Swearing at umpires

Sep 15, 2011
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It has been a family product for 100 odd years, how come only today’s kids are effected. Never effected me as a kid listening to coaches swear their boxes off, going out to senior game huddles and watching coaches tear strips off players and using language unheard of these days. Zero impact at all it had because my parents taught me what was acceptable in life not tv shows, or sporting personalities.
Umps haven't been mic'd up for 100 years. In the past, parents could make decisions about whether to take their kids to the game or out to listen to the huddles. I'm not criticising the players or the umpires, it's the AFL and 7 that could quite simply turn the mics down or off. I'm not sheltering my kids, but neither do I think my six-year-old should hear players yell * off at 6pm on prime time TV.
 

Jiggyman

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Apr 1, 2010
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Happened a lot tonight, and from players who should know better, Ablett - Pendlebury - Beams - Danger to name a few and not one 50 paid, clear audio every time.

Well done AFL, the junior umpires around the country thank you.
Wonder how much you swore at the GF last year? Relax mate.
 
Oct 3, 2007
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Umps haven't been mic'd up for 100 years. In the past, parents could make decisions about whether to take their kids to the game or out to listen to the huddles. I'm not criticising the players or the umpires, it's the AFL and 7 that could quite simply turn the mics down or off. I'm not sheltering my kids, but neither do I think my six-year-old should hear players yell **** off at 6pm on prime time TV.

I agree the AFL and 7 could just turn it off, but if they don’t they need to accept grown adults curse from time to time.
It’s not about should your kids expect to hear it at Prime time, but if they do once in a blue moon it is hardly going to scar them for life. I am sure they have heard mum and a Dad swear.
 

PAFC_1870

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I think if the they have audio on the ground it can't be allowed.

If they didn't I'd have no issues at all.
 
Sep 15, 2011
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I agree the AFL and 7 could just turn it off, but if they don’t they need to accept grown adults curse from time to time.
It’s not about should your kids expect to hear it at Prime time, but if they do once in a blue moon it is hardly going to scar them for life. I am sure they have heard mum and a Dad swear.
Not yet.
 
Dec 18, 2005
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So long as rugby union exists it will always be the standard to which all other codes should aspire.

There is actually no good reason why we should allow any leniency on swearing at or to the ref. Straight up 25m penalty for using a swear word in a sentence. 50m if abusive.

"******* hell what else could i do?" - cool story pal, lets go 25.

"You're a ******* dog" awesome, 50m and 6 weeks at the tribunal.

"**** sake" 25 champ lets go.

People are capable of better- why do we insist they can't be?
This isn't the Be-The-Best-You-Can-Be competition! (Sponsored by Gillette)

It's competitive sport, let them play football not be role models every god dam minute.
 

CrowInFiji

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Sep 29, 2018
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This isn't the Be-The-Best-You-Can-Be competition! (Sponsored by Gillette)

It's competitive sport, let them play football not be role models every god dam minute.

Superceding sport is social cohesion and part of that is respect.

Perhaps more importantly the flow on to junior leagues is obvious.
 
May 13, 2007
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The AFL is not junior footy, men are different to kids. Have you ever sworn in your life?
It is such a fantasy to think what AFL level players do kids will do.
I watched Dennis Lillee my hero kick a player as a 10 year old, no one I know across the entire country in junior sport decided to start kicking players on a cricket field.
If you don’t like swearing that’s good and well but in real life it is a part of real human behaviour. Doesn’t have to be but it is.
There is no such thing as this perfect world you obviously want, get over it and please for do not tell your kids their is.


I’ve coached junior football for 8 years and been involved in junior football club administration for much of that.

There is absolutely no doubt that what happens on the field at AFL level filters down to juniors. Kids watch these blokes and try to emulate them. I totally agree with the OP and agree it should be stamped out.
 
Sep 13, 2015
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The stigma around some swear words is a little archaic tbh. There’s some words that are genuinely offensive and the sensitivity around these is fine but theres a set that seem to only be issues around kids. Generally, the f and c bombs, and also s**t. But there are literally words that mean the exact same thing as these words that are totally acceptable. And then there’s an age when all of a sudden it’s acceptable to be exposed to these words. Is it really worth censoring these words as much as we do? Maybe someone has a perspective I haven’t looked at it from.

Anyway, it’s a footy forum, that’s just my 2 cents worth. The AFL can only really work within the society we’re in and that society frowns upon these words so we’ll deal with that.
This is where the broadcasters need to take some responsibility. If they can’t find some way to make sure only umpires words come through the mic, they need to switch them off and use the audio later when it can be checked, or have it wired to commentators who can pass the messages on to viewers. You just aren’t going to eliminate swearing.
 
As I always say, I'm fine with players saying what they want to umps, so long as the umps can say what they want to the players.

Somehow I think an ump saying: "Stop trying to play for a free and get a hard ball for once you soft campaigner" would convince players (an anyone listening in) to change their stance.
 

ManInWhite

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Apr 6, 2009
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The issue is that if the umpire said even half of that to the player the clubs would be straight into Gill's office demanding the umpire be sacked.

Players at the AFL might be grown men but it makes things very hard at junior footy level when the parents of junior umpires are complaining at the language on the field directed at the umpires. What the players watch on the TV kind of sets a bar which everyone seems to think is acceptable. From someone who has spent a lot of time trying to get younger people involved as umpires, this doesn't make it easy.
 
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JimDocker

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Oct 16, 2007
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There should be consequences for players swearing, or generally being abusive to umpires.

It doesn't happen in rugby and that is because it has never been allowed to happen. Other sports have been soft on it and the longer it goes on, the worse it gets, exponentially.
 

zoomba23

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Jun 17, 2017
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Think some of you blokes are missing the point. Everyone knows swearing is a part of life, that's acknowledged. The issue is that the umps are mic'd up and that it picks up the language of the players. That filters through to the junior footy players watching at home, which really doesn't bode well for up and coming umps across the country who could be our next batch of AFL umps. I've seen some pretty disgusting abuse of umps from both parents and players at junior games, and I reckon it's stupid and it deters people from sticking with the job. Some of you might sit behind your keyboards with your stubbies and go 'yeah nah, they're just words,' but words can ruin your goddamn confidence when about 36 kids (and as many bogan parents) are relying on you to adjudicate a game fairly. So yeah, either * the mics off (it's pointless anyway, doesn't achieve s**t) or punish player swearing to set an example for the junior levels. I know which one I'd prefer, as I cherish my right to swear as much as the next bloke.
 
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