which I would say is a bad choice both for society and themselves: as they actually seem to construct a world view that feeds on its own ugliness. That is, the longer that a person views their fellow citizens as a threat, the more bitter, twisted and paranoid they themselves become. On the other hand, if you choose a role model that has got to where they are today, by working hard as part of a team, who has shown compassion for those in society who are less fortunate than themselves and has used their privileged position to attempt to help those people; then you are probably constructing an internal world for yourself, where you are much more likely to act according to the great human values of communication, cooperation and compassion. An internal world where you look at your fellow citizens as future friends. A world where you can enjoy a few silly games. And a world where you can look into the radiant eyes of a member of the next generation, and feel that you may have something decent to teach them.
Glad to see that you have obviously made the right choice.

[Industrial Fan]

I genuinely adore Adam Goodes- he is my favourite footballer, ever. I loved the grace he played with, the power he dominated games with, the heights he achieved in the game both personally and with our team. Huge parts of the blissful memories of euphoria I hold from sport over the past more than a decade are due to Adam, and I am thankful for them. Standing up for what he believes in, highlighting parts of society that a lot of people would prefer were not highlighted- I can't say enough about how much respect I have for him outside of football. I can think of few people I believe would serve as a better role model to my son than Adam, and I can't think of a higher opinion than that I could hold.

Adam's treatment this year has destroyed a large part of the childlike enthusiasm that I held for football. Every year as finals rolled around I have turned into the classic sports nut that watches every game- my family noticed this year I was interested in the Swans games only, and perhaps have watched 30 minutes combined of the other games played. I hope next week with the Preliminary Finals I absentmindedly sit down and enjoy the game before I start to overanalyse this year too much. I hope I go back to just finding joy in someone kicking a ball perfectly to where their friend can catch it, regardless of the guernseys they wear, and don't succumb to tribalism- if I find I do I'll just walk away.

For most of my son's life we've eaten pancakes for breakfast every Swans game day just because we once heard Goodesy did- it makes sense for a little kid to do that sort of thing, but for a grown man it's a little silly. I'm glad Adam helped me hold onto being a little silly for so long, and I'm eternally grateful that he allowed me to experience the starry eyed joy of having a hero with my little boy.

great post and I agree whole heartedly. We too have a pancake tradition, which would often be tardy at the start of a season and get fanatical toward the end of a season (I would often attribute his slow starts to that...)

In such a dark place today knowing he's not playing next year.

[Mel_C]

I've loved watching Goodes play and have been proud of what he has achieved both on and off the field.

What he was able to do on one leg in the 2012 GF was amazing. Bruce's commentary said it all after he kicked that goal!

I'm not upset that we lost but I'm upset at the way Goodes had to finish. He should have been there with Shaw in the guard of honour and been chaired off. He should have been able to say goodbye to the fans. He should have been able to announce his retirement like all other players. He should be able to go around on GF day with the other retirees and be applauded.

It is just so sad that because he stood up to the racists and the bullies, he has been treated so poorly by opposition supporters, the public and sections of the media. It is an absolute embarrassment for a champion to be treated this way that it made him lose his love for the game.

Hopefully after he spends some time away he can come back and get the farewell he deserves in front of a packed SCG. Also I hope for us Melbournians that we get to celebrate him at a Legends function ????.

[gossipcom]

Fantastic to watch as a footballer and as good a guy off the field.

Thanks for the memories Goodes and best of luck in whatever area you choose to go into in the future!

[i'm-uninformed2]

Stella - a terrific tribute, and summary of the situation.

I've actually found myself outright angry with so much about this. To think a bloke who made himself a great player, leader and icon to so many felt the need to walk quietly into the night is a sad and shameful thing.

But everyone on this board knows two things: we've been privileged to watch a player without peer, and as a person, Adam Goodes on his worst day is better than every one of his critics.