Open Mike

[jimbler]

First time I've seen that Beau Vernon collision. It's scary that it was so innocuous.

 

[Pykie]

First time I've seen that Beau Vernon collision. It's scary that it was so innocuous.

Ive been hit like that literally 100 times on the football field.

Chilling.

 

[AdamE89]

Beau is gonna make me cry. What an absolute gun. Still has a laugh about the cleaning around the shouse. Seems like such a top bloke. Watching the video of when the accident on the field happened was tough for me let alone him. Seemed like such an innocent action yet a terrible aftermath. Go Beau, hope your team wins the premiership!!

 

[Grizzly86]

Cracking episode, really hits the suburban and country footballer between the eyes.

Good luck to Beau with everything in his future, he deserves the best!

 

[Gak Attack]

What a great bloke.

Shame the guy who collided with him has never talked to him, even if it was just bad luck.

 

[AdamE89]

What a great bloke.

Shame the guy who collided with him has never talked to him, even if it was just bad luck.

What a campaigner! Seriously makes me really sad this guy never apologized or took him out for a beer or something. Really upsetting to hear this.

 

[nobbyiscool]

What a campaigner! Seriously makes me really sad this guy never apologized or took him out for a beer or something. Really upsetting to hear this.

I think that's harsh. Given the comments of some of you blokes, and how this could've happened to anyone, I don't know why you would find it difficult to understand it from the other perspective. Imagine being the guy that did it in a completely innocuous incident. Probably hard enough living with himself without having to deliberately confront himself with it.

 

[AdamE89]

I think that's harsh. Given the comments of some of you blokes, and how this could've happened to anyone, I don't know why you would find it difficult to understand it from the other perspective. Imagine being the guy that did it in a completely innocuous incident. Probably hard enough living with himself without having to deliberately confront himself with it.

It's a hard one to decide. I can see where you are coming from but still I think he could have confronted him and done something. I am still dissapointed that no contact has been made regarless of whether I put myself in this other guys shoes or not.

 

[Smashwood]

I think that's harsh. Given the comments of some of you blokes, and how this could've happened to anyone, I don't know why you would find it difficult to understand it from the other perspective. Imagine being the guy that did it in a completely innocuous incident. Probably hard enough living with himself without having to deliberately confront himself with it.

Hey hang on a second! He isn't in a wheelchair! Enough time has passed for the player, who had no intention of harming Beau Vernon, to at minimum go and see him. I know I would've been at the hospital trying to see the bloke, but we are all different I understand. That would've played on my mind forever.

From a human nature point of view, I can't understand how, after all this time, the player hasn't gone and chatted to Vernon. Not to necessarily apologise, but to just see the guy and let him know he is thinking of him. Actually the more I think about it, it is ordinary form to be honest.

If you had to pick out of two hard situations to be in.......

1 - To front a player you 100% wish you didn't even go near that faithful day or...
2 - To be in that wheelchair....

I know who is in the more difficult dilemma. I'm totally surprised the guy hasn't gone to see Vernon. I don't care if you cry and throw up before you go in to see Vernon......human nature has me by Vernon's side.

 

[Gak Attack]

Even if its completely an accident, one person has had their life completely changed, the other may feel terrible and sure may not have any blame but surely you could at least confront him, you don't even have to say sorry just wish him all the best. He may not have said it but Beau did seem a little disappointed he had never reached out.

 

[AdamE89]

Hey hang on a second! He isn't in a wheelchair! Enough time has passed for the player, who had no intention of harming Beau Vernon, to at minimum go and see him. I know I would've been at the hospital trying to see the bloke, but we are all different I understand. That would've played on my mind forever.

From a human nature point of view, I can't understand how, after all this time, the player hasn't gone and chatted to Vernon. Not to necessarily apologise, but to just see the guy and let him know he is thinking of him. Actually the more I think about it, it is ordinary form to be honest.

If you had to pick out of two hard situations to be in.......

1 - To front a player you 100% wish you didn't even go near that faithful day or...
2 - To be in that wheelchair....

I know who is in the more difficult dilemma. I'm totally surprised the guy hasn't gone to see Vernon. I don't care if you cry and throw up before you go in to see Vernon......human nature has me by Vernon's side.

Well said Kate!!

 

[nobbyiscool]

I don't disagree with what any of you are saying - I think all of us would like to think that, given the same situation, we would be brave enough to speak to Vernon.

But we shouldn't underestimate that doing so would be just that - really brave. I don't think it's fair to pass judgement on him without knowing how his headspace is and how this affected him. We as an educated society have gone past simplistically saying "one guy's in a wheel chair, one guy isn't", because we have no idea of the mental demons that might've affected the guy. I can't even begin to imagine how that would scar you, and the guilt of knowing that one guy is in a wheel chair and one isn't.

 

[Smashwood]

I don't disagree with what any of you are saying - I think all of us would like to think that, given the same situation, we would be brave enough to speak to Vernon.

But we shouldn't underestimate that doing so would be just that - really brave. I don't think it's fair to pass judgement on him without knowing how his headspace is and how this affected him. We as an educated society have gone past simplistically saying "one guy's in a wheel chair, one guy isn't", because we have no idea of the mental demons that might've affected the guy. I can't even begin to imagine how that would scar you, and the guilt of knowing that one guy is in a wheel chair and one isn't.

Each individual is different, I understand. I ended one guys career and put one out for 18mths, inadvertently, with knee injuries. Yes I had guilt but I couldn't get to the hospital quick enough. Not just to say sorry, but to let them know if they need anything here is my phone number. Driving to the hospital the second time was horrendous! What will I say, what does he think of me, is he ok.

Getting out of the car, feeling like spewing up, it now was not about me and my feelings for the moment, it is about the guy up in that room devastated. I didn't feel like I had to go, to be seen to be doing the right thing, I needed to see if I could help with anything.

This guy who inadvertently injured Beau Vernon has had 3yrs to put someone else's mental wellbeing before his own. I repeat.......THREE YEARS! Not good enough in my book! I suggest he get his arse in to see Vernon because late is better than never. If he has been fighting mental demons over the incident, I'm sure Beau Vernon would understand.

 

[tugga]

Thought's last night's episode was fantastic. Mike didn't need to do much. Beau spoke so well and basically ran the interview without taking it over. Terrific tuff.

 

[Rod Stroker]

Thought's last night's episode was fantastic. Mike didn't need to do much. Beau spoke so well and basically ran the interview without taking it over. Terrific tuff.

Spoke well? I thought he struggled to articulate, lots of "ummm... ahhhh"

I feel for the bloke, but like the Alex Johnson ep, it was another one I couldn't get through.

This hasn't been one of the better seasons.

 

[Helen Wheels]

Please pardon this interruption from someone who knows bugger all about this matter and has only just watched the footage but may I say that Michael 'Mike' Sheahan is an utter goose. To sit there and say to Beau, right to his face in front of all the viewers, that he'll "be in a wheelchair for life" makes me angry.

Similar comments were made in the media about Alex McKinnon from the Newcastle NRL club who suffered a terrible spinal injury on the field. These comments were later modified to say that that he had suffered a "career ending injury". Alex is working through a tough program of rehab.

And if anybody thinks I've got a barrow to push because of my posting name, let me set you straight. I'm not in a wheelchair, by the grace of god.

Sheahan has got a lot of growing up to do in the way he treats people, which is why he is such a shit journalist.

 

[nobbyiscool]

Please pardon this interruption from someone who knows bugger all about this matter and has only just watched the footage but may I say that Michael 'Mike' Sheahan is an utter goose. To sit there and say to Beau, right to his face in front of all the viewers, that he'll "be in a wheelchair for life" makes me angry.

Similar comments were made in the media about Alex McKinnon from the Newcastle NRL club who suffered a terrible spinal injury on the field. These comments were later modified to say that that he had suffered a "career ending injury". Alex is working through a tough program of rehab.

And if anybody thinks I've got a barrow to push because of my posting name, let me set you straight. I'm not in a wheelchair, by the grace of god.

Sheahan has got a lot of growing up to do in the way he treats people, which is why he is such a shit journalist.

It's a hard one. Mike Sheehan is the most respected journalist in the game. He is anything but a shit journalist.

That said, I winced a little bit at that too. Perhaps not for the same reason - I more looked at it from the perspective that we're forever making gains in medical science, and it was a grim message to send to people at home who might be in a similar situation.

But Helen Wheels I don't think your hysteria here does you any favours. Mike isn't a doctor, and as socially aware people with interests in disability issues, it's not our role to judge and shame people for what they don't know about disability (or about medicine or about physiology). On the contrary, I believe our role is to help people like Mike realise how much they don't know and hope they'll go out of their way to become educated, to become socially aware, and to become advocates for people with disabilities as well.

Our job is also to recognise and congratulate people like Mike for giving Beau the opportunity and the platform to tell his story and to educate people at home. I don't see Dr Chris on Network Ten or Doc Rohan White from Channel 7 rushing to do a highly educated, medically trained interview with Beau - thus we should appreciate that Sheehan gave him the platform.



I guess I come at this from a different perspective. I've "understood" Mike's ignorance here, as well as defended the guy who "caused" the injury not going to see him... but in some ways it's because I can almost understand Beau's perspective a little more more than the other people involved. I'm also a "but for the grace of my deities go I" case, and dealing with lingering effects of a permanent back injury that cripples me some days. I guess I understand peoples ignorance and I'm used to it. I'm used to people not knowing what to say, not knowing how or if to help, and feeling awkward about asking me.

But they're not maliciously ignorant, and they're not trying to offend people when they say something that they didn't even realise might be considered insensitive - they just don't even know how much they don't know. Maybe this is only something I tell myself to make myself feel better when people don't "get it" - but as disability advocates, we can't shame people into becoming educated, we have to make them want to become educated. Personally, I've always gotten a better response by explaining my injury to people than I have from allowing them to make assumptions and getting the shits with them about it.)

 

[Helen Wheels]

It's a hard one. Mike Sheehan is the most respected journalist in the game. He is anything but a shit journalist.

That said, I winced a little bit at that too. Perhaps not for the same reason - I more looked at it from the perspective that we're forever making gains in medical science, and it was a grim message to send to people at home who might be in a similar situation.

But Helen Wheels I don't think your hysteria here does you any favours. Mike isn't a doctor, and as socially aware people with interests in disability issues, it's not our role to judge and shame people for what they don't know about disability (or about medicine or about physiology). On the contrary, I believe our role is to help people like Mike realise how much they don't know and hope they'll go out of their way to become educated, to become socially aware, and to become advocates for people with disabilities as well.

Our job is also to recognise and congratulate people like Mike for giving Beau the opportunity and the platform to tell his story and to educate people at home. I don't see Dr Chris on Network Ten or Doc Rohan White from Channel 7 rushing to do a highly educated, medically trained interview with Beau - thus we should appreciate that Sheehan gave him the platform.



I guess I come at this from a different perspective. I've "understood" Mike's ignorance here, as well as defended the guy who "caused" the injury not going to see him... but in some ways it's because I can almost understand Beau's perspective a little more more than the other people involved. I'm also a "but for the grace of my deities go I" case, and dealing with lingering effects of a permanent back injury that cripples me some days. I guess I understand peoples ignorance and I'm used to it. I'm used to people not knowing what to say, not knowing how or if to help, and feeling awkward about asking me.

But they're not maliciously ignorant, and they're not trying to offend people when they say something that they didn't even realise might be considered insensitive - they just don't even know how much they don't know. Maybe this is only something I tell myself to make myself feel better when people don't "get it" - but as disability advocates, we can't shame people into becoming educated, we have to make them want to become educated. Personally, I've always gotten a better response by explaining my injury to people than I have from allowing them to make assumptions and getting the shits with them about it.)

Could debate/argue/disagree with you on several points but it would be in nobody's best interests to have this tragedy demeaned by such chatter. I have said my piece, you have said yours. Dominus vobiscum.

 

[tugga]

Spoke well? I thought he struggled to articulate, lots of "ummm... ahhhh"

I feel for the bloke, but like the Alex Johnson ep, it was another one I couldn't get through.

This hasn't been one of the better seasons.

I thought he spoke well in the sibstance of what he was saying. There was meaning behind the words. I didn't care about the umms and ahs

 

[extractasam]

Went into this one expecting not much but it was a great episode. Pretty inspiring stuff.

Not sure who posts the episodes on YouTube but if it's someone around here thanks very much, I can't watch on the Mondays and it's become ritual to watch in bed a couple of nights afterwards before I hit the sack. Appreciate it

 

[Hammer#8]

Next episode is Brian Cook.

 

[Super Hans]

Really enjoyed tonights episode. Very sad about him watching his mum kill herself.

 

[The King!]

Really enjoyed tonights episode. Very sad about him watching his mum kill herself.

He was open and honest to every question which always helps

Learnt some new stuff, enjoyed it

 

[Hellgood]

Enjoyed last nights episode. Then again, I usually do!

 

[tugga]

Have always found Cook interesting. I enjoyed the episode as well.