Michael Hurley in tears as he recalls Court of Arbitration for Sport handed down guilty verdict

[DemonTim]

And then you look at the CAS findings that the players lied by omission on their doping control forms. How do you explain that away?

I don't think you realise how much is actually omitted from those forms
I haven't read it in a while but can you post the exact evidence of what was omitted and by who

So people here are arguing that the players deliberately cheated, yet keep appealing it, wasting time since the suspension is going to be over before the appeal, wasting money?

 

[Muggs]

And then you look at the CAS findings that the players lied by omission on their doping control forms. How do you explain that away?

Maybe the way Sharapova did?

Afterall she never filled them out the forms either, but was not found to have intent to take a banned substance - thus no intent to "cheat", but was found to have intent to hide the substances she was taken so others did not discover what she was taking.

 

[Garlic muncher]

Something MAY be amiss. If I thought something was wrong in my workplace, and asked for paperwork from my employer to show that it wasn't wrong, then how is that me admitting that something is wrong, the employer provides the paperwork, of course i'd think my original fears were wrong. Pretty clearly not a contradiction.

It makes perfect sense.

 

[Slartibartfast]

Something MAY be amiss. If I thought something was wrong in my workplace, and asked for paperwork from my employer to show that it wasn't wrong, then how is that me admitting that something is wrong, the employer provides the paperwork, of course i'd think my original fears were wrong. Pretty clearly not a contradiction.

See, they didn't ask for the paperwork. That's the problem.
They knew something was wrong, did not ask for paperwork and then kept it secret from the Dr and drug testers.
Other than that, a good analogy.

 

[DemonTim]

See, they didn't ask for the paperwork. That's the problem.
They knew something was wrong, did not ask for paperwork and then kept it secret from the Dr and drug testers.
Other than that, a good analogy.

They did ask for the permission slips...

 

[Garlic muncher]

They did ask for the permission slips...

A word of advice, do not get involved with the circle jerkers that inhabit this board, the either hate footy, Essendon, the AFL a combo or more than likely all three.

They are a petty little bunch and you are wasting your time.

 

[windyhill]

I'm meant to be sympathetic to a convicted drug cheat? Maybe Michael should've raised the question about having all these suspicious secret injections in the back-room of an off-site facility. You know, during the dozen or so times that ASADA asked about them and every single one of these drug cheats flat-out lied?

Oh, silly me, forgetting the media narrative about how these cheats are completely innocent of all crimes!

Hibbered, Goodwin & Melksham like this !

 

[windyhill]

Good. Gotta laugh at how hard the media are pushing the narrative. Nobodies buying it you flogs. No sympathy for the cabbie bashing drug cheat.

Charles bashed cabbies !?!?

 

[hoianbulldog]

Did Slippery Sammy D cry today when he fessed up to getting caught doing naughty things with mr wang and friends? No

Harden up princess. It's a hard world, when you do the wrong thing you have bad outcomes, they are called consequences. What is so hard to understand about this simple life principle?

 

[windyhill]

Windy hill windsock says hi

Yes, hi.

 

[King Elvis]

So they still blame Dank, and think Hirdy was just unlucky.

Unbelievable.

 

[Armchair Critic]

A word of advice, do not get involved with the circle jerkers that inhabit this board, the either hate footy, Essendon, the AFL a combo or more than likely all three.

They are a petty little bunch and you are wasting your time.

Awww .Do you need a hug princess

 

[Bombermania]

So they still blame Dank, and think Hirdy was just unlucky.

Unbelievable.

That isn't what Hurley said, he used the words "use to be friends" and went on to say that its a pity that things were not different, this is a polite way of saying what we all know that the main culprit was Dank and Hird played a part in the wider FU that was the 2011 season.

 

[King Elvis]

He came across as sympathetic to Hird, and, justifiably, despising Dank.

This. So much this.

Which would make sense why ASADA have beefed up their education to players

I know a couple of AFL players - very few of them buy the explanation; they are hammered on doping and the rules around it; they aren't babes in the wood.

Something MAY be amiss. If I thought something was wrong in my workplace, and asked for paperwork from my employer to show that it wasn't wrong, then how is that me admitting that something is wrong, the employer provides the paperwork, of course i'd think my original fears were wrong. Pretty clearly not a contradiction.

Or you suspect it's wrong, but your employer tells you it's fine, but, by the way, this conversation never happened, and don't record it on the official channels - like we both know you're supposed to.


I still feel sympathy for the players, I think they were stupid, but their trust was betrayed by Hird/Dank; but they deserved the sanction.

They've almost finished serving it now, and it'll be good to see them back.

 

[FreoMonocle]

He did that interview fairly honestly methinks.

Going back to Essendon to play with his mates (and they've been through a bit together) rather than the club itself.

Not filling in the dots about other people, thats fair enough, would have been interesting though to get more than that. But hes entitled to not get into a legal pickle just for my tv watching titillation.

He said if things were done differently he wouldn't have been in this mess. Not explicitly said either way, but I inferred that he meant his participation rather than the ensuing legal etc.

To me that's taking responsibility and while he was a bit emotional, he didn't cry that it's not fair and he didn't shift responsibility to others.

 

[Farm Boy]

I thought it was a good interview. Clearly he is still rattled over the whole thing. Didn't have much love for Dank or Hird - which is understandable.

 

[parishfever]

They did ask for the permission slips...

Why bother, theres probably two groups now: those who conceded it was most likely banned substances were administered, but by dank and others and under false pretences and those who thrive off any Essendon related news and insist players like fletcher decided at the tail end of his career, to start systematically doping because glorious leader Hird demanded it.

By the end of the year most of these posters will have visited the doctor, been prescribed something, taken it and had not a clue what it was.

 

[Armchair Critic]

Why bother, theres probably two groups now: those who conceded it was most likely banned substances were administered, but by dank and others and under false pretences and those who thrive off any Essendon related news and insist players like fletcher decided at the tail end of his career, to start systematically doping because glorious leader Hird demanded it.

By the end of the year most of these posters will have visited the doctor, been prescribed something, taken it and had not a clue what it was.

At least I got a prescription and physically went to see the Dr though.

 

[Seadog]

Barring a few logical folk, the rest of you on this board are pathetic. If you truly believe these players purposely went out to cheat you are simply ignorant flogs. They were completely stitched up and clearly misled by Dank, as was Hird. I can guarantee you, there are AFL clubs that can think themselves VERY lucky not to have been dragged through the same mud. Dank is the poison, the players were his victims. Don't kid yourselves otherwise. Get over it and move on.

They allowed themselves to be duped. They are either -(a) stupid
(b) cheats
or (c) all of the above.

 

[Bombermania]

They allowed themselves to be duped. They are either -(a) stupid
(b) cheats
or (c) all of the above.

So the WCE were just a group of junkies.

The reality is Hurley admits hindsight is a wonderful thing, everyone made mistakes.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Why is the punching of a taxi driver painted as a negative on bigfooty?

Bewildered.

Not just any taxi driver, a brown taxi driver.

 

[FreoMonocle]

Calling it hindsight is a stretch, by actively freezing out the club doctor, they knew at the time that program was out on a limb.

That being said, it's not easy to buck the system. Players choices are follow the training, nutrition, booze and other guidelines, follow the coaches strategies and tactics or don't get games/be delisted.

They wore the liability, chose to not buck the system and ended up the worse for it. Not the villains in the saga, but accomplices and the ones suffering the worse of the repercussions.

 

[Silent Alarm]

still amazing how we see this as a shame or feel empathy towards these players or anyone associated with the club.

why should I feel sorry for a bloke who's spent 12 months getting fat drinking piss and having fun in Europe?

and that is without mentioning the fact that, lucky or unlucky, they were part of a club who cheated. * them. bad luck.

 

[good4footy]

Good interview

1) acknowledged he made stupid mistakes- 'why did I do that'

2) angry at the part people at the club played, including a good friend he no longer speaks to in Hird.

3) he represents a normal response to having lived the consequences of what happened and his role in it (see point 1)

Time to move on. Club and players have paid their dues. I'm all for people making good after what has happened.

 

[DapperDong]

Good interview

1) acknowledged he made stupid mistakes- 'why did I do that'

2) angry at the part people at the club played, including a good friend he no longer speaks to in Hird.

3) he represents a normal response to having lived the consequences of what happened and his role in it (see point 1)

Time to move on. Club and players have paid their dues. I'm all for people making good after what has happened.

Your logic has no place here. The 34 are pretty much on par with war criminals and should be spat on for the rest of their lives. Lucky to avoid the gallows they were.