5AA in Deep Schmitt OFFICIAL AFLUA RELEASE

[Portia]

Originally posted by Joffaboy
Because he deserves to be sued. It will serve notice that you just cant say unsubstainiated defamatory rubbish on the public record and get away with it.

He deserved to get the wind sent up him, like every other case of media defamation involving the AFL has done in recent memory. This is going further than anything against, say, Sam Newman.

Let me ask put forward a senerio.
A Victorian club had been knocked back by the AFL when they wanted the go ahead with a fund raising exercise, and in the following week Port Adelaide got the go ahead to do something similiar (but not quite the same) as the Victorian club.
The parochial minority of the Victorian media and supporters are up in arms over the decision and proclaims this is again proof that the AFL favours interstate sides.
This bubbles along in the media and on footy forums such as bigfooty.
It is still fresh in the minds of footy followers when a media personality openly states on a radion broadcast that the AFL has been bribed by the interstate club so they could get the go ahead.

The furore from across would be (understandably) huge.

The Port Adeaide Football Club, I'm sure, would demand a full retraction, and as is their usual fashion, would try to deal with it in a sensible fashion. They wouldn't, however, be in a position to a) dominate the national primetime slot that Collingwood do through Eddie, nor b) speak with the authority of the PAFC as well as the apparent authority of Channel Nine (who obviously OKed Eddie's tirade), and thus bully the rest of the media into agreeing if they want to keep credibility.

Now in the above situation the club and the ruling body have had their reputations sullied. This could affect all types of sponsorships, and deals such as TV rights. The two parties have every right to test the claims of bribery in a court of law where evidence is tested and judged.

I agree. Yet why is this the only case which is ending in real legal action, despite forthcoming on-air apologies and so on? Its because Rowe is a small fish.

Also, Eddie's influence (and national broadcast of this rumour during the high-rating game of the week) means that the media are leery of helping him out - which they more than likely would do if he was a more recognised, similar person from the AFL/VFL like Doug Hawkins.

I say good on you Collingwood and Umpire Schmitt. If my club was defamed in such an appalling manner I hope they would react in the same way.

I'd hope mine would act with more discretion and not set out to ruin careers of ex-players when the same apologies are forthcoming as in other cases in the AFL that are almost invariably dismissed.

 

[Lockyer24]

even Port fans and Crow fans are joining forces for this one!

must be a big issue!

 

[Portia]

Its nothing to do with that. I'd ask where all the `Eddie's Conflict Of Interest' people are now that its coming into play, and wrecking a career.

 

[Lockyer24]

The gimp wrecked his own, once again, stop looking for others to blame.

 

[Portia]

He drove down the slippery road, but Eddie's the one that knocked him into a spin.

For saying what he did, yes, these are certainly things that can happen. But the degree to which he is being sued/taken to court is exceptional by previous standards where defamation has gone on in the AFL, and its because he's a small guy.

Secondly, any sympathy he may have received from other media outlets is totally non-existent, due to Eddie representing not only the CFC, but Channel Nine.

Thirdly, the impact of the rumor has at least tripled by means of Eddie's bringing it up in primetime on Channel Nine. Is the umpire also going to sue channel nine for spreading the rumor in the same fashion? Or was Eddie wearing his Collingwood hat then?

 

[Docker_Brat]

What a sad world we live in when litigation has gotten out of hand. Sure the comments were wrong, but why not accept the apology?

How is sending the guy bankrupt going to correct anything? It's not as if anyone has suffered any material loss. I don't think the Collingwood FC are going to go down the gurgler if they don't get some financial reward.

Worse things have been said by Eddie's mate Sam Newman, yet we don't see any of his targets following through with monetary compensation. They seem to have to accept his apology and move on.

 

[Crow54]

Docker Brat, you've summed it up perfectly. This is exactly what I wanted to say in the beginning (I can't be bothered going back to read what I actually did say.)

Porthos articulates very well what I think, but can't actually put in writing.

Some things just make my blood boil

and for some reason this was one of them.

 

[Lockyer24]

Sam says teams are crap, not cheats

 

[Damp Squarie]

Eddie is grandstanding, and it wont be the last time this year.

Im surprised hes not wearing a Black and Spite beanie on a his primetime slot

 

[Blues_Brat]

Originally posted by Lockyer24
Sam says teams are crap, not cheats

What about the Nicky Winmar incident? Could've got ugly litigation wise.

 

[Stewies Power]

I feel sorry for the guy, but as a professional broadcaster he should've known that this pile of rubbish crossed the line.

lol

 

[the distributer]

lol

Bump worthy?

 

[Doss]

Pointless bump.

Closed.