Role models

[OMR]

With yet another off field incident, I ask you do you think players influence the way kids act and behave?

Of course they do. Whether they intend to be role models or not, players have a huge influence on our kids, and the more we see shit behaviour like that, the more we'll have parents turning their kids away from the game.

The real shame of it all is that there is so much good samaritan work being done by clubs and players all over the country, and yet hardly a mention. But as soon as ther is an indiscretion, the media has a field day.

When will the players learn that they are in an influential position, and it should be mandatory in their contract to adhere to certain rules and ethics, otherwise penalise them where it hurts most, in the pocket. Deduct huge chunks of money from their contract, and limit their exposure so that they are not offered promotional gigs to supplement their incomes.

WE started the month of Ramadan last Saturday. My 12yo had a semi final just after midday. The night prior he came up to me and said:" Even it's hot tomorrow I will still be fasting, if Hazem can do it, why can't I?" Now that's what I mean by the power of the players, and how thay can be a positive influence on our kids.

C'mon clubs CEOs , have the balls to come down hard on the transgressors, and don't worry if you miss out on a player for your team, the (dwindling) future of the game rests in your, and your players, hands.

This rant has been building up for a while, and the Sa incident was the proverbial straw and it culminates the worst ever feeling I havd had near a season's end.I thank you all for your indulgence, I just needed to get this off my chest.

[Guest]

With yet another off field incident, I ask you do you think players influence the way kids act and behave?

Hard to say... I don't think a bunch of kids are going to go out copying Setaimata Sa. I'm a teacher and haven't noticed any increases in kids:
- Crapping in hallways
- Pissing on walls
- Bashing up their girlfriends
- Assaulting police

But I agree... footy players aren't the best role models. The one thing I think they influence is the booze/drugs culture... they are FREAKY fit athletes... everybody adores their bodies and skills, and wants to play like them. It's VERY common knowledge that they all go out and get WASTED every weekend. Many are also quite openly heavy smokers... you'll see them smoking in public, and the clubs take no action.

I think this shakes up a lot kids beliefs with regard to what elite athletes do. As a kid I was a footy player and an athlete... at school the message was "if you wanna get good then don't drink, don't smoke, eat right, and train every day..." I did that, and was under the impression that all pro's were in the same boat for a while... how naive that was...

The first time I was introduced to drugs was as a 15 y/o... I went away with a group of juniors from a pro football team. On the bus to our camp one of the top players pulled out a bag of weed. I thought he was drug-free like myself as he was a freak (and is now a respectable NRL player)... but after that camp, it became common knowledge to me that a bunch of my rivals smoked regularly, had taken lots of different drugs and... from fitness tests, weren't actually as fit as me (just a lot bigger, more reckless + had much better skills... mainly due to natural talent and freaky kinaesthetic intelligence I'd say.)

That was a real turning point in my beliefs... my strength was always that I was really fit, and really fast. To me sport was about just that... getting fit, and improving my speed (while hoping the coaches would teach me better skills... mine weren't bad... but were never elite. I out-performed everybody on the team in speed and endurance tests... but not pure strength or skill tests. These to be honest became more important in the selection process as skills win games, and I think most coaches just assume you have the skills rather than trying to develop your skills...) It was a pretty tough gig for me, being at what I thought was a pretty elite sports camp, and having to refuse drugs that a bunch of guys had brought along. Sorta left me outside the circle of "mates" who basically decided who was on the team 'coz if you weren't their mate then you wouldn't get any ball, and they'd take the piss outta you at training.

I moved around to a few different sports during my time... others definitely have less druggie cultures... ones where there's no "cheers mate lets go get a beer after the game!"... call it wanky... but with lots of other sports the boys will get together after competing for a big recovery session... they'll be up the next day for another recovery session, and during competition seasons won't even touch alcohol. While with footy I was a bit wanky as I didn't touch drugs...etc, with other sports I was a bit of a bad boy because I enjoyed the odd night out on the booze with my mates.

---

Not bagging booze or getting pissed... I do it every weekend... but it's somewhat of a culture with the footy. Not sure if it's good or bad?
I think that's the influence that NRL players (and to be fair LOTS of other sports cultures) have on kids... that booze/drugs are cool, and pretty safe... they're not gonna wreck your game. Which... I guess is true... anybody know any NRL players who are the BEST in the comp, and can swear they've never touched a beer or smoke in their lives? Doubt there's any, even amongst the fringe players...

[Guest]

Wayne Pierce and Hasam are pretty clean sirgamble.

There is a report in the SMH saying that the players are doing what other young men their age do - http://www.smh.com.au/news/lhqnews/l...570666158.html

I think that the media has a lot to answer for here. If a guy breaks the law then fair enough, he deserves to be punished and the NRL needs to come down hard on these guys. A slight indiscretion is different and just because it makes the media does not mean they should be hung out to dry.

Look at the Anasta case. He gets smacked in the mouth and walks away. That's it, nothing more to report. Let's turn it around and say Anasta smacked that guy in the mouth. The paper would have accounts from patrons that saw the incident, they would have a summary of Anasta's movements through the day up to the event (like they have done for Sa) and it would still be in the papers.

So do we now say what Anasta did should be an example of how our kids should act? Opens the door for an even more extreme case of bullying.

The players do need to clean their act up and I agree that the clubs need to come down hard on some players but they should not be dictated by what the media reports. It does not reflect the publics opinion to the public I speak to.

[Guest]

So do we now say what Anasta did should be an example of how our kids should act? Opens the door for an even more extreme case of bullying.

Yes damn right he's a good example!
I was always taught that flight was better than fight...
At school if you punch people it's not going to stop you getting bullied. People are just going to egg you on more because they reckon you're a psycho.

Sure... you don't want people to walk all over you, but you'll get respect if you can walk away. As a teacher I have to say that the only guys who get bullied are the ones who are easy to wind up (i.e. you call them names or give them a little slap... they'll knock your head off.) No idea why... but people like having their heads knocked off and they ALWAYS come to me crying, with a black eye.

If big guys can just shake off bullies (say "piss off" and walk away rather than getting into fights) then they end up better off I reckon...

[Guest]

I have been thinking this for a while

And I think the club needs A NO DICKHEADS POLICY much like the Sydney Swans have. They don't seem to have any player behavioural issues.

So if it means getting rid of

Sa
Myles
Mason
Friend
Earl
Cherrington

and possibly Pearce

so be it

There are plenty of talented players out there that behave and won't drag our name through the mud and cost us sponsors

[BUDDY]

I like the idea of a NO DICKHEADS POLICY and the line was drawn in the sand after the Myles incident.

If they are true to their word Sa will be the first to go. They have to do it or they will be the laughing stock of the NRL (as if they aren't already) and it will hopefully show other players that they are now serious.

As much as I feel sorry for what demons Sa has and I hope the Roosters help him as much as they can, he crossed that line and will pay the consequences. It doesn't sound like he has a leg to stand on.

The problem will be Friend and Earl. If they sack Sa and then these two are found guilty they should also be sacked. Friend will be a major loss for us but it is time players are held accountable for their stupid actions.

[Guest]

The problem will be Friend and Earl. If they sack Sa and then these two are found guilty they should also be sacked. Friend will be a major loss for us but it is time players are held accountable for their stupid actions.

So true...
I don't care if we have to sack our best 3 players, if people are dickheads then get rid of them! We can at least keep a bit of pride and moral ground by doing so... maybe even a sponsor or 2 while we're at it

[novice chook]

We kept Sa on after his first assualt charge. We kept Cherrington after his first assault charge.

So why now would you sack Earl and Friend if in fact they are convicted of assault for the first time??

It reeks of double standards. Keep some, sack others.

The Roosters have made a rod for their own back by not punting Sa and Cherrington for their first charges.

Where players should be sacked is where they repeat the same offence more than once, because it means they've learned nothing from the first indiscretion.

That's why Sa has to go.

And why I would stick with Friend. Yes, he has two charges, but they are for different offences. Another assault or drink driving charge and out the door.


NC

[Guest]

How long will Carney last???

[Guest]

We kept Sa on after his first assualt charge. We kept Cherrington after his first assault charge.

So why now would you sack Earl and Friend if in fact they are convicted of assault for the first time??

It reeks of double standards. Keep some, sack others.

The Roosters have made a rod for their own back by not punting Sa and Cherrington for their first charges.

Where players should be sacked is where they repeat the same offence more than once, because it means they've learned nothing from the first indiscretion.

That's why Sa has to go.

And why I would stick with Friend. Yes, he has two charges, but they are for different offences. Another assault or drink driving charge and out the door.


NC

No idea, the most ****ed up part is that both Sa and Cherrington assaulted their girlfriends! Cherrington even used a knife (as if his size and attacking skills thanks to his footy training weren't intimidating enough.)

No idea what goes through these guys heads... 200 grand a year! 200 grand to keep fit , play footy and stay outta trouble.

I reckon the problem is that they become professional and get fat salaries too soon. In the states you need a college degree before you can be pro (most of the time)... so you'll play NFL at college, then get scouted after that.

Our blokes get put on fat salaries (okay nowhere near what NFL players are on) but... a lot... at the age of 17 or so when they're still young pocket rockets with no real life experiences except being damn good at footy their whole lives!

---

Wonder what would happen if the NRL setup some kind of a university comp? Say we replaced Toyota Cup with university teams (backed by 1 club.)

Say something like this:
- UWS = The Riff
- CSU = Parra
- ACU = Dogs
- Sydney = Roosters
- UNSW = Souths
- UOW = Dragons
- Newcastle = Newcastle

Something along those lines. Rather than paying the guys hard cash... 1/2 their pay goes towards a uni degree, where they need say a credit average if they want to keep playing footy.

Wonder how that'd work? Would give the players a future after league as well as a bit more maturity before they become NRL players...
Also make them better role models... guys who are damn good at sport, but have also done their schooling. Be a good dream for young kids... rather than getting lucky and being an NRL star straight after school... you'll aim to be a star at uni, and to educate yourself, while also getting good at footy.

I reckon it might even attract more players/spectators to the sport. Get the campus along to watch the games on the weekend (so you've actually got a decent crowd at Toyota Cup matches... raking in gate fees) + a lot of blokes who have chosen study over a sports career might be tempted to try their luck as sportsmen during university. I played rugby for Sydney Uni... different football code, but heaps of the guys there in the social grades had great skills... just they were more focussed on completing their law degrees than on becoming professional sportsmen.

[stsae]

The assualt on a female charge has been denied in Sa's case.

LOL yearly in the NFL many players are charged with assaults some on women, weapons charges, drugs, alcohol related offences, sometimes murders. Some actually are murdered, sometimes more than one a season.

Never heard of the famous "Houses" they give to the players so they can go and party with high class whores??? Surely a man of your self proclaimed reputation has???

The NFL is probably the WORST example to give of pro sportspeople and their behaviour. In fact any Seppo sport is a bad example. Probably most pro sports thru the world, soccer has just as many of the same incidents.


Respect for other humans and being a role model shouldnt come from sports organisations or colleges/unis IMO. Those lessons are, or should be, taught at HOME. From Parents and Family. Thats where the whole respect factor starts. Its also where as a society we have faaaaaaarked up.

Actors, sportspeople, musos, celebs etc wont be role models to my kids. My parents taught me to have respect for authority and my elders, afterall theyve been there and done that. Im no angel, far from it, but I know when to pull my head in and show some respect to those that deserve it. And of course those that dont get called arsemonkeys.

[Guest]

And of course those that dont get called arsemonkeys.

By such respectable be who hold themselves to such high moral standards *yaaaawn* you are so predictable...

What kids are you talking about? At least I have a kid when I say "my kid..."

[stsae]

By such respectable be who hold themselves to such high moral standards *yaaaawn* you are so predictable...

What kids are you talking about? At least I have a kid when I say "my kid..."

You wouldnt know what the farrrrrrk youre talking about teach.

I have nothing to explain to you.

Get back to your $1000 whores you arsemonkey.

With all due respect I say these things.

You deserve nothing less.

[Guest]

The players are earning respectable incomes from PLAYING a game of FOOTBALL for a career. The reason they can earn this kind of money for playing a game is because sponsors and fans play millions of dollars every year to watch them. For this reason and this reason only, players have a responsibility to act respectfully and with some maturity when they are in public. They are representatives of a brand.

I also don't buy into the "boys will be boys" arguement. It again falls back on the initial argument. If they want to play football professionally they need to take responsibility for their actions and realise they cannot be like other boys their age. There are always going to be players fall through the cracks, but its becoming more and more obvious that players are becoming arrogant and ignorant of their responsibilities and doing whatever they want. On that note also, its becoming more and more obvious that the women involved are being paid hush money. Why else would their stories be changing so dramatically?

[Guest]

Rather than paying the guys hard cash... 1/2 their pay goes towards a uni degree, where they need say a credit average if they want to keep playing footy.

You obviously have not met many Rugby League players......

I love these blokes, but one thing that can be said about Footballers.....they are none too bright........

Most of them of course....not all.....