Coach Grumpy

[Blue1980]

I’ve never understood the angst and faux culture war it began when Langer went. Only reason it happened was because of all his mates in the media, and the media being largely populated with mates/contemporaries of his.

Bob Simpson didn’t have that for him in 96, as he didn’t have all mates in the media and was seen as an enemy by the Chappells, Marsh etc.

Like it was back then (we moved on from Simpson within a year of finally beating the Windies), I think it’s simply a case of a new coach needed for this group of players at this specific time.

 

[HTPunter]

The ongoing complaining from players about their busy schedule.

They repeatedly choose money over family. They are more than able to forgo IPL but they choose not too. They can opt out of BBL and retire from international T20 cricket. They can retire from ODI cricket.

But they never do. They just want more time off. But paid the same. Without sacrificing any cricket played. Righto.

We all make sacrifices in life. No one else in life gets an off-season.

 

[HTPunter]

Having listened to him in commentary all summer I think it's now been conceded in most quarters that the players might have been on to something regarding Langer as being a touch tiresome.

Honestly with the way he does nothing but blow smoke up every player, I’m surprised they didn’t love him. And I’m sick of him being giddy over which players are good mates - I suspect a lot of them are, we don’t need to hear it repeatedly Justin. Plus he definitely doesn’t have a voice for commentary.

 

[sandeano]

The ongoing complaining from players about their busy schedule.

They repeatedly choose money over family. They are more than able to forgo IPL but they choose not too. They can opt out of BBL and retire from international T20 cricket. They can retire from ODI cricket.

But they never do. They just want more time off. But paid the same. Without sacrificing any cricket played. Righto.

We all make sacrifices in life. No one else in life gets an off-season.

As I do most mornings, on Sunday I checked Cricinfo for the overnight scores. There that I saw that Adam Zampa was MotM in a game in Dubai. So basically he wrapped up with the Stars on Wednesday night, hopped on a plane on Thursday and was playing Saturday in the Middle East.

Wasn't he the one complaining about how tiring the length of the BBL season was?

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

As I do most mornings, on Sunday I checked Cricinfo for the overnight scores. There that I saw that Adam Zampa was MotM in a game in Dubai. So basically he wrapped up with the Stars on Wednesday night, hopped on a plane on Thursday and was playing Saturday in the Middle East.

Wasn't he the one complaining about how tiring the length of the BBL season was?

Players complaining about scheduling falls on deaf ears with me. The moment someone offers more money, suddenly scheduling is no longer a problem.

 

[sandeano]

Players complaining about scheduling falls on deaf ears with me. The moment someone offers more money, suddenly scheduling is no longer a problem.

Must say, his form hasn't suffered. MotM last night again. And one of his wickets was Joe Clarke, less than a week ago they were on the same team.

 

[largebus]

As disgraceful as the whiteanting of Langer was, his sacrifice has been fantastic for WA cricket.
WA has 4 domestic titles out of 4 since his removal and he now pisses off bigfooty from the channel 7 comm box.

 

[carloss]

My recollection but, the summer schedule used to have 50 over cricket between the tests. Then the players said it was too hard to adapt between the games, so it changed. Now the players say its too hard playing back to back tests.

 

[Blue1980]

My recollection but, the summer schedule used to have 50 over cricket between the tests. Then the players said it was too hard to adapt between the games, so it changed. Now the players say its too hard playing back to back tests.

I don’t think we have landed at the right spot yet with t20 leagues and international cricket.

Mind you I’m not sure where it ends.

 

[Tyberious Funk]

Having listened to him in commentary all summer I think it's now been conceded in most quarters that the players might have been on to something regarding Langer as being a touch tiresome.

Langer seems to be one of those guys that is never wrong. Even when he admits he is wrong, it's usually just a round-about way to claim he's right. For example, he claims he welcomed the feedback from players about his intense style, embraced the feedback and made changes... while basically claiming that it was everyone else's fault for not being open with him. And then when he gets sacked for basically the exact reasons he had been criticised over in the past, he suddenly claims it was a surprise.

He clearly has zero level of self-awareness.

He doesn't belong anywhere near the commentary box.

 

[SSwans2011]

This article was a ****ing fever dream, like playing Newscorp opinion column bingo...

Justin Langer: Resorting to abuse and vitriol is not the way to make a point​

A wise man once told me that there’s a very fine line between being funny and a fool, a comedian or a villain.

In that context, I have always thought that part of our Australian culture is taking the mickey out of each other.

My experience is that the more you ‘take the mick’, the more you like someone in this country. It’s generally a sign of affection, rather than a criticism.

Some of my closest friends from other parts of the world, have needed some time — and encouragement — to understand that the more we make fun of you, the more we like you.

It’s a sense of endearment to be given a nickname, or have your mates have a laugh with you, in front of your face. You are a part of the gang if the banter is met by laughs and back slaps, high fives and hugs.
Of course, like a comedian or a clown, there’s a fine line between being a bully and a best mate. Anyone with any common sense or empathy understands the difference, but some don’t get it.


I know people who are funny at the expense of others. Their humour is usually done behind the target’s back, and the joke, while drawing a laugh, can be a little uncomfortable.

This discomfort is due to the realization that they’ve crossed that ‘very fine line’, or that if others are the butt of the gag, I wonder what might be said about me when I am not in the room. You know the feeling?

In cricket, the expression ‘sledging’ is synonymous with the game.

Over the years I have been intrigued by the fascination with the word ‘sledge’. Just say the word and everyone seems to laugh. If I singled out the most common question I’m asked at function, it would be, ‘What is the best sledge you have ever heard on the cricket field?’.

Each time I have to have a good think about my answer because I can never come up with anything that has left an indelible mark on my mind.

Most historical sledges that have been relayed to me have become part of cricket folklore, and I can admit without hesitation, that there has been a lot of ‘mayonnaise’ smacked on nine tenths of those traditional sledging stories.

Maybe they actually happened, but I don’t know many cricketers, or sportspeople, that have the wit, or comic prowess of Jerry Seinfeld, Rodney Dangerfield or Steve Martin. They make for great stories though. During different periods of time, the Australian cricket team was known as the ‘ugly Aussies’ because of the perception of sledging.




Granted, there have been instances where this may have been the case. But, in my experience, the so-called sledging, which has negative connotations, results from a few isolated moments of ugliness.

The sledging I know of came in the form of a sly remark made with sprinkle of humour, intended to distract the opponent from their concentration. Rarely was there any anger associated with the action and, in most cases, the quip drew a smile from both opponents.

Occasionally, in the furnace of competition and adrenaline, there may have been a few puffed chests and an outcry of emotion but overall, it was a fun part of the game.

The best sledge ever served up to me was from young South Australian off spinner Dan Cullen. He was a cocky, confident, red-headed, skinny young man who jumped around like a world class ballet dancer.

When we met at the WACA ground, I was at the height of my international career, and feeling equally as confident in myself. Over after over Dan kept smiling at me and telling me it was only a matter of time before he would get me out.
With every smart grin, my blood was rising, as there was no way I was going to let this young upstart get the better of me.

History — and the scorebook — shows that he eventually got me out. As I walked past him, he didn’t say a word. Instead, he just smiled and winked at me.

Aghhh. Today it makes me laugh at the hide of the boy, but then, there was no worse ‘sledge’ that I copped. Not only had he taken my wicket but now he was sending me on my way with a smile and a wink.

When I started coaching the Australian cricket team, there were suggestions that the team was falling into the trap of behaving like ‘ugly Aussies’.

In order to avoid this perception, we discussed the line, that most of us know, between banter and abuse. In life, including the sporting field, there is no room for abuse. Simple. Full stop. The line isn’t fine, it is obvious.

Banter is a part of the game, as it can be a fun part of life. There is nothing wrong with competition. In the end of the day that is what most games are about, competing, winning or losing. Surely there is nothing wrong with that?

If I play games with my kids, there is always plenty of banter and teasing, but obviously there is never any abuse.

Nothing good comes from abuse, anger or hate. Abuse someone in the carpark, pub, shopping centre, on the road, or sporting field, and you are either a bully, a villain or looking for trouble.

I am not sure there is any upside to that and there is never any good that comes from it.

Last week I was completely shocked by reports of young, female, American singer Phoebe Bridgers inciting horrible abuse at the police and on one of our sporting legends here in Australia. Bridgers is obviously a talented international artist with a strong social media following. But not only was her abuse cruel and hurtful, her language and the example she set was disgraceful. Call me old-fashioned, but I just don’t get it.

A visitor to our country, a singer entertaining thousands of teenagers, screaming out profanities at one of our own, and then sending a similar message about the police. Bizarre, hurtful, ignorant.

And for those playing the free speech card, turn it up.

If you don’t agree with something, or someone, there is better ways to go about it than through abuse and violence.

Angry vitriol is craziness. Seriously, peace out sister. And for that matter, brothers. Anger spreads like a virus, but so does compassion, understanding and love. That is always a choice.

On the topic of strange behaviour, I visited Question Time at Parliament House in Canberra a few years ago.

Just like the pop concert I saw online last week, I was blown away by the poor behaviour of some of our politicians. Talk about adults behaving badly. The lack of courtesy and respect was tangible. Maybe it is all a part of the theatre of the event, and maybe it is fun for our politicians, but the leaders of our country are supposed to show the way.

There are times when our politicians are the first to jump on others for their poor behaviour. Question Time certainly shocked me. It is very hard to question others, when your actions aren’t setting the example of what you are preaching.

The Super Nanny tells us to send our misbehaving kids to the naughty corner. On the sporting field anyone conducting themselves in such a manner would be handed a red card, sent to the sin bin or suspended from playing the next game.

In other sections of our society, the worst behaved are sent to jail.

Political correctness has gone to a new level these days, but I hope we never lose the ability to banter and have fun with our friends and colleagues. Equally, I hope we get to a point where we no longer tolerate angry tirades and abuse.

Some might say there is a fine line, but I am not sure about that.

When it comes to abuse, it is clear in my mind the difference between what is right and what is wrong.

Justin Langer: Resorting to abuse and vitriol is not the way to make a point

Last week I was completely shocked by reports of young, female, American singer Phoebe Bridgers inciting horrible abuse at the police and on one of our sporting legends here in Australia.

thewest.com.au

Thanks JL

 

[Around the Wicket]

What did I just read?

 

[big_e]

What did I just read?

A very long article which is basically just "Margaret Court is my friend and someone was mean to her."

 

[Gough]

This article was a ******* fever dream, like playing Newscorp opinion column bingo...

Justin Langer: Resorting to abuse and vitriol is not the way to make a point​

Justin Langer: Resorting to abuse and vitriol is not the way to make a point

Last week I was completely shocked by reports of young, female, American singer Phoebe Bridgers inciting horrible abuse at the police and on one of our sporting legends here in Australia.

thewest.com.au

Thanks JL

One crazy Jesus freak defending another. On the occasion of World Pride and given the Margaret Court is the unspoken object of his white knighting you'd have to wonder how Langer would feel about a gay player in a side that he leads, difficult to imagine that player receiving "elite mateship" from his coach.

 

[JackOutback]

A very long article which is basically just "Margaret Court is my friend and someone was mean to her."

Yep, went from reasonably considered piece about sledging and the ‘ugly Aussies’ then took a hard left turn into ‘don’t say mean things about this mean person I’m friends with’.

 

[Phone]

a truly incredible addition to the justin langer discourse

 

[IKnowtheDog]

As disgraceful as the whiteanting of Langer was, his sacrifice has been fantastic for WA cricket.
WA has 4 domestic titles out of 4 since his removal and he now pisses off bigfooty from the channel 7 comm box.

It took a while for Adam Voges to win the crowd over though.

 

[Partridge]

Players complaining about scheduling falls on deaf ears with me. The moment someone offers more money, suddenly scheduling is no longer a problem.

Exactly. I've got no problem at all with them making more money - other sports get paid squillions, so that isn't an issue. But you can't have it both ways. If you want to go for money first fine, just don't complain it's too hectic. No one holds a gun to their head.

 

[Partridge]

Yep, went from reasonably considered piece about sledging and the ‘ugly Aussies’ then took a hard left turn into ‘don’t say mean things about this mean person I’m friends with’.

He managed to be boring even when writing.

As far as I'm concerned, anyone can say whatever the hell they want. You can call Margaret Court anything you want. Just don't bitch and moan or cry "hate speech" when it's fired back at you.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Exactly. I've got no problem at all with them making more money - other sports get paid squillions, so that isn't an issue. But you can't have it both ways. If you want to go for money first fine, just don't complain it's too hectic. No one holds a gun to their head.

So much this and let’s not forget as soon as the IPL is in these players have no issue travelling lol

 

[010203]

JL is the new coach of the Lucknow Super Giants IPL franchise.

 

[aussierulesrules]

Langer seems to be one of those guys that is never wrong. Even when he admits he is wrong, it's usually just a round-about way to claim he's right. For example, he claims he welcomed the feedback from players about his intense style, embraced the feedback and made changes... while basically claiming that it was everyone else's fault for not being open with him. And then when he gets sacked for basically the exact reasons he had been criticised over in the past, he suddenly claims it was a surprise.

He clearly has zero level of self-awareness.

He doesn't belong anywhere near the commentary box.

You might want to check out my couple of posts in this thread about Langer and what seems his highly narcissistic personality.

Pretty much everything you wrote there is highly consistent with someone who has narcissistic personality disorder, or at the very least is highly narcissistic.

His whole package screams narcissism. And those with highly narcissistic personalities will ruin or make pretty much any workplace an unpleasant place to be. Especially if they’re in charge and tyrannical.

They can get results, as everyone will be scared of their tirades etc if they don’t produce what’s demanded of them, but those results come at a big cost. Especially if you happen to be one of their appointed “scapegoats”.

 

[Cleavy]

JL is the new coach of the Lucknow Super Giants IPL franchise.

Can we give him more coaching gigs to keep him off commentary?

 

[Santana]

JL is the new coach of the Lucknow Super Giants IPL franchise.