Editorial - Mr Jeremy Bourke article on NFL website.

[Denny Crane]

The first paragraph of your article was 100% correct

One of the great things about Football is that everyone has an opinion.

However one of the sad things in life is people with those opinions and access to a media abuse their power in the belief that their opinions count.....so allow me to have mine.

Mr Bourke, I have no idea why the CEO of the NFL felt that he needed to write the editorial on what Darren Jolley writes about. How about all the other AFL players that have issues...but in keeping with the great fact that we are all allowed an opinion here is mine on all your points:

“popular sports such as soccer and basketball have remained largely untouched (rule changes)”. This may be true, however most sports involving significant physical contact have dramatically changed their rules in recent years (i.e. Rugby Union and League). These have all been made in the interests of player safety.

I would say that you are incorrect. Statistics we always read and watch on TV state that there is an increase in injuries since the 70s and 80s. They blame the hardness of the ground never considering that their rules may be a contributing factor. So looking at that; these people have made the game more dangerous.

“emotions boiling over are part of the game”. This may have once been tolerated, but not now. Players are there to play football – if they want to wrestle or box there are gyms for that. AFL players must realise is that everything they do on a football field is absorbed and replicated by the tens of thousands of kids that pull on a jumper every Sunday.

One of the best parts of the game used to be that in a one on one it was technique and strength that won in a one on one contest. What we have created is players that flop around on the ground when touched and throw there head around when a fingers gets them high....so what we are teaching our kids that you so lovingly want to replicate is to cheat and become cheats.

- “players dropping to their knees when getting tackled and staging for free kicks knowing they will get paid”. Who are the villains here – the players or the umpires? Umpires have a split second to assess whether it was high and whether the player ducked, dropped or contributed to the contact. If they pay them they are criticised by one side and if they call play on they are criticised by the other.

EXACTLY. See above, they made the rules so this could happen.

We have seen recently players both past and present bemoan the current state of the game - we understand nostalgic connections to days gone by but we are in the present and the present looks good.

Hold on....your first paragraph allowed them an opinion, now its bemoaning...

The present may look good but go back in time and the present always looked good. What people are worried about is people that forget the past and therefore ignore what may happen in the most important part.....the future.

Cheers

Denny Crane

 

[bridge_boy]

here here denny well said

 

[Kickass]

D.C,

Please don't post a new thread immediately after you've consumed 43 cans of Bundy.

Love ya long time.

K.A

 

[Denny Crane]

D.C,

Please don't post a new thread immediately after you've consumed 43 cans of Bundy.

Love ya long time.

K.A

Anything to get your rather large head back on BigFooty mate.

 

[tezzdog]

I just read Jolly's article and the NFL editorial and it has left me a little nonplussed
I think most people turn to local footy for a more simple and more pure style of football.
People did the same with the old VFA before it was taken over by the all encompassing AFL.
I enjoy the things that make local footy different from AFL and am not enthused by hearing our local leagues are slavishly trying to emulate footy doctrine as set out by the AFL to the letter. It does explain however, why the umpiring at the local level can be so terribly inconsistent. If the professional umpires are having trouble at the top level with interpretation, is there any wonder local umps are struggling trying to follow AFL guide lines that Gieshen cant even explain properly himself. I reckon keep it simple, let them play like they do in AFL grand finals. It's not because they are the best umpires and the best teams [although that helps], it's because they keep it simple and let them play, it's all supporters want.