Multicultural Round - Why?

[bluemarq]

Still complaining about GWS bluemarq. I'm sure AFL HQ will take notice if you keep up your hysteria.

A crowd of 7350 to watch them play Richmond (at least half the crowd being Tigers fans) says vastly more about GWS than I can.

 

[Dont be a lemon]

It is worthwhile for the AFL to endear itself to wider society. Unless you'd rather the AFL be like cricket in this country where only Anglo-Celtic whites and immigrants from cricket nations give a shit.

..and here come all the smug, self-congratulatory, latte sipping Brunswick St regulars, screaming "racist" at anyone who doesn't agree with them.

31 posts from Multicultural Round to invoking Brunswick St...

 

[Forward Press]

"I'm a white male, age 18 to 49. Everyone listens to me, no matter how dumb my suggestions are."

 

[ausbacker]

A crowd of 7350 to watch them play Richmond (at least half the crowd being Tigers fans) says vastly more about GWS than I can.

I'm glad you possess the foresight to project future performance from the current start up status.

 

[bluemarq]

It is worthwhile for the AFL to endear itself to wider society. ...

It does endear itself to wider society. There are footballers from all manner of backgrounds. Any list of "greatest ever" footballers includes a large number of indigenous players as well as players from Greek, Italian and Balkan backrounds. As Australia's migration focus shifts, African, Pacific Island and Arabic names are beginning to pop up on player lists and membership rolls. This is occuring naturally and organically, without the sort of phoney, corporate marketing driven crap we are seeing in multi-culti round.

 

[Forward Press]

It does endear itself to wider society. There are footballers from all manner of backgrounds. Any list of "greatest ever" footballers includes a large number of indigenous players as well as players from Greek, Italian and Balkan backrounds. As Australia's migration focus shifts, African, Pacific Island and Arabic names are beginning to pop up on player lists and membership rolls. This is occuring naturally and organically, without the sort of phoney, corporate marketing driven crap we are seeing in multi-culti round.

You agree with the idea of a multicultural AFL - so why are you against the idea of promoting it? It makes no sense.

 

[Stratton_Gun]

Just an excuse to promote the game and get more people involved

 

[bugalugs213]

I'd like a round where the players playing milestones have to carry a woman/Dwarf/Indiginous/gay/ person through the banner.

 

[Forward Press]

I'd like a round where the players playing milestones have to carry a woman/Dwarf/Indiginous/gay/ person through the banner.

I wonder if there is a lesbian Aboriginal midget in Australia...

 

[bluemarq]

I'm glad you possess the foresight to project future performance from the current start up status.

I can't see the future. Neither can Vlad.

I might be wrong. So might Vlad.

Present indications however, would suggest that my view of the GWS's prospects is more likely to come to fruition than Vlad's.

 

[Chris_6678]

Because the AFL feels the need to make every round special so as to give themselves something to market the game around and be all encompassing.

As long as football is the centrepiece I don't really care for the rest.

This!

 

[EB&W Pieman]

It does endear itself to wider society. There are footballers from all manner of backgrounds. Any list of "greatest ever" footballers includes a large number of indigenous players as well as players from Greek, Italian and Balkan backrounds. As Australia's migration focus shifts, African, Pacific Island and Arabic names are beginning to pop up on player lists and membership rolls. This is occuring naturally and organically, without the sort of phoney, corporate marketing driven crap we are seeing in multi-culti round.

The same broad comments could be said about ANZAC Day. So are you against that, too?

Or because ANZAC day is about you and yours, that makes it OK.

 

[bluemarq]

You agree with the idea of a multicultural AFL - so why are you against the idea of promoting it? It makes no sense.

Because, it just ends up - per indigenous round - a patronising, cringeworthy marketing ploy which ends up being about a bunch of bougeois corporate execs and media talking heads congratulating themselves on their tolerance and moral righteousness, to the indifference (or hostility) of the wider footballing public.

As I said before, I find these sorts of things more irritating and embarrassingly tokenistic than deeply morally offensive.

 

[Lance Uppercut]

It does endear itself to wider society. There are footballers from all manner of backgrounds. Any list of "greatest ever" footballers includes a large number of indigenous players as well as players from Greek, Italian and Balkan backrounds. As Australia's migration focus shifts, African, Pacific Island and Arabic names are beginning to pop up on player lists and membership rolls. This is occuring naturally and organically, without the sort of phoney, corporate marketing driven crap we are seeing in multi-culti round.

maybe we could have some kind of Whingers Round? Then you could be included too?

 

[bluemarq]

The same broad comments could be said about ANZAC Day. So are you against that, too?

Or because ANZAC day is about you and yours, that makes it OK.

I am against ANZAC Day being commemorated by the AFL on any day other than ANZAC Day - so, yes, I am against ANZAC round.

I also think ANZAC day should be about remembrance and private reflection on the sacrifices made by previous generations - so to the extent that it turns (as it does, all too often) into some chest thumping, jingoistic, nationalist celebration - I find that regrettable.

 

[TooFar]

I guess it's just to celebrate the way people from a diverse range of cultures have contributed to our game. Seems a weird thing to have a whinge about to be honest.

Is your Avatar a picture of a Montreal Smoked Meat sandwich? You just made me very hungry.

 

[bluemarq]

maybe we could have some kind of Whingers Round? Then you could be included too?

You lot have any substantive arguments to the points I've raised?

Or is it all just ad hominem smears and screams of "racist!"?

 

[Hearts to hearts]

It does endear itself to wider society. There are footballers from all manner of backgrounds. Any list of "greatest ever" footballers includes a large number of indigenous players as well as players from Greek, Italian and Balkan backrounds. As Australia's migration focus shifts, African, Pacific Island and Arabic names are beginning to pop up on player lists and membership rolls. This is occuring naturally and organically, without the sort of phoney, corporate marketing driven crap we are seeing in multi-culti round.

And this week we'll be reminded especially of what some of these "greatest ever" footballers from different backgrounds brought to footy and got from it. It might make some families and some kids feel more a part of our game - they might not have been in Australia or following football when Jezza or Daicos did their thing. Again - why get huffy about it?

 

[Forward Press]

You lot have any substantive arguments to the points I've raised?

Or is it all just ad hominem smears and screams of "racist!"?

No one said you were racist.

 

[Ron The Bear]

Footy fans are generally far too lowbrow to appreciate this sort of thing. The AFL is attempting to institute a middle class, ultra-positive, controversy-free culture where fans clap everything, but it ain't gonna happen (unless they raise ticket prices substantially).

 

[Hearts to hearts]

You lot have any substantive arguments to the points I've raised?

Or is it all just ad hominem smears and screams of "racist!"?

Oooh, a Latin speaker, you are in a minority after all.

My substantive point is that you are complaining about something which does no harm and could do some good. People who usually are left out get a chance to be visibly, deliberately included in initiatives like this. You say it's tokenistic, I say it's valuable. I have experience of being in the out group, I don't know if you have, but to a lot of people, symbolic inclusion matters.

 

[ausbacker]

I can't see the future. Neither can Vlad.

I might be wrong. So might Vlad.

Present indications however, would suggest that my view of the GWS's prospects is more likely to come to fruition than Vlad's.

Absolutely. You can extrapolate multi decade investments and decide their ultimate success from the first 6 months of their competitive existence. That's strong business philosophy.

 

[Lance Uppercut]

You lot have any substantive arguments to the points I've raised?

Or is it all just ad hominem smears and screams of "racist!"?

I called you a whinger, not a racist.

This impacts on your life in precisely zero ways, except for the fact that YOU'RE OFFENDED!!! Heavens forbid you shoud BE OFFENDED!! We can't have that, even if we are trying to continue building on a socially inclusive institution that has so far been remarkably effective in shaping the way society views aboriginals, women etc.

 

[SydCrow]

good to see that we can all discuss this important issue without resorting to name calling

I have no problem with celebrating all of those who have played and do play the game. I also have no problem with the AFL taking a leadership role.

Actually I do. The AFL is a sporting body. AFL players are not role models for anything other than those who want to be professional athletes.

If Demetriou and Ali Fahour are selling it, I'm not sure I want to buy it.

 

[bluemarq]

Absolutely. You can extrapolate multi decade investments and decide their ultimate success from the first 6 months of their competitive existence. That's strong business philosophy.

Yes - because the vast majority of businesses that fail miserably in their first six months go on to be roaring successes.

As I said - I might be wrong. But I at least have some indication that I may be correct. You have none.