Rumour Jeremy Finlayson under investigation - 3 game suspension

[Corkie]

Only in the s**t because he said it near the umpire. School yard slur with zero connotation.

Not sure when you finished schooling, but say it these days and it’s heard by a staff member, instant 3-day suspension.

Repeat offender - expulsion. Zero tolerance approach by most if not all schools nowadays.

 

[HirdsTheWord]

Only in the s**t because he said it near the umpire. School yard slur with zero connotation.

the umpire did not hear it nor was it picked up on a mic.

the umpire was notified it occurred by players on the field. From Essendon players and Finlayson himself.

Anyways to your point, this is not a school yard slur and the idea of minimising it just shows how boorish people are on the subject. Kids get suspended from schools for this type of language also FYI.

 

[Teal Leviathan]

Three weeks is actually on the lighter side of reasonable, I feel. Wouldn't have blinked if it was four. Beyond that and it gets a little tricky in terms of the Walker standard and potential mitigating factors such as self-report and demonstrating immediate contrition, which the AFL did reference as influencing its eventual decision.

I don't know Finlayson as a person, I have no judgment on him as a person nor do I think this defines him. The word he chose to use however, even in the heat of the moment, is unacceptable and is the worst of the words used when saying that being gay is an insult.

I think this aspect tends to get lost in some of the more emotionally charged takes around here. This isn't about judging Jeremy as a person, because almost nobody here is in a position to make an informed judgement about that. It's about the behaviour and the standards we will and won't accept in the world of football.

 

[HirdsTheWord]

Finlayson owned it and apologised. People make mistakes, he pulled himself up on it as he realised it wasn’t okay. I think the football world should acknowledge it’s not on publicly but also realise that throwing him under the bus won’t help anyone. He already knows he’s in the wrong.

its good Finlayson owned it, i think he has been credited with that. But he still needs to be punished for it, so the next bloke knows not to do it.

 

[HairyO]

So if someone gets a suspension for A and someone else gets the same length suspension for B, they are exactly the same type and severity of infraction?

Surely that's not what you're saying.

Severity yes. Its the literal meaning. The AFL handing out 3 weeks for bumps which concuss and for slurs is them saying they are of equal severity.

Apart from having to pay to attend some sort of ridiculous "be a better person" seminar.

Type is obviously different.

I wonder what the AFL said to Port to convince them not to appeal.

In the NFL in the US its a 15 yard penalty. Thats it. Does the AFL need to be so heavy handed?
Will people suddenly stop being bigots because of this?

If only he had called him a coke addict or gambling addict.

 

[Chief]

Severity yes. Its the literal meaning. The AFL handing out 3 weeks for bumps which concuss and for slurs is them saying they are of equal severity.

No. Equal suspension length based on the individual circumstances.

Different types of issues and rules involved in both.

 

[HirdsTheWord]

Severity yes. Its the literal meaning. The AFL handing out 3 weeks for bumps which concuss and for slurs is them saying they are of equal severity.

Apart from having to pay to attend some sort of ridiculous "be a better person" seminar.

Type is obviously different.

I wonder what the AFL said to Port to convince them not to appeal.

In the NFL in the US its a 15 yard penalty. Thats it. Does the AFL need to be so heavy handed?
Will people suddenly stop being bigots because of this?

If only he had called him a coke addict or gambling addict.

The AFL didn't need to convince port of anything. There is no way on earth port would appeal it. Would be social suicide for their brand.

Port has coaching staff who are openly gay.....

 

[JimmyBC]

It's probably about right. He's all over the shop at the moment a break won't hurt him.

 

[Bagger72]

AFL statement mentions his actions following the game- apologising afterwards, making a statement etc.

Very silly to think that someone makes PR release and is suddenly cured of homophobia. If only it was that simple!

No body should be forced to think in a specific way just because you think it is right. This is what communism is.

 

[MagpieJo]

I will listen to the Afl when drugs are reported properly and betting adds don’t flash around the ground at each game ,gambling does more damage in society than one bloke making a stupid comment.Seriously the world has gone mad.Stop being brainwashed by deflecting industries like the Afl.

great post

 

[Chief]

AFL statement mentions his actions following the game- apologising afterwards, making a statement etc.

Very silly to think that someone makes PR release and is suddenly cured of homophobia. If only it was that simple!

I didn't think it was for "being a homophobe that needs curing".

It was for using a homophobic slur.

 

[MagpieJo]

Power should play in the rainbow guernsey for the next couple rounds. To demonstrate that they are are not homophobic .

Finlayson should also undergo some kind of therapy to help him understand his crime. Perhaps live as a gay man for a few weeks to walk a mile in the other guys shoes, so to speak.

as long as they are not rainbow prison bars!!!!!

 

[kickazz]

I will listen to the Afl when drugs are reported properly and betting adds don’t flash around the ground at each game ,gambling does more damage in society than one bloke making a stupid comment.Seriously the world has gone mad.Stop being brainwashed by deflecting industries like the Afl.

Betting here and there on occasion is ok.

Homophobia here and there on occasion is not.

 

[Chief]

I will listen to the Afl when drugs are reported properly and betting adds don’t flash around the ground at each game ,gambling does more damage in society than one bloke making a stupid comment.Seriously the world has gone mad.Stop being brainwashed by deflecting industries like the Afl.

These aren't the same thing. You can pick anything the AFL does and use that as an excuse to abuse people with slurs? Doesn't work like that.

 

[Chief]

Would be social suicide for their brand.

Port has coaching staff who are openly gay.....

Or even just a lack of respect for their employees and LGBT people everywhere.

 

[Adz2332]

Port might be gutless but at least the AFLPA has come out swinging for Finlayson

 

[OxfordCambridge]

When will players learn that if you want pay-back you just need to line them up and "Brayden" them.
No suspension, and you get to end their career, probably with brain damage. Pay-back complete.

Just don't call anyone a "Sissy" what ever you do.

 

[owen87]

No body should be forced to think in a specific way just because you think it is right. This is what communism is.

You can think anything you want. You can't necessarily say it in public, to others, without repercussion though.

 

[Adz2332]

Well said

 

[SuperMal]

Are we there yet?

 

[owen87]

Port might be gutless but at least the AFLPA has come out swinging for Finlayson

I think you're misreading it. They're not advocating on behalf of Finlayson, they're saying Officials e.g. Clarkson should be subject to the exact same expectations and punishments.

 

[James Colorado]

The comparisons to Clarkson are misguided in my opinion.

My reason for that is that people keep saying it's basically the same thing, but they are very different in both intent and how they are received.
For example, if you were to call someone a p**sy it would have a very different effect than if you were to call them a c**t. While they mean the same thing, their place in society is very different.
Saying what Clarkson did is not great and there can absolutely be an argument for there being homophobic connotations to it, but not always and not to the same degree. The word f***ot is without doubt the C-bomb of gay slurs. It is the one that is spewed with the most venom and hatred and the one that is the most cruel.

I don't know Finlayson as a person, I have no judgment on him as a person nor do I think this defines him. The word he chose to use however, even in the heat of the moment, is unacceptable and is the worst of the words used when saying that being gay is an insult.

While your post is excellent, as an aside the word "p**sy" as an insult doesn't originate from slang for female genitalia. It's short for "pusillanimous", a fancy word for cowardly. Probably used incorrectly by many, though.

 

[Bostonian]

Well,being from Boston..you probably burned your Math teacher, yes?

Boston is in England!

 

[Kreuuuzeurns]

Three weeks is light for a slur. One of the worst towards the gay community. AFL players are educated enough on this stuff, there are 100 other words that aren’t homophobic and get the desired point across.

I don’t think Finlayson is a homophobe and he has clearly shown regret. I think they factored that into the punishment.

 

[apollo_creed]

I think you're misreading it. They're not advocating on behalf of Finlayson, they're saying Officials e.g. Clarkson should be subject to the exact same expectations and punishments.

You think one word is as bad as the other?
One is the worst slur one can use relating to homosexuals, the other isn’t a great thing to say but nowhere near as bad.