No Oppo Supporters CAS hands down guilty verdict - Players appealing - Dank shot - no opposition - (cont in pt.2)

[Doss]

We should bring back the "Hird vs Thompson" thread. It was our own mini-version of the HTB, and it kept most the attacks against Hird and Thompson out of this thread.

But unfortunately, contained all too many attacks by posters on other posters.

 

[DonsRule]

But unfortunately, contained all too many attacks by posters on other posters.

I do believe he said was our mini HTB...

 

[Doss]

Yeah well, this isn't the HTB. It was unedifying.

 

[Kong]

In other news, Nathan Bock has retired effective immediately.

I wonder if that's a coincidence...

Certainly doesn't bring the AFL's integrity in question.

No question of disrepute there, no sir.

Top job, AFL.

 

[rumply]

Tracey Holmes on the letter to the Board of the Club.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-29/holmes-hird-is-slowly-being-extinguished/5631594

Get on it everyone.

On the other side are the nameless, faceless men of the Essendon board who are now leaking confidential discussions to the media. Will the rest of the board act as swiftly and decisively in demanding they too sign an agreement refusing to speak to the media?

This shits got to get sorted

 

[Alfred E Neuman]

Yeah well, this isn't the HTB. It was unedifying.

Can we try again, but with strict ground rules? This thread had become pretty muddled with the Hird Thompson stuff.

 

[Nifft]

But unfortunately, contained all too many attacks by posters on other posters.

The constant speculative opinions and attacks on here regarding Hird is also tiring. I don't read The Age for that reason, it's annoying seeing it in here.

 

[cymarak]

This bullshit is coming from the murmurings that at board level there is a small number of board members that want Hird removed, and the media has caught wind of it and using it as another angle to have Hird removed from coaching.

As far as I can see, no proof has been offered that board members want Hird removed - it could all be 'creative journalism'.

 

[2one2]

Just sent this. Effectively a facsimile of my posting on here, but still.

Dear Mr Little

I wish to add my voice to the current chorus.

I wrote a lengthy letter around this issue, but understand that you will be reading a lot of these so have truncated my message severely. Today the issue, while more broadly very complex, is at present very simple.

If anyone from the Essendon board is sharing club information with Caroline Wilson from Fairfax Media, then, regardless of any internal or public climate, they cannot in any way claim to have the best interests of the club at heart. Furthermore, I wish to throw a spotlight on the inherent irony of anyone wishing to “avoid a circus” amidst discussions with the ringmistress of said circus. If this is in fact misinformation or liberty on behalf of Mrs Wilson, then please, every member needs to step out of the boardroom, line up together and declare as one that this is bunkum.

There is a feeling now amongst fans and members that a culture exists within the media whereby a commentator can say whatever they want without repercussion. While I have the utmost respect and admiration for the astoundingly serene patience with which Essendon Football Club has managed to keep a civilized silence, I feel that this silence is now being taken advantage of. Where things are inappropriate, incorrect, personal and slanderous, I expect to hear a statement from the club, delivered with clarity and candor. As a member for four years and a fan for my current lifespan, I have always been of the belief that Bombers should stand by one another. We are a great club and our culture does not include kowtowing to media commentary. The fans have made it clear that we want James Hird to remain at the club, that his voice deserves to be heard, and that pushing him wordlessly out to sea would be a corruption of our culture.

That will do for now. I imagine you can sympathize with the intense longing to say more and in fact to keep writing for hours on the issue. Be well and Go Bombers!

Warmest,

 

[rumply]

Joe Baxter ‏@TheJoeBaxter 22m
Caro wrote 'coach's box' when Hird actually said 'club' and Caro went on to base her entire article today on an error pic.twitter.com/6Sq2n07Afg




ppfffftt, minor detail

 

[DapperDon]

Had someone say, unlikely to be a board member.
Likely to be someone far lower down the chain and heard some conflict, but one small bit of conflict is common in board meetings.

Caro's likely got it from down the chain somewhere and used an article to exploit the situation. See if it causes any reaction and so on.

Most likely a coterie member. Nothing worse than a coined up self important coterie campaigner

 

[Doss]

The constant speculative opinions and attacks on here regarding Hird is also tiring. I don't read The Age for that reason, it's annoying seeing it in here.

People have consistently shown they cannot handle a dedicated thread. That's been regardless of warnings to keep the personal stuff out of it.

We've had by my count three separate threads on the topic and they all end the same way. That's why we're pretty disinclined to go down that path, yet again.

 

[kfc1]

Joe Baxter ‏@TheJoeBaxter 22m
Caro wrote 'coach's box' when Hird actually said 'club' and Caro went on to base her entire article today on an error pic.twitter.com/6Sq2n07Afg




ppfffftt, minor detail

This image offends my sensibilities

 

[KGBeast]

As far as I can see, no proof has been offered that board members want Hird removed - it could all be 'creative journalism'.

This 100%. Sheeds was coach for twenty years and he rarely had the full support of the board. If there are board members leaking to the press then they have to be removed. I don't believe there are however as we've seen how creative Barrett and Wilson can get with their 'scoops'.

 

[Mr Mojo Risin]

At the same time, why would ASADA make this big song and dance about this if they were just going to get slapped down easily?

I mean come on, they have had many international experts review the briefs and the embarrassment and condemnation they would get if their evidence was virtually non-existent would far outweigh ASADA saying there's nothing to pursue. Hell, they didn't even pursue AOD which debunks the whole 'they're putting on a show' rhetoric.

Not sure *cough* money/funding *cough* can't think of any reasons *cough* arse covering for joining government in grandstanding press conference *cough* nothing at all.

I'll agree that a majority of conspiracy theories in life are unlikely to be true but that doesn't mean things are always as is perpetrated by authorities.

Remember, these are show cause notices, nothing more than requesting more information on a subject to a suspicion of wrong-doing. They do not require to have any comfortable satisfaction on balance of probabilities to issue these notices for more information. There is no risk for ASADA to issue these notices as if nothing comes from it, it is a perfectly reasonable response to suggest they required further clarification before deciding on the path forward.

ASADA have nothing to lose by issuing those notices and much funding to lose if they look like they are doing nothing with the money they are given.

I am yet to see anything that would make me think the most likely scenario is that the SC notices have any more substance than political posturing and confession fishing.

 

[Stopher]

Can someone please clarify who Joe Baxter is?

 

[rines]

I think it is important to remember the context of any board room though. You think Collingwood never discusses Buckley? You think every board at every club agrees on everything???

So yep.. there might be 3 board members that don't agree with Hird coming back.. just like there are some posters on here that DO and DO NOT want him back. There were people who wanted to keep Sheedy and those who didn't.. there were people who wanted to keep Knights and those who didn't...

Yet another storm in a teacup created by an unrelenting media and driven by click revenue.

Yet another low point when watching so called 'analysts' watching a 2 min door stop midnight "interview" and trying to read between the lines. Hird basically is trying to politely get in his front door and SHOCK HORROR proclaims that he is "DEFINITELY" looking forward to returning to work in a month.. well thank god for that.. imagine if he wasn't happy about coming back to work..that would suck!!

The club needs to be stronger.. yet again they have pandered to the circus and now it just intensifies.. NO ONE other than Caro was demanding this answer.. but the club came out and made a song and dance about it.. now EVERYONE is interested again. And to those who think the firing of Hird will bring an end to it.. how sad. Caro will just move on to the next target and the next target.. Until the ASADA issue is put to bed.. nothing will be resolved. We don't entirely control when the ASADA thing finishes.. so we just have to grin and bear it.

When Hird is back in the box, the team is playing well and ASADA have been buried.. then it will lose its power and people will stop writing about it.

 

[bomberman500]

I think it is important to remember the context of any board room though. You think Collingwood never discusses Buckley? You think every board at every club agrees on everything???

So yep.. there might be 3 board members that don't agree with Hird coming back.. just like there are some posters on here that DO and DO NOT want him back. There were people who wanted to keep Sheedy and those who didn't.. there were people who wanted to keep Knights and those who didn't...

Yet another storm in a teacup created by an unrelenting media and driven by click revenue.

Yet another low point when watching so called 'analysts' watching a 2 min door stop midnight "interview" and trying to read between the lines. Hird basically is trying to politely get in his front door and SHOCK HORROR proclaims that he is "DEFINITELY" looking forward to returning to work in a month.. well thank god for that.. imagine if he wasn't happy about coming back to work..that would suck!!

The club needs to be stronger.. yet again they have pandered to the circus and now it just intensifies.. NO ONE other than Caro was demanding this answer.. but the club came out and made a song and dance about it.. now EVERYONE is interested again. And to those who think the firing of Hird will bring an end to it.. how sad. Caro will just move on to the next target and the next target.. Until the ASADA issue is put to bed.. nothing will be resolved. We don't entirely control when the ASADA thing finishes.. so we just have to grin and bear it.

When Hird is back in the box, the team is playing well and ASADA have been buried.. then it will lose its power and people will stop writing about it.

Just dont look

 

[Mr Mojo Risin]

How Paul Hamilton has seemingly escaped any scrutiny or backwash in all of this is odd for mine.

You don't throw the baby out with the bath water.

If players are suspended, it is because of Dank and Robinson, and because they were not supervised closely enough.

The idea that you just sack anyone and everyone who had some association with their activities or who was there at the time is just dumb.

If you have a good coach, good assistants, a good football manager etc, you are just shooting yourself in the foot if you sack them all for the sake of making a clean sweep.


And furthermore, I would find it very hard to support a club that sacked Hird after the loyalty he has shown throughout this.

The deciding factor if such things happen is whether the players would trust or want to play for them.

It may be unfair, but if the players wouldn't play for them (Hird/Thompson) then all their skills as coaches become irrelevant.

I'm with you that it's Dank and Robinson that should be held to account, I'm with you that blind reactionary sacking would be dumb, but there are further considerations such as the players, what they want and sponsors etc.

 

[lysp]

http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/2014-07-29/efc-board-statement

As a result of ongoing inaccurate and mischievous reporting by Fairfax Media the Essendon Football Club Board wishes to re-confirm its position relating to James Hird.

The Board is unanimous in its support of James and the strategy in place relating to his return to the Club. To suggest the Board is split in its support for James is simply not true.

Given the testing time our Club has been through over the past two years, the Board is immensely proud of the resilience of our players, coaches, staff and supporters and have no doubt that the ongoing loyalty of everyone at Essendon will continue to galvanise our Club.

We are united as a Club and the Essendon Board will continue to make decisions in the best interest of our players, staff and members.

 

[Zach Package]

'mischievous' is why i'm loving what little has brought to the club

 

[Whispering_Jack]

Board has unanimously backed a contracted coach... Vale Hirdy

 

[fishardansin]

I wonder who will coach us if the board does strong arm a no Hird return and I'm getting a bit annoyed that this is all gaining speed before the court case...

I am concerned Niel Craig has his grubby little hands on this and angling for the position...

It would be amazing if Hird lost his job due to his inexperience running a footy department leading to Dank potenially doping players .... only for a guy who used to be the sports scientist for the cycling at the AIS where he advised a friend of mine how to dope and not get caught!

However, lets get something straight here guys Caro is speaking completely out of her arse. Let me break it down in points for you:

• There absolutely will have been discussions about Hird not being our coach in the future because there still remains a possibility that players will get done (no matter how small you think that is) and that will be an Armageddon situation for the club if there is not careful planning in place for that issue.
• Caro is just shaking the tree to see what falls out. She obviously names no-one which she would do if the story was true or not, and then throws an insult about Little's style at the end to make it clear he's not her source.
• If the club reacts to strongly they're protecting Hird and it's a boys club. If they come out meekly they're either conspiracy theorists or "doth protests to much".
• This could lead to paranoid behaviour by Little and others on the board this leads to fallout .. which leads to juicy stories ... which also she gets cast as the newsbreaker the knower of things!
• If nothing comes of it the world moves on and she loses little credibility, only from those who were on the receiving end.

Because of the last two points I do hope that the club has collected all of the clippings and clips and once this is over release a dossier on each of the "journalists" who have continually muckracked and drowned the story in mayo. Their stories can be lined up in a timeline with both the established facts after the cases are settled and also the publically released information at the same time that they chose to ignore.

The 4th estate is a vital part of our democracy and the fact that it has fallen to this level of rubbish is a major reason we have such a dishonest political system that has many elected officials running on platforms that run counter to well established scientific, economic and sociological research. Though sport is not a hugely important part of it the public interest in it sees such a huge media contingent reporting on it. This is a great chance for Essendon to contribute to the fight against the decline in our society and to defend the long term reputations of many of their long term servants.

 

[Mr Mojo Risin]

Tim Watson make the point there was a story behind that line too, guess it was reading off a card essentially. Later to figure out what was going on.

No doubt that card was written by Elizabeth Lukin, who continually does not get assigned the appropriate amount of credit/responsibility for the damage she has caused.

 

[The Prosecutor]

No doubt that card was written by Elizabeth Lukin, who continually does not get assigned the appropriate amount of credit/responsibility for the damage she has caused.

Go on...