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Sport, booze, testosterone
- SweetNess
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Perhaps we are the biggest part of the problem. We put these celebrities up on pedestals and make them feel like they're gods. We idolize them and feed their egos to the point that they feel like they're untouchable. Then when they fly too close to the sun we find it so hard to hold them accountable for their misdeeds.
Brett Stewart is just the latest example. What needs to change here? The rules governing sports stars, public attitudes towards them, the justice system that they can become embroiled in, or all of the above?
A gold star to anybody who can answer this question correctly.
*•.¸¸ζẃεε†Йεςς¸¸.•*
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- Sandie
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The NRL have suspended Stewart for 5 weeks because of his drunken behaviour - NOT because he's been charged with rape - and I believe this is the right thing to do .... you can not fine someone or sack someone because this person said that .. or that person said this.
I am not defending Stewart by any means - that is his lawyers job - all I am saying is ... Innocent until proven guilty.
As for any sporting organisation - they put these young men up on a pedestal - they give them an absolute shitload of money - then wonder why they think they are better than the average Joe ... they should be held at least partly accountable.
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- Angeni-Tala
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I thought the players were not supposed to drink, let alone get drunk, while in training or did I have the wrong impression?
Are they really setting a good example for all the young children who think, that footie players are the ants pants!!! I really don't think these kids want to know that 'they' (footie players) get falling down drunk or into anyone's pants.
All I can say is the media must be short of stuff to report if this is on of the main topics they are reporting.
Is it all about ratings? Whom can out do Whom ? Who knows.
I surely don't.
Angeni-Tala ;-)
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- ConcertForGeorgeNut
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I'm not a legal person, but my knowledge of the criminal law process is as follows:
1. arrest
2. laying of charges against the accused
3. hearing of charges in a court of law
4. guilty or not guilty finding by the court
5. in the event of a guilty finding, the passing of a sentence against the accused
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- sozzled
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It is evident, from the number of stories in this country about those who drink, drive, do bodily harm to others (sometimes grievously), or who have sexually assaulted or abused others when they're on a "blinder", that this notion of players supposedly not drinking - whether they're in preparation for match games or not - is a complete fiction.I thought the players were not supposed to drink, let alone get drunk, while in training or did I have the wrong impression?
The facts are - and the current matter involving the Manly Sea Eagles rugby league club establishes the real situation - that sporting clubs not only do not instruct their players to not drink (whether in a "responsible manner" or to excess), players are encouraged to drink. The clubs encourage this by providing free grog to their players. The sporting code encourages this behaviour by actively seeking sponsorships from manufacturers of alcohol products, by using the players in these companies' advertising campaigns and by a failure to rein-in the irresponsible conduct of affiliated clubs. The players encourage each other to get loud, "matey" and filthy drunk because that's what real blokes do.
I believe, and I think the community as a whole is coming to this conclusion, that the time for excuses is over. There are no excuses for abusing alcohol whatever is your profession. I think it's gone beyond the stage that those who indulge in drinking to excess should be aware of the consequences and be held fully accountable for them. The community doesn't need the continuing dangerous presence of people who habitually drink themselves senseless. We, as a community, need to take a stand ... and large sections of the community have already taken that stand.
For as much damage that sportpeople do to themselves they also do to their profession. Rugby league has lost a huge following in this country because many supporters consider it to be a game managed and played by brutes, thugs, and yobbos who seem only interested in themselves. This is why rugby league supporters have taken to other football codes because they see them as cleaner, better administered, more exciting and better entertainment ... which is a shame, really, because I think rugby league is a good game.
But it really doesn't matter if it's league, union or rules: professional sports men and women have a responsibility to act professionally always. We may not always like them, but we should be able to admire them. When professional sports people continually make headlines for their disgusting off-the-field behaviours then they have to accept the consequences for their actions and they have to realise that it's not just their integrity that's at stake, it's the integrity of their sport, their professionalism, their team mates and the aspirations of future generations of others thats in danger of being forfeited because of their selfishness.
If you think I'm wrong then say "I think you're wrong". If you say, "You're wrong", how do you know?
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- sozzled
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The problem is that there are issues in this case that are not simple, straightforward, non problematic. There are issues in this case that are moral, ethical and cultural ones. There are issues in this case about personal responsibility, probity, duty of care. There are questions about establishing "values" - even though I intensely dislike that word. These things go far beyond one case of alleged sexual assualt. I'm saying that we've got an endemic disease that few people seem too interested in doing anything about. That's my point.
If you think I'm wrong then say "I think you're wrong". If you say, "You're wrong", how do you know?
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- ConcertForGeorgeNut
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"....I'm saying that we've got an endemic disease that few people seem too interested in doing anything about. That's my point....."
OK. Then let's (all of us) push for a law that makes it a criminal offence for a person (any person, anywhere, anytime) to have a blood alcohol content above .05%
Appealing to peoples' sense of responsibility to others seems to be a wasted cause these days. It's all about ME ME ME
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- sozzled
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OK. Then let's (all of us) push for a law that makes it a criminal offence for a person (any person, anywhere, anytime) to have a blood alcohol content above .05%
Appealing to peoples' sense of responsibility to others seems to be a wasted cause these days. It's all about ME ME ME

What I'm saying is that these kids, these straight-from-school-into-the-public-spotlight, half-a-million-dollar-a-year sports stars, don't understand about choices. They don't understand, and they're not supported, about the range of lifestyle choices that they can make. They're thrown into the public arena - and they love all the attention they receive - they're given a taste of celebritydom, they're given booze, money, sex and, what, they're expected to behave like model citizens? It's all such a sham. Yes, they have to choose wisely. How does the sport help them?
For example, the NRL this week fined Manly for "bringing the sport into disrepute". What is the NRL going to do with this money? Is the money going to be reinvested into the sport? Will the money be used to better educate and rehabilitate those whose careers may follow a similar path as Brett Stewart, Ben Cousins, Todd Carney, Greg Bird and a host of others? What's wrong with appealing to a sense of responsibility?

If you think I'm wrong then say "I think you're wrong". If you say, "You're wrong", how do you know?
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- ConcertForGeorgeNut
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"....What's wrong with appealing to a sense of responsibility?...."
Nothing. Nothing at all. My point is that it seems to me that we (members of society) don't care about responsibility - especially responsibility to others.
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- Tushy
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I cant believe that they had the gall to put him on the list to play like nothing happened -- what arrogance..
Now we can see where these kids got their lead, that no matter what they did, they didnt have to worry about a thing..
The public are sick of seeing this week after week and nothing being done - if they arent assaulting someone when drunk (wife, girlfriend, whoever) they are glassing, king hitting, trashing the venue...the list goes on....
what is this garbage?
This has been going on for far too long .....time to pull the pin.........
Yep lets hope the money gets put to good use....
Was interesting watching the 7,30 report - they were echoing everything we were saying in here about drinking and the sponsorship/advertising with sport... well doh - move it : ) and start cancelling some things...
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