Diggins vs Smorgon Merged Threads

[blues4flag]

Re: Smorgon Responds To Diggins

Thanks for that, didn't see the link on the site.

 

[drusswaylander]

Re: Smorgon Responds To Diggins

Sadly I doubt it will make any difference ODN
The knives are out on the forums and Smorgon is the latest one we want to pay to alleviate the despair we feel over our clubs position.

I could understand it if we had real alternative, but we don't I don't think Smorgon is a good president, but nor is he the Anti-christ

Some people on the Carlton forums are being downright vindictive and seem to be like hounds baying after a fox. All sides have behaved badly at various times

People just don't seem to realise or are so caught up in their own agendas that we are doing a Richmond. Our powerbrokers and supporters are caught up in a spiral of illfeeling. We just aren't handling regime change well. The vitriol and spite being shown by all sides will just lead to the alienation of the losers in our power struggles. This will only fracture our club and lose us more people who could actually help to move us forward.

It is fine judging people on their merits or otherwise, but please make sure that is what you actually doing. When hurt it is natural to lash out, but please don't be influenced by a handful of people who are just plain mean and will be out to get any new blood in the same way in a year or two if things don't turn out how they want . It seems to have become a real ego trip for some posters to try and get rid of him.

I want Smorgon to step aside as president, but I also think he has a lot to offer the club in other roles. Unless we have a viable alternative why alienate him now If the white Knights arrive with bucket loads of money fair enough and I will be one of the first to sign up, but as yet they have not arrived

 

[mediumsizered]

Re: Smorgon Responds To Diggins

Sounds to me that Lauraine Diggins is struggling with her recall of events in much the same way as Carmen Lawrence did a few years ago. It also staggers me that she had the hide to approach Jim Watts of her own accord to view the contents of the report, months after she, along with the other directors had an opportunity to consider the report's recommendations. Someone has been playing silly little games & in the process putting our club up for further ridicule from the football community. It is time to go...............Lauraine.

 

[Aussie Joe]

Re: Smorgon Responds To Diggins

It is time to go...............Lauraine.

Hit the road lady. We don't want our laundry being dried in the media anymore.

 

[Bee Vee]

Re: Smorgon Responds To Diggins

Does anyone not find this a little strange?

"At the 19 September 2006 Board meeting, the Board were advised that Mike Fitzpatrick’s view was that the Board needed to review the Watts Reports recommendations overnight and to reply to the AFL the next day.

The Club received the Watts Report on 19 September 2006. "

The club recieved a report on the club relative to recieving AFL funding on the 19th.
Apparently it was Mike Fitzpatricks "view" that we needed to reply the next day!

Bad luck Fitzy!
There wasnt a deadline "or else"! It was one mans view.
Surely we could have waited 48 hours and consumed the details properly?
Could we not have called a board meeting for 9.00am and let the directors work on a response for Malouf instead of holding a night meeting?
Its all very convenient, isnt it?
A decision as crucial as going to the AFL for a handout and we were pushed in to it by an AFL advisor?
I think not.

 

[Deej]

Re: Smorgon Responds To Diggins

some wise words written so far in this thread, especially from drusslander.
Sadly nothing's changed from when I got nailed to the cross, online carlton fans are for the most part exactly as you describe - they are unwittingly their own worst enemies. It's bloody amazing what happens when you combine a little bit of information, a warped ego, and half a brain. People suddenly start thinking they're capable of splitting the bloody atom.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Re: Smorgon Responds To Diggins

Does anyone not find this a little strange?

"At the 19 September 2006 Board meeting, the Board were advised that Mike Fitzpatrick’s view was that the Board needed to review the Watts Reports recommendations overnight and to reply to the AFL the next day.

The Club received the Watts Report on 19 September 2006. "

The club recieved a report on the club relative to recieving AFL funding on the 19th.
Apparently it was Mike Fitzpatricks "view" that we needed to reply the next day!

Bad luck Fitzy!
There wasnt a deadline "or else"! It was one mans view.
Surely we could have waited 48 hours and consumed the details properly?
Could we not have called a board meeting for 9.00am and let the directors work on a response for Malouf instead of holding a night meeting?
Its all very convenient, isnt it?
A decision as crucial as going to the AFL for a handout and we were pushed in to it by an AFL advisor?
I think not.

Was the Watts report all about us needing an AFL handout? I thought it was about the state of the club, what we were doing and recommendations for what we should be doing. If Fitzy recommended we respond to the report ASAP, then why would we not?

As for crucial decisions, we had been dancing around getting money from the AFL for quite a while. We had no cash, we needed cash, do you then sit around and talk about it some more, hope that some cash materialises?

We only know what we are told. There seems to be a lot of cutting out of some board members going on but we don't know that things are as sinister as you believe.

I am speculating of course, as are you. I'll gladly support Smorgon's version of events here because it was laid out chronologically and is supported by club records and meeting minutes. If someone comes out and outlines it as a complete lie by way of their own precise record keeping as a matter of public record, I will rethink then.

Events as outlined by Smorgon are easy to argue. He had put himself on the line here.

 

[Bee Vee]

Re: Smorgon Responds To Diggins

Was the Watts report all about us needing an AFL handout? I thought it was about the state of the club, what we were doing and recommendations for what we should be doing. If Fitzy recommended we respond to the report ASAP, then why would we not?

The Watts report was commissioned to assess our capability to repay the money and to offer recommendations to assist us in the interim.
The AFL wont just hand over the money without something to take back to the other 15 clubs.

If for arguments sake it was as you assumed and about the state of the club, should the directors not view it?
They do have responsibilities.
Either way, the process lacked transparency IMHO.

 

[JeffDunne]

Re: Smorgon Responds To Diggins

some wise words written so far in this thread, especially from drusslander.
Sadly nothing's changed from when I got nailed to the cross, online carlton fans are for the most part exactly as you describe - they are unwittingly their own worst enemies. It's bloody amazing what happens when you combine a little bit of information, a warped ego, and half a brain. People suddenly start thinking they're capable of splitting the bloody atom.

LOL Deej. I really must catch up with you for a beer sometime because you do give me a good laugh.

 

[drusswaylander]

Re: Smorgon Responds To Diggins

some wise words written so far in this thread, especially from drusslander.
Sadly nothing's changed from when I got nailed to the cross, online carlton fans are for the most part exactly as you describe - they are unwittingly their own worst enemies. It's bloody amazing what happens when you combine a little bit of information, a warped ego, and half a brain. People suddenly start thinking they're capable of splitting the bloody atom.

A bit harsh Deej I actually think that only a few posters are like that mate

I think the worst crime the majority are guilty of is actually believing that most of what they are fed on-line is fact We have a few demigogues firing people up for their own reasons, not often to do with the good of the club

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Re: Smorgon Responds To Diggins

A bit harsh Deej I actually think that only a few posters are like that mate

I think the worst crime the majority are guilty of is actually believing that most of what they are fed on-line is fact We have a few demigogues firing people up for their own reasons, not often to do with the good of the club

It's a snowball effect. As sure as there are bandwagons when a team is on a roll, there are bandwagons off field when a team is struggling. If you ask somebody why they want to bring down a board, it has more to do with what others have talked about more than whatever they know themselves. I guess that is the way things work as not everybody is connected.

Still, a coaching backflip which has been supposedly confirmed by shadow sources and a disgruntled director or two and the Thornton saga over trade week, and the fact that nobody knows the business plan (and nor should most of us because it can tip your hand to other clubs), then when any bad media story comes out and people jump up and down and say 'I'm sick of this, the board has to go' despite it being the detractors that are feeding the bad media stories.

Each issue in isolation, with a few calming breaths and a total lack of preference or agenda, is the only way these things should be discussed.

 

[drusswaylander]

Re: Smorgon Responds To Diggins

It's a snowball effect. As sure as there are bandwagons when a team is on a roll, there are bandwagons off field when a team is struggling. If you ask somebody why they want to bring down a board, it has more to do with what others have talked about more than whatever they know themselves. I guess that is the way things work as not everybody is connected.

Still, a coaching backflip which has been supposedly confirmed by shadow sources and a disgruntled director or two and the Thornton saga over trade week, and the fact that nobody knows the business plan (and nor should most of us because it can tip your hand to other clubs), then when any bad media story comes out and people jump up and down and say 'I'm sick of this, the board has to go' despite it being the detractors that are feeding the bad media stories.

Each issue in isolation, with a few calming breaths and a total lack of preference or agenda, is the only way these things should be discussed.

Totally agree with that mate Not likely to happen though as football is all about passion Which is why it goes awry when a team struggles and the demigogues become the harbingers of truth

I can't remember Smorgons response to Diggins being posted on TC either Although I could be wrong...which wouldn't be the first time

 

[HBF]

Re: Smorgon Responds To Diggins

I want Smorgon to step aside as president, but I also think he has a lot to offer the club in other roles. Unless we have a viable alternative why alienate him now If the white Knights arrive with bucket loads of money fair enough and I will be one of the first to sign up, but as yet they have not arrived

Pretty much feel the same about Smorgon, although he has impressed me over the past week - firstly by coming online on TC and answerering a variety of questions, and now this, a very polished and articulate response to Lauraine Diggins.

He is not my ideal man as the president of the Carlton Footy Club, but until someome better comes along, i'll happy vote for GS at the upcoming elections.

 

[JeffDunne]

Re: Smorgon Responds To Diggins

Happens at all clubs in all codes.

The minute a coach is appointed in the NFL there's people falling overthemselves to register domain names like www.sackWhoEver.com (probably happens in all codes now). Online heroes trying to get their 5 minutes of fame when the envitable happens. Wouldn't surpise me if some were funded by media outlets either.

The media feeds its with their willingness to print stories on them the minute things go pear-shaped. They then run the story as though these websites (which usually have little to them) are somehow representative of the entire supporting base. Some in the US have even started making money off them by selling t-shirts and mugs.

I'm afraid it's part of the landscape now in an online world.

 

[drusswaylander]

Re: Smorgon Responds To Diggins

Happens at all clubs in all codes.

The minute a coach is appointed in the NFL there's people falling overthemselves to register domain names like www.sackWhoEver.com (probably happens in all codes now). Online heroes trying to get their 5 minutes of fame when the envitable happens. Wouldn't surpise me if some were funded by media outlets either.

The media feeds its with their willingness to print stories on them the minute things go pear-shaped. They then run the story as though these websites (which usually have little to them) are somehow representative of the entire supporting base. Some in the US have even started making money off them by selling t-shirts and mugs.

I'm afraid it's part of the landscape now in an online world.

The on-line world is the perfect place for the disaffected. Which is why in many of it's guises it has such negative overtones

 

[HBF]

Re: Smorgon Responds To Diggins

Happens at all clubs in all codes.

The minute a coach is appointed in the NFL there's people falling overthemselves to register domain names like www.sackWhoEver.com (probably happens in all codes now). Online heroes trying to get their 5 minutes of fame when the envitable happens. Wouldn't surpise me if some were funded by media outlets either.

The media feeds its with their willingness to print stories on them the minute things go pear-shaped. They then run the story as though these websites (which usually have little to them) are somehow representative of the entire supporting base. Some in the US have even started making money off them by selling t-shirts and mugs.

I'm afraid it's part of the landscape now in an online world.

Very interesting JD.

 

[TimPowell]

Re: Smorgon Responds To Diggins

Sounds to me that Lauraine Diggins is struggling with her recall of events in much the same way as Carmen Lawrence did a few years ago. It also staggers me that she had the hide to approach Jim Watts of her own accord to view the contents of the report, months after she, along with the other directors had an opportunity to consider the report's recommendations. Someone has been playing silly little games & in the process putting our club up for further ridicule from the football community. It is time to go...............Lauraine.[/quote]

could not agree more.....

 

[Deej]

Re: Smorgon Responds To Diggins

This might be the most realistic and incisive thread on any carlton website that i've read all year.