News Mitch Brown comes out as first openly bisexual AFL player

[Smotie2]

Well said.

I didn't say any of that and not sure why you're changing my post to suit your agenda whatever that is

 

[Forward Press]

I didn't say any of that and not sure why you're changing my post to suit your agenda whatever that is

Thanks for the PM. Bit precious, are we?

If you're going to say something come out and say it.

Don't be afraid

At least I said it on a public forum, instead of via PM. Who's afraid?

It was meant to compare how some may have reacted to racism back in the 1990s. You don't want to deal with LGBT in football, fine. Are you also fine with not dealing with racism?

 

[Forward Press]

Not particularly.

It’s a celebration of ignorance by someone coming from a place of privilege.

I altered that weird rant to one about not wanting to deal with racism issues in football.

 

[Smotie2]

Thanks for the PM. Bit precious, are we?

It was meant to compare how some may have reacted to racism back in the 1990s. You don't want to deal with LGBT in football, fine. Are you also fine with not dealing with racism?

I think this discussion is best left for a pm if I feel inclined to discuss shit with you.

You've also misrepresented the meaning of my post. I've made it clear the point of my post is to leave your sexuality out of football no matter what it is, not just LGBTQ.

Cheers

 

[Forward Press]

I think this discussion is best left for a pm if I feel inclined to discuss shit with you.

You've also misrepresented the meaning of my post. I've made it clear the point of my post is to leave your sexuality out of football no matter what it is, not just LGBTQ.

Cheers

I am clearly drawing an analogy with racism in AFL. It's not a misrepresentation because it's quite obvious you don't want to be confronted or challenged when you're watching and following football. You would have been Garry McAllister I guess (Collingwood president at the time of Nicky Winmar's famous gesture)

“As long as they conduct themselves like white people, well, off the field, everyone will admire and respect … as long as they conduct themselves like human beings, they will be alright,”

Basically, as long as the gays aren't announcing it and behaving like normal people, you're fine with the gays. God forbid Mitch Brown (or any other 'narcissist') take umbrage at being compared unfavourably to a carnivorous animal or labelled a f*****, gee doesn't he know he's only there to play football, what a soft ****.

Given your bizarre post earlier about wondering whether men would be comfortable showering with gay guys, I think it's fair to comment that you just don't want to be confronted with anything that might cause you to get the 'ick'. Which is fine - you can close your blinds to the Pride parade and unfollow Ian Thorpe on social media, the world will move on without you and others of your ilk.

There, that's my rant. Cheers Smotie.

 

[Smotie2]

I am clearly drawing an analogy with racism in AFL. It's not a misrepresentation because it's quite obvious you don't want to be confronted or challenged when you're watching and following football. You would have been Garry McAllister I guess (Collingwood president at the time of Nicky Winmar's famous gesture)



Basically, as long as the gays aren't announcing it and behaving like normal people, you're fine with the gays. God forbid Mitch Brown (or any other 'narcissist') take umbrage at being compared unfavourably to a carnivorous animal or labelled a f**, gee doesn't he know he's only there to play football, what a soft *.

Given your bizarre post earlier about wondering whether men would be comfortable showering with gay guys, I think it's fair to comment that you just don't want to be confronted with anything that might cause you to get the 'ick'. Which is fine - you can close your blinds to the Pride parade and unfollow Ian Thorpe on social media, the world will move on without you and others of your ilk.

There, that's my rant. Cheers Smotie.

Mate you've gone on a disgusting rant towards me and made accusations that are baseless and frankly you're being a dick head.

Like I said, you don't know me and don't know my personal life.

Yeah, when I go to the football I go to watch football. You know the thing that is in the stadium, it's a ball, oval. People run around and kick goals, they kick the ball and handball to each other.

Im struggling to see in the rules anything about social issues, can you point me to the part where it says when kicking the ball you must acknowledge the player being from Italy prior or it's a free kick?

While we are at it and including social issues why not let's bring Palestine flags to the ground? Oh what about Israeli flags? How about we have a Russian/Ukraine war round?

How about we discuss guns in America and have a gun round? Like we could have social issues about animal cruelty round.

There's literally thousands of issues in our lives and I'm wondering why you don't want to talk about them or have rounds about them?

Edit: Oh while im at it why isn't there a men's mental health round? And the AFL have said they aren't doing it? Why, why isn't there this? People don't want to be challenged about men's mental health issues? Is that it? Please explain since you're the line judge on all the issues you think people don't want to be challenged about at the football.

I go to the football and watch football to have enjoyment and get away from stress and struggles in life mate. Not to have these things shoved in my face.

You want these issues dealt with? Deal with them internally in the footy club if there are genuine issues just like they are dealt with at work and just like the drug issues are dealt with.
If someone ****s up and is racist or abusing to other employees for any reason they get a written warning and counselling and if it continues you get dismissed.

So Go **** yourself and the soap box you came in on accusing me of shit.

 

[squashface]

Let me preface this comment by saying none of you have any idea about me.

Personally I just don't know who's business it is what you do in your personal life including sex life.

And as a footballer the only personal things that matter is if it affects your football or the club. Like natanui jumping over someone playing basketball when is off season and some flipped out. "He could break a leg"

The whole Ben cousins saga etc.

If you want to shag a fence post go right ahead, if you are into wife swapping go right ahead. Or threesomes or whatever the **** you fancy. As long as it doesn't affect you work or your employment.

Knock yourself out.

I just don't get the whole need to come out and tell everyone you're gay and used to play AFL
I mean are there people coming out as into wife swapping? I'm sure there are footy couple into this but why not come out? I'm sure there have been some slurs about girlfriends and wives being sluts etc.

Sorry I just don't get the need for a coming out of someone's homosexuality or any sexuality for that matter.

I also don't see a need for a pride round just as much as I don't see a need for straight round.

Leave sex out of football.

Come ready to play football no matter who or what you've been shagging. I'm not celebrating your hetero, invitro, homo or whatever "o" you're into.

I just want someone who plays football to win us games and premierships.

If this upsets you or you think im homophobic or sexualaphobic for this...kudos to you. You don't know me.

I don't mean any disrespect to anyone or any sexuality, as I said, you don't know me or my family situation etc etc.

Have a good day.

It's about representation, dude.

Do you want to see talented kids lost to the game because they don't feel like they belong at a footy club? What if someone "who plays football to win us games and premierships" is lost to the game because they don't want to deal with homophobic environments in the footy industry?

I agree with the sentiment that it shouldn't matter and everyone should just be able to play and enjoy sport without anyone caring about their sexuality. But we clearly do not live in that world, so talented kids who happen to be gay having someone to look up to is pretty important. It will be even more so if a current player came out one day.

 

[Ochre]

Let me preface this comment by saying none of you have any idea about me.

Interesting.

You're suggesting without knowing you and your circumstances, it's hard, even maybe impossible, to fully understand you as a person.

And I guess, purely hypothetically, on a larger level if there were some large set of people that were different to most people, and had been under represented in the AFL world, it would probably be hard to understand them, and ensure they fit into the AFL world, unless somehow we were better able to learn who they are and their circumstances.

 

[Forward Press]

So Go **** yourself and the soap box you came in on accusing me of shit.

I'm happy to go off my soap box once you stop comparing those coming out of the closet to people shagging fence posts.

I wonder what you thought when Nicky Winmar pointed to his chest that day at Victoria Park...

 

[Smotie2]

I'm happy to go off my soap box once you stop comparing those coming out of the closet to people shagging fence posts.

That's a you problem in your mind making that comparison. Don't accuse me of that comparison from a generalisation I made about sexuality.

I wonder what you thought when Nicky Winmar pointed to his chest that day at Victoria Park...

I didnt follow football at the time so I had no thoughts about it. Didnt even know it happened.

You can keep wondering about it as anything I say further will get twisted by you as I've found out.

What were your thoughts about it at the time. Be honest.

Guess you're staying on your soap box huh?

Cheers

 

[Forward Press]

That's a you problem in your mind making that comparison. Don't accuse me of that comparison from a generalisation I made about sexuality.



I didnt follow football at the time so I had no thoughts about it. Didnt even know it happened.

You can keep wondering about it as anything I say further will get twisted by you as I've found out.

What were your thoughts about it at the time. Be honest.

Guess you're staying on your soap box huh?

Cheers

Fully supportive. I'm a bit of a leftie that way, I think insults like f***** should get consequences nowadays and that the AFL has a problem with homophobia when even Mitch Brown gets pilloried by some for coming out. There's a reason why no current players are out and the one ex-player that does gets crucified even by his own former club's supporters.

I also think some don't think about the real people that get caught up in this when we do things like debate whether it's wrong to call someone a f***** or whether we should be concerned about gay people in the locker room showers.

Have a good night from my soap box

 

[Happy Mastenator]

I think this discussion is best left for a pm if I feel inclined to discuss shit with you.

You've also misrepresented the meaning of my post. I've made it clear the point of my post is to leave your sexuality out of football no matter what it is, not just LGBTQ.

Cheers

Ok. Let’s stop players bringing partners to the Brownlow. No shots of family in the stands, no talk of father/sons, daughter/sons etc.

In fact all players must be robots and completely asexual.

I take it I’ll find no posts from you about Harley and his relationships?

 

[jdisc]

I didn't say any of that and not sure why you're changing my post to suit your agenda whatever that is

the point went right over your head hey

 

[jdisc]

I think this discussion is best left for a pm if I feel inclined to discuss shit with you.

You've also misrepresented the meaning of my post. I've made it clear the point of my post is to leave your sexuality out of football no matter what it is, not just LGBTQ.

Cheers

Mitch isnt even actively playing football so Im not sure what you mean, he talked about it on a podcast

While we are at it and including social issues why not let's bring Palestine flags to the ground? Oh what about Israeli flags? How about we have a Russian/Ukraine war round?

How about we discuss guns in America and have a gun round? Like we could have social issues about animal cruelty round.

There's literally thousands of issues in our lives and I'm wondering why you don't want to talk about them or have rounds about them?

Edit: Oh while im at it why isn't there a men's mental health round? And the AFL have said they aren't doing it? Why, why isn't there this? People don't want to be challenged about men's mental health issues? Is that it? Please explain since you're the line judge on all the issues you think people don't want to be challenged about at the football.

I go to the football and watch football to have enjoyment and get away from stress and struggles in life mate. Not to have these things shoved in my face.

This is an odd post, on the one hand you're saying the AFL and its clubs should never address social issues and on the other hand you're upset over the lack of focus on men's mental health.

Also your tongue in cheek suggestions are all related to foreign conflicts whereas the AFL usually focuses on domestic causes for obvious reasons?

 

[jdisc]

you think the AFL should play a role in society?

yet they have done nothing to address the issue of Kurdish emancipation

nor do they have a clear stance on the Catalan independence movement

curious

 

[bUCKET__]

imagine thinking and/or saying something like "I just don't wanna see hear think about X keep it away"

Then posting essays about your feelings about it online

 

[Smotie2]

Mitch isnt even actively playing football so Im not sure what you mean, he talked about it on a podcast



This is an odd post, on the one hand you're saying the AFL and its clubs should never address social issues and on the other hand you're upset over the lack of focus on men's mental health.

Also your tongue in cheek suggestions are all related to foreign conflicts whereas the AFL usually focuses on domestic causes for obvious reasons?

you think the AFL should play a role in society?

yet they have done nothing to address the issue of Kurdish emancipation

nor do they have a clear stance on the Catalan independence movement

curious

View attachment 2412568

Well done. You've managed to misread my post entirely lol.

 

[jdisc]

Well done. You've managed to misread my post entirely lol.

you sooked over a bloke coming out on a podcast because he's "bringing his sexuality into football"

you claimed you just wanted to watch football without any acknowledgement of social issues, and compared this issue to the AFL staging a round about the Ukraine conflict or suggested fans bring Palestinian flags to games

then you edited your post to suggest the AFL should do more to address the issue of men's mental health

does that about sum it up?

im sorry this has you so triggered and that bigfooty isnt your safe space, might I suggest you try twitter/X? you might find more like minded individuals

 

[PerthBoy86]

Certainly brave of him, but I'm also interested to hear opinions of him as a footy player. Was a solid backman I think, but unfortunately I don't remember a lot of him as a player. Was unlucky to play his career between our premierships basically.

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

Certainly brave of him, but I'm also interested to hear opinions of him as a footy player. Was a solid backman I think, but unfortunately I don't remember a lot of him as a player. Was unlucky to play his career between our premierships basically.

Picked ahead of Mackenzie and Schofield when we went tall at the draft in 2007, and they both had better careers in the end.

Was drafted as a forward, then we brought in JK and Darling and he went back. Then got wrecked by injuries which resulted in the emergence of McGovern (was first choice CHB before then, with Mackenzie at FB), but was still picked for the Elimination Final in 2016 and ... played in a forward pocket for reasons that escape everyone.

Retired after that game at 28 and now we all know why. Fell just short of 100 games too and his sons will be athletic beasts given their mum is a former netballer.

Decent player. Not great, not Brander. Drafted at a similar point in the draft from memory.

 

[PerthBoy86]

Picked ahead of Mackenzie and Schofield when we went tall at the draft in 2007, and they both had better careers in the end.

Was drafted as a forward, then we brought in JK and Darling and he went back. Then got wrecked by injuries which resulted in the emergence of McGovern (was first choice CHB before then, with Mackenzie at FB), but was still picked for the Elimination Final in 2016 and ... played in a forward pocket for reasons that escape everyone.

Retired after that game at 28 and now we all know why. Fell just short of 100 games too and his sons will be athletic beasts given their mum is a former netballer.

Decent player. Not great, not Brander. Drafted at a similar point in the draft from memory.

I suppose with a name like Mitch Brown he was probably going to fall through the cracks of memory.

 

[Goroyals22]

Certainly brave of him, but I'm also interested to hear opinions of him as a footy player. Was a solid backman I think, but unfortunately I don't remember a lot of him as a player. Was unlucky to play his career between our premierships basically.

His best footy was his first game and more specifically the first half in 2007 in the drug grudge match v Sydney playing at centre half forward. He then did his knee and that seemed to weaken him so badly that anytime he was 5 metres near a contest he fell over..did well to get as many games as he did.

 

[Forward Press]

I suppose with a name like Mitch Brown he was probably going to fall through the cracks of memory.

You could argue that his twin brother - and the other Mitch Brown - were more famous.

I rated him as decent, nothing more. Serviceable. Surprised as everyone else when named for the 2016 elimination final, fortunately that wasn't the key reason we got thumped by the Dogs at home so wasn't made the scapegoat.

I also remember the whole kerfuffle with him wanting to go to Melbourne and we refused the trade, and the whole delisting saga where I also thought he perhaps had something to offer as a depth player. Perhaps his sexuality was the reason he called it quits, perhaps not, either way we all must agree he had a difficult career with injuries, never being first 22 and now we know his struggle with his sexuality. Maybe a mediocre eventual career for a pick 16.

 

[Miguel Sanchez]

Looked alright in his first season, then did his knee in the 2008 pre-season (down in Albany from memory?)

Wonder how much of an effect that had on his development.

 

[HoneyBadger35]

Bloke articulates super clearly how alienated he felt from the only world he knew and how he eventually just gave up on it entirely and ended his footy career early.

“Why isn’t there a men’s mental health round”.

We know what you mean. Not those men. No not those men. No I’m not worried about their mental health, what about me?

At this point the ones not getting are deliberately choosing to not get it, and quite simply never will.

Thread is staying up because it’s important to show that 99% of people are very supportive of everyone, and if the 1% could quietly go to a different thread or log off to concentrate on that divorced loser rally that’s going on today, that would be appreciated. We’re not doing “why isn’t there men’s mental health round” or “why does this actually matter” again.

It’s been answered, you don’t like the answer, the world is moving on without you.