mic59
2 Apr 2003, 11:57
Graham Cornes from the Advertiser today:
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GRAHAM CORNES: Move to take points unfair to the fans
22mar03
WHY is it that basically good men can evoke such constant, harsh criticism? Wayne Jackson and Andrew Demetriou are good men. They are totally different individuals but essentially they are charismatic, principled, and dedicated to their job and their institution – the Australian Football League.
Perhaps it's the institution, not the men who serve it, that alienates and offends. Their latest proclamation, that clubs found guilty of breaching the salary cap will be stripped of premiership point, should have sent shivers down the spines of all football supporters.
Every club at some stage has breached the salary cap. Sometimes this has been systematic and deliberate; other times, it has been accidental. Mostly the clubs confessed to the AFL.
On some occasions, however clubs will continue to protest their innocence. If the AFL insists on total compliance with the cap they must devise a way of policing it without destroying the integrity of the game. Stripping clubs of premiership points they have already won is surely interfering with the game's integrity. It is yet to be proved that paying players more than the AFL permits, when there are different salary rules for different teams in the same competition is an assault on the integrity of the game.
You only have to look at soccer leagues, where the teams who can afford to pay their players more are the consistently successful ones to know this argument is a load of hogwash
It happened in the Australian Rugby League last year, when late in the season, the ARL stripped competition leader the Canterbury Bulldogs of all their premiership points. The premiership was won with the best team in the competition looking on. They broke the rules and paid the price but could the league be sure no other team was guilty. The competition and sport suffered, not because Canterbury rorted the system, but because the ARL action was inappropriate. They hurt the fans more than the club.
tough
Could you imagine the reaction if Collingwood lost premiership points before a finals' series, or heaven forbid, Adelaide? Both clubs, in the past have breached the salary cap, and while their current administrations would pledge compliance with the current rules, they could never be sure that it couldn't happen again.
If it was Collingwood, it would be the most popular move ever. Maybe some Cows fans would complain if it happened to them, but who gives a ****
The AFL reaction to perceived problems has been to use draconian legislation. The only recent legislation that has worked for the AFL is that of racial vilification.
They haven't been able to stop melees, coaches complaining to umpires, or reduced the incidence of reportable offences. In fact more players are reported than before, and too many for offences that are trivial. Despite the fact that accidental and incidental contact is dealt with too severely, they haven't been able to stop players running into each other; the charging law is still a disgrace. They have imposed ridiculous penalties on players who accidentally run into umpires, but players are still running into umpires.
I'll agree, they are crap. But when Essendon and Melbourne rorted they fined them and took away a pick. That didn't work. When Carlton rorted they gave them a huge ine and took away picks for two years. That will probably not prevent rorting either but will mean that Carlton wil not be competitive for some time, the team estimates possibly 5 years. How in the hell is that meant to be an acceptable solution? Take off points and you hamstring a club for one year, maybe not at all.
Jackson conceded that one reason crowds fell last year could have been ticket prices. How many fans these days are frustrated with the perception they are alienated from the game, that it has been too sanitised, and is more for corporate Australia than the people? The perceptions may not be the reality but if you are going to start taking hard-earned premiership points off teams, you will only inflame the negative perceptions, and a generation of club supporters will never forgive you.
This is the only sensible thing he has said in this whole article. As always, Cornes has only criticised and not given any other options to consider. He points out the case of the Canterbury Bulldogs. That WAS draconian and unnecessary, having all points stripped. There could be options, a pro-rata stripping of points by how much the team exceeds the salary cap; for instance, 4 points per $15,000. Or you could take off points against all but the bottom 5 clubs.
I would welcome an article from Graham Cornes where he does more than wave a limp piece of lettuce at anything he doesn't like.
.
GRAHAM CORNES: Move to take points unfair to the fans
22mar03
WHY is it that basically good men can evoke such constant, harsh criticism? Wayne Jackson and Andrew Demetriou are good men. They are totally different individuals but essentially they are charismatic, principled, and dedicated to their job and their institution – the Australian Football League.
Perhaps it's the institution, not the men who serve it, that alienates and offends. Their latest proclamation, that clubs found guilty of breaching the salary cap will be stripped of premiership point, should have sent shivers down the spines of all football supporters.
Every club at some stage has breached the salary cap. Sometimes this has been systematic and deliberate; other times, it has been accidental. Mostly the clubs confessed to the AFL.
On some occasions, however clubs will continue to protest their innocence. If the AFL insists on total compliance with the cap they must devise a way of policing it without destroying the integrity of the game. Stripping clubs of premiership points they have already won is surely interfering with the game's integrity. It is yet to be proved that paying players more than the AFL permits, when there are different salary rules for different teams in the same competition is an assault on the integrity of the game.
You only have to look at soccer leagues, where the teams who can afford to pay their players more are the consistently successful ones to know this argument is a load of hogwash
It happened in the Australian Rugby League last year, when late in the season, the ARL stripped competition leader the Canterbury Bulldogs of all their premiership points. The premiership was won with the best team in the competition looking on. They broke the rules and paid the price but could the league be sure no other team was guilty. The competition and sport suffered, not because Canterbury rorted the system, but because the ARL action was inappropriate. They hurt the fans more than the club.
tough
Could you imagine the reaction if Collingwood lost premiership points before a finals' series, or heaven forbid, Adelaide? Both clubs, in the past have breached the salary cap, and while their current administrations would pledge compliance with the current rules, they could never be sure that it couldn't happen again.
If it was Collingwood, it would be the most popular move ever. Maybe some Cows fans would complain if it happened to them, but who gives a ****
The AFL reaction to perceived problems has been to use draconian legislation. The only recent legislation that has worked for the AFL is that of racial vilification.
They haven't been able to stop melees, coaches complaining to umpires, or reduced the incidence of reportable offences. In fact more players are reported than before, and too many for offences that are trivial. Despite the fact that accidental and incidental contact is dealt with too severely, they haven't been able to stop players running into each other; the charging law is still a disgrace. They have imposed ridiculous penalties on players who accidentally run into umpires, but players are still running into umpires.
I'll agree, they are crap. But when Essendon and Melbourne rorted they fined them and took away a pick. That didn't work. When Carlton rorted they gave them a huge ine and took away picks for two years. That will probably not prevent rorting either but will mean that Carlton wil not be competitive for some time, the team estimates possibly 5 years. How in the hell is that meant to be an acceptable solution? Take off points and you hamstring a club for one year, maybe not at all.
Jackson conceded that one reason crowds fell last year could have been ticket prices. How many fans these days are frustrated with the perception they are alienated from the game, that it has been too sanitised, and is more for corporate Australia than the people? The perceptions may not be the reality but if you are going to start taking hard-earned premiership points off teams, you will only inflame the negative perceptions, and a generation of club supporters will never forgive you.
This is the only sensible thing he has said in this whole article. As always, Cornes has only criticised and not given any other options to consider. He points out the case of the Canterbury Bulldogs. That WAS draconian and unnecessary, having all points stripped. There could be options, a pro-rata stripping of points by how much the team exceeds the salary cap; for instance, 4 points per $15,000. Or you could take off points against all but the bottom 5 clubs.
I would welcome an article from Graham Cornes where he does more than wave a limp piece of lettuce at anything he doesn't like.