The Bombers ASADA/WADA Saga

[lionbear]

Hird left meeting saying he is still coach.

 

[Hollow Knight]

Hird left meeting saying he is still coach.

Was texting whatboutbob earlier and we were mooting the potential benefits from an EFC perspective of a provisional suspension with pay for Hird until the Show Cause thing plays out. Should the SC notices become infraction notices, Essendon would surely have grounds to sack him for cause with no payout.

They are really running out of reasons to keep doing the right thing by Hird when he refuses to meet them half way.

 

[POBT]

Don't be so sure. If we had a similar perfect storm of uncertainty, conflicting stories, bumbling ASADA bureaucracy, political inteference, shady sports scientists refusing to speak, a revenous media and a club legend and favourite son in the centre of it all, there would be plenty of scope for Kool-Aid consumption here.

Generally, the cross-section of every club's support base is largely similar. By all means you are allowed to be fascinated and amused by it all - it is incredibly interesting. But for all my morbid curiosity, there is a tinge of "there but for the grace of god goes us" to it all to.

It seems to me that an Essendon supporter has two choices: remain defiant or stop watching footy and/or supporting Essendon.

If you believe that Essendon has done what is alleged, you can't possibly keep supporting them now, with all the s**t they have pulled. You can really only logically keep buying memberships and going to games if you believe Essendon has been completely victimised and is entitled to keep fighting the good fight.

What is most interesting is the number of people who are now choosing to support Essendon (re the appeal) even if it means cutting Hird loose.

 

[matwt73]

It seems to me that an Essendon supporter has two choices: remain defiant or stop watching footy and/or supporting Essendon.

If you believe that Essendon has done what is alleged, you can't possibly keep supporting them now, with all the s**t they have pulled. You can really only logically keep buying memberships and going to games if you believe Essendon has been completely victimised and is entitled to keep fighting the good fight.

What is most interesting is the number of people who are now choosing to support Essendon (re the appeal) even if it means cutting Hird loose.

I think there is a third option. Suck it up embrace your cognitive dissonance and tell yourself that the club you love is bigger than James ad bigger than Little and needs good people to get t back onbtrack.

 

[Skoob]

Funnily enough Fox Sports News is running with the Caro reports. Even NewsCorp seemingly rate Fairfax more than their own papers.

You know fine well that credibility of source doesn't come into it. Which sounds sexier, "Coach still not sacked" or " COACH SACKED".

 

[neg99]

Funnily enough Fox Sports News is running with the Caro reports. Even NewsCorp seemingly rate Fairfax more than their own papers.

To be fair after reading Caro's article they're both probably right. Hird has the option to resign, if he doesn't he'll be sacked... Just not sacked yet.


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[Hollow Knight]

I think there is a third option. Suck it up embrace your cognitive dissonance and tell yourself that the club you love is bigger than James ad bigger than Little and needs good people to get t back onbtrack.

And to be fair, I think the vast majority are going to start trudging in this direction.

 

[Ironmonger]

Don't be so sure. If we had a similar perfect storm of conflicting stories, bumbling ASADA bureaucracy, political and AFL inteference, shady sports scientists refusing to speak, a ravenous media, legal uncertainty and a club legend/favourite son at the centre of it all, there would be plenty of scope for Kool-Aid consumption and #LoyalToLeppa hashtags here.

Generally, the cross-section of every club's support base is largely similar. By all means you are allowed to be fascinated and amused by it all (I certainly am) - it is incredibly interesting. But for all my morbid curiosity, there is a tinge of "there but for the grace of god goes us" to it all to.

Yep, the bolded bit is a really important part of it.

If this had happened under Knights you can bet he would have been cast adrift early in the process. Probably if it'd been Thompson or Harvey too, for that matter. Hird occupies a special place in the consciousness of the Essendon footy club.

 

[POBT]

I think there is a third option. Suck it up embrace your cognitive dissonance and tell yourself that the club you love is bigger than James ad bigger than Little and needs good people to get t back onbtrack.

But you can only do that if the club heads in that direction. Until the club makes the decision to let the fight go, then how do you keep supporting them?

FWIW, the club seems as close as it has ever been to rolling over now. And I absolutely agree that they need good people in charge.

 

[Hollow Knight]

Yep, the bolded bit is a really important part of it.

If this had happened under Knights you can bet he would have been cast adrift early in the process. Probably if it'd been Thompson or Harvey too, for that matter. Hird occupies a special place in the consciousness of the Essendon footy club.

Indeed.

For example, aside from the 2000 premiership, would there be a more cherished and iconic on-field moment in the last two decades for Bombers fans than James Hird kicking that goal against West Coast and hugging the supporter in the stands. These are the intangible things with emotional currency that are on the line in a saga like this. The taint will never go away.

So as much as I have criticised him, you can certainly understand to a point why Hird would put it all on the line and appeal.

 

[knaf]

We only have to go back a year to the mixture of emotions expressed here when Voss was sacked. And the circumstances were no where near as convoluted as Hirdgate. I think I am beginning to feel a little sympathy for Bomber supporters, but I'll get over it.

 

[dlanod]

We only have to go back a year to the mixture of emotions expressed here when Voss was sacked. And the circumstances were no where near as convoluted as Hirdgate. I think I am beginning to feel a little sympathy for Bomber supporters, but I'll get over it.

The Aker removal springs to mind too.

 

[Ironmonger]

We only have to go back a year to the mixture of emotions expressed here when Voss was sacked. And the circumstances were no where near as convoluted as Hirdgate. I think I am beginning to feel a little sympathy for Bomber supporters, but I'll get over it.

...and it cost the chairman his job.

No wonder Eddie McGuire is so eager to protect Buckley from criticism, or the Essendon hierarchy spent so much blood and treasure defending Hird.

 

[Slax]

I'm just left thinking how dumb do the Gold Coast board look now. Two weeks ago they debated the sacking of McKenna and delayed a decision, to do what they basically agreed to do on that day. If they had of done that then, they would almost certainly have Thompson's signature on paper and be a happy bunch, now they are left with the very real propoect of the planned coached not signing.

 

[Hollow Knight]

I'm just left thinking how dumb do the Gold Coast board look now. Two weeks ago they debated the sacking of McKenna and delayed a decision, to do what they basically agreed to do on that day. If they had of done that then, they would almost certainly have Thompson's signature on paper and be a happy bunch, now they are left with the very real propoect of the planned coached not signing.

Bomber was clearly their number one target but I really think McKenna was gone anyway.

They will have no shortage of candidates. The Suns coaching job as it stands now is by far the juiciest and most appealing coaching vacancy in quite some time.

 

[Mavlions1961]

I'm just left thinking how dumb do the Gold Coast board look now. Two weeks ago they debated the sacking of McKenna and delayed a decision, to do what they basically agreed to do on that day. If they had of done that then, they would almost certainly have Thompson's signature on paper and be a happy bunch, now they are left with the very real propoect of the planned coached not signing.

Very true Slax, reminds me of another team in SEQ about 15 months ago.

 

[Toffee Lion]

Monkey see, monkey do.

 

[POBT]

I reckon Bomber wasn't that interested in the Suns job. Wouldn't be surprised if that was about forcing Essendon's hand.

 

[Hollow Knight]

...and it cost the chairman his job.

No wonder Eddie McGuire is so eager to protect Buckley from criticism, or the Essendon hierarchy spent so much blood and treasure defending Hird.

Yep, hard to see an outcome from here that doesn't leave Little and his faction as dead men walking. He left it too late to suddenly become pragmatic.

The PR side of that is pretty obvious - he'll walk away and say he was only every interested in being a short term war-time consigliere to steer them through the mess.

 

[Hollow Knight]

I reckon Bomber wasn't that interested in the Suns job. Wouldn't be surprised if that was about forcing Essendon's hand.

Reckon you could be right.

He was very cagey and had played a very straight bat for weeks and then suddenly on Monday night he is openly telling the 360 boys about third parties contacting him about the Suns job.

 

[matwt73]

Never liked James, but gee I have a hard time seeing bomber as anything other than self serving too. The way he left Geelong and came to Essendon and plays this whole slightly befuddled good bloke act for the media. He is a playa and I wouldn't trust him.

 

[dlanod]

Never liked James, but gee I have a hard time seeing bomber as anything other than self serving too. The way he left Geelong and came to Essendon and plays this whole slightly befuddled good bloke act for the media. He is a playa and I wouldn't trust him.

Spent a year mouthing off about Ablett only to pull an even more underhanded "retire and move" weeks later. Hypocritism spoils my view of a person.

 

[Ceebee]

Oh my lordy. What a completely stuffed up club.
Not sure who you would trust there.
How the hell is this mess ever going to be sorted.!

 

[neg99]

If we don’t appeal our players may be stained forever by the innuendo, misconceptions and falsities that resulted from an investigation that we believe was conducted unlawfully.

From Hird's statement... The bit I don't get is that surely if Hird was successful and ASADA couldn't pursue SCN (which they most likely will be able to anyway) wouldn't that leave the players reputations "stained" given they would've been let off on a technicality, not because there was insufficient evidence?


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[neg99]

OK, tin foil hat time... Essendon want to appeal but know they can't due to pressure from the AFL so they encourage Hirdy too. They leak that they will sack Hird so it looks like they're totally against his actions and they regain the faith of the other clubs and the AFL meanwhile they back Hird's legal team to win the appeal getting the outcome Ess really want. They then keep Hird saying he was vindicated and they couldn't sack him for pursuing his legal rights...

Totally tin foil hat but sounds like the sort of scheme that would fit...


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