Cricket media and fans have short memories re:Steve Smith.

[Catters 070911]

Gee, those in cricket must be pretty forgiving, or at least, they are when it involves their "golden child".

I have seen a lot more ads lately pop up, promoting Steve Smith as a hero, and the media talk about him like a hero and a great captain.

Did I dream "Tampergate"? Did I imagine it?

It is like nothing ever happened.

The cricket media LOVE Steve Smith. They talk about him in Bradman terms, and think he is a champion bloke and captain. They acted like he could do no wrong.

Except that he did.

He knowingly didn't step in and stop Tampergate from happening. As captain, he should have taken responsibility.

Also, if he wasn't responsible, then why did he get 12 months, and I didn't hear all his fans saying that he was hard done by. He had let the country down, and failed as a captain.

Now, I am not one to say that Smith should be banned forever. I have no problems with the accolades he gets when he hits hundreds.

But I think things should not be the same. The over-the-top gushing should stop, and watered-down to respect for him as a great player.

And he should NEVER be captain again. He had his chance, and blew it. This isn't some minor thing, it was the biggest scandal since the Underarm Bowling, and I don't remember Greg Chappell getting off the hook with people as easily.

What bothers me is that people act like nothing has changed. It has, forever. This has put an indelible black mark on his legacy.

If the unpopular Michael Clarke did this as captain, there would be a lynch mob, and he would never be allowed to forget it.

People would say "I knew it! I knew there was something off about Clarke! The tattoos, the earrings, the fancy car, the model girlfriend. I knew behind it all, there was something more sinister".

But because it is media darling Steve Smith, who the media pushed for as captain, even though he hadn't paid his dues, and because Smith speaks everytime a microphone is shoved in his face, he gets forgiven too quickly. Just because he looks like a little boy doesn't mean that what he did should be dismissed as impish and cheeky, rather than the massive breach in trust and integrity that it was.

Praise Steve Smith as a brilliant batsman. That hasn't changed. He is probably also a good team-man. But he was a poor captain to allow this to happen, and while we should all forgive, we shouldn't forget, and when considering the next captain, he shouldn't be looked at, and the media need to cool their jets getting excited about him, and saying what a great human being he is. he let us all down, and he should be made to earn back our trust and respect, not just have it handed back like nothing happened.

 

[Gough]

It's generally accepted now that Smith, Warner and Bancroft were fall guys and we're going to have to wait until the books come out to find out who else knew and how long it had been going on for.

 

[Moonwatcher]

It's generally accepted now that Smith, Warner and Bancroft were fall guys and we're going to have to wait until the books come out to find out who else knew and how long it had been going on for.

That was obvious from day 1.

 

[PT Bar None]

If I were the Saffas, I'd try and secure Bunnings as naming rights sponsor for their next tour here.

 

[PhatBoy]

Gee, those in cricket must be pretty forgiving, or at least, they are when it involves their "golden child".

I have seen a lot more ads lately pop up, promoting Steve Smith as a hero, and the media talk about him like a hero and a great captain.

Did I dream "Tampergate"? Did I imagine it?

It is like nothing ever happened.

The cricket media LOVE Steve Smith. They talk about him in Bradman terms, and think he is a champion bloke and captain. They acted like he could do no wrong.

Except that he did.

He knowingly didn't step in and stop Tampergate from happening. As captain, he should have taken responsibility.

Also, if he wasn't responsible, then why did he get 12 months, and I didn't hear all his fans saying that he was hard done by. He had let the country down, and failed as a captain.

Now, I am not one to say that Smith should be banned forever. I have no problems with the accolades he gets when he hits hundreds.

But I think things should not be the same. The over-the-top gushing should stop, and watered-down to respect for him as a great player.

And he should NEVER be captain again. He had his chance, and blew it. This isn't some minor thing, it was the biggest scandal since the Underarm Bowling, and I don't remember Greg Chappell getting off the hook with people as easily.

What bothers me is that people act like nothing has changed. It has, forever. This has put an indelible black mark on his legacy.

If the unpopular Michael Clarke did this as captain, there would be a lynch mob, and he would never be allowed to forget it.

People would say "I knew it! I knew there was something off about Clarke! The tattoos, the earrings, the fancy car, the model girlfriend. I knew behind it all, there was something more sinister".

But because it is media darling Steve Smith, who the media pushed for as captain, even though he hadn't paid his dues, and because Smith speaks everytime a microphone is shoved in his face, he gets forgiven too quickly. Just because he looks like a little boy doesn't mean that what he did should be dismissed as impish and cheeky, rather than the massive breach in trust and integrity that it was.

Praise Steve Smith as a brilliant batsman. That hasn't changed. He is probably also a good team-man. But he was a poor captain to allow this to happen, and while we should all forgive, we shouldn't forget, and when considering the next captain, he shouldn't be looked at, and the media need to cool their jets getting excited about him, and saying what a great human being he is. he let us all down, and he should be made to earn back our trust and respect, not just have it handed back like nothing happened.

Considering how biggest crime was ignorance and Warner’s was to actively plan to cheat and get a junior teammate to do it, I’d say things like the ‘this is the story of my family and my century celebrations’ vignette that they do on warner in the drinks breaks is a lot harder to stomach

 

[Barlos Crathwaite]

Considering how biggest crime was ignorance and Warner’s was to actively plan to cheat and get a junior teammate to do it, I’d say things like the ‘this is the story of my family and my century celebrations’ vignette that they do on warner in the drinks breaks is a lot harder to stomach

Lots of people can't stand Warner. I can't wait for him to retire. Two more years and he's off to wherever little redneck bogans go to

 

[Doss]

What do you actually want people to do?

No one has forgotten what happened. There's also only so much that can ever happen as either a direct or indirect consequence, short of banning the miscreants forever, and that would have been a ridiculous overreaction.

Life is too short to rage forever.

 

[frankrizzo]

He lost his dream job as captain of Australia he lost millions of dollars and was denied what he loved most which is batting for Australia but he did his time reflected on how wrong he was and how his behavior need to improve and now he is free to play, he hasn't cheated again or been involved in even a whiff of controversy so what on earth do you want?

 

[bixente]

This would've been a fitting punishment.

 

[Pakenhamsaint]

It's generally accepted now that Smith, Warner and Bancroft were fall guys and we're going to have to wait until the books come out to find out who else knew and how long it had been going on for.

I think of those three everyone knows the Warner was the ringleader and he wears the blame more than anyone.

 

[Topkent]

I think of those three everyone knows the Warner was the ringleader and he wears the blame more than anyone.

No one actually knows that. It's just assumed because people don't like Warner. It feels like it's true but that's just because Smith seems like a nice guy.

 

[Pakenhamsaint]

No one actually knows that. It's just assumed because people don't like Warner. It feels like it's true but that's just because Smith seems like a nice guy.

Warner was the one who asked Bancroft to do it. Smith was the idiot leader failing to put a stop it. Bancroft is the naive newbie.

 

[Topkent]

Warner was the one who asked Bancroft to do it. Smith was the idiot leader failing to put a stop it. Bancroft is the naive newbie.

Think you missed my point. That's a story, no one knows if that was fact.

 

[Jimthegreat]

Gee, those in cricket must be pretty forgiving, or at least, they are when it involves their "golden child".

I have seen a lot more ads lately pop up, promoting Steve Smith as a hero, and the media talk about him like a hero and a great captain.

Did I dream "Tampergate"? Did I imagine it?

It is like nothing ever happened.

The cricket media LOVE Steve Smith. They talk about him in Bradman terms, and think he is a champion bloke and captain. They acted like he could do no wrong.

Except that he did.

He knowingly didn't step in and stop Tampergate from happening. As captain, he should have taken responsibility.

Also, if he wasn't responsible, then why did he get 12 months, and I didn't hear all his fans saying that he was hard done by. He had let the country down, and failed as a captain.

Now, I am not one to say that Smith should be banned forever. I have no problems with the accolades he gets when he hits hundreds.

But I think things should not be the same. The over-the-top gushing should stop, and watered-down to respect for him as a great player.

And he should NEVER be captain again. He had his chance, and blew it. This isn't some minor thing, it was the biggest scandal since the Underarm Bowling, and I don't remember Greg Chappell getting off the hook with people as easily.

What bothers me is that people act like nothing has changed. It has, forever. This has put an indelible black mark on his legacy.

If the unpopular Michael Clarke did this as captain, there would be a lynch mob, and he would never be allowed to forget it.

People would say "I knew it! I knew there was something off about Clarke! The tattoos, the earrings, the fancy car, the model girlfriend. I knew behind it all, there was something more sinister".

But because it is media darling Steve Smith, who the media pushed for as captain, even though he hadn't paid his dues, and because Smith speaks everytime a microphone is shoved in his face, he gets forgiven too quickly. Just because he looks like a little boy doesn't mean that what he did should be dismissed as impish and cheeky, rather than the massive breach in trust and integrity that it was.

Praise Steve Smith as a brilliant batsman. That hasn't changed. He is probably also a good team-man. But he was a poor captain to allow this to happen, and while we should all forgive, we shouldn't forget, and when considering the next captain, he shouldn't be looked at, and the media need to cool their jets getting excited about him, and saying what a great human being he is. he let us all down, and he should be made to earn back our trust and respect, not just have it handed back like nothing happened.

Stiff s**t. it's done. Done hear anyone jumping all over Faf Du Plessis and he's been done twice for ball tampering. I await your outrage there.

 

[Alfonz]

Nice rant. Smith should have received a 100% match fee fine and 1 match ban (the maximum ICC sanction) and that's it.

 

[Wedge McManus]

I know it's off topic but that monumental * wit that told Smith he wasn't as bad as the lady from married at first sight during the presser just summed up the whole circus of the situation nicely for me. Only in Australia could Jackie O and Sandilands make the biggest OZ cricket story since Bodyline all about them

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Maybe …. just maybe …. people realise these guys have served their time for the indiscretion and it's time to move on. Personally, I'm fed up with hearing about it.