Pitiful Pitman versus Mad Maric

[Ferris_rules]

deja vu

I remember a coach called Malcolm doing this to a guy called David in 97.

Did the Crows really achieve anything much that year????



http://www.theage.com.au/news/rfnews/craig-apologises-to-maric/2009/04/24/1240079806059.html

Craig apologises to Maric

April 24, 2009

ADELAIDE coach Neil Craig has apologised to Ivan Maric for embarrassing the ruckman during the Crows' loss to Geelong last week.
Craig berated Maric at three-quarter time during the Cats' 48-point victory and his fierce words and body language were picked up all too clearly by the TV cameras.
Having struggled for much of the night, Maric's confidence fell further in the final quarter when he gave away a 50-metre penalty and a vital goal.
The exchange sparked memories of Malcolm Blight's infamous "pathetic" jibe at ruckman David Pittman following a defeat in his second match as Crows coach in 1997.
Craig says Maric had no problems with the content of the dressing down, but would have been embarrassed by the manner of its delivery.

 

[marvin]

A few differences.

Pittman got shredded in the media by Blight after a game when he limped off in the first quarter (calf or groin, can't remember which) and missed the next 3 games. It wasn't an on-the-field blast or humiliation like Austin McCrabb or Matt Connell.

I thought it was a bit of a strategic attack from Blight, in order to question the culture that a loss on the road was to be expected and not be be disappointed about. Pittman just happened to be the vehicle, and at the time I thought it was an intentionally chosen one - a senior player (28 years old), one who seemed popular with his teammates, who just might be a rallying point. That assumption is based on the presumption that Blight was calm and rational though.

 

[Ferris_rules]

One thing about Blighty I really enjoyed listening to his press conferences they were enthralling to say the least.

I dont think he is suited to commentating on AFL but rather more on shows like Footy Classified et al.

I still feel his rant on Pittman changed the course of the history of the AFC forever !

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

I still feel his rant on Pittman changed the course of the history of the AFC forever !

A day that will live in infamy...

Blight was often quite brutal with his players. The Pittman criticism would certainly have been a culture shock for the Crows players. One that Blight perhaps thought we needed.

Craig's berating of Maric though seemed quite out of character for him. It wasn't a controlled, measured "needle" aimed at getting the best of of the individual/team. It was an emotional response at a high pressure time.

I think Craig apologised not because what he did on Saturday night was anything worse than what other coaches might do but because it was a momentary loss of control and out of step with his personality.

NB: A forgotten "gem" from Blight's 1997 Round 2 press conference was when he got asked about Jason McCartney's game. "Oh, he was hopeless," Blight replied swiftly before moving on. Somehow that comment got lost in the Pittman Pathetic Effort circus that followed.

 

[Witty Remark]

Ah the memories. What a card.

I think Craigy showing some genuine passion and emotion was great. He was apologising for the way the message looked, not for the message or how it was delivered wasn't he? Makes me think what he's actually like behind the 'media veil' and behind closed doors.

1997. Still gives me a warm fuzzy feeling!


_______________
VB for captain

 

[Damp Squarie]

This will do Maric more good than harm. He still has a bit to learn in the caper including making eye contact when the coach balls you out.

Did you notice him looking for his Mum in the stands

Matty Clarke was focused, but of course, he's matured through all of that....Coaches going off I mean.

Even Edwards nonchalantly passed by Craigy and the vein on his neck.

If Ivan arcs up next game and gets on with it he will have matured. If he sulks and isnt fired up with a passion there will be those that will say.. " See...I told you so"

Im confident he'll be fine, just like Pitto was; and Ivan will have forgotten about it when he's bathing Brogan or whoever in the next few weeks.

 

[WALL-e]

I know he was ashamed of his performance, and he's usually a very proud character, but I really wished he looked Craig in the eyes when he was getting blasted.

His form hasn't been great all year so he'll get a couple of run arounds and get ready to go agsin.

I just hope we get to see, at least once, the Griff Maric combo with Tipp forward.

Look how well King, Gardner and Kosi have worked together.

 

[Damp Squarie]

I still think Maric will be No1 ruckman by a street.
Griffin (I hope he shoots me down in flames) aint got it IMO.

He'll get this chance to tell Craigy to pick him again next week against a lowly combination...Is he good enough?

 

[TheLeftFist8]

I still think Maric will be No1 ruckman by a street.
Griffin (I hope he shoots me down in flames) aint got it IMO.

He'll get this chance to tell Craigy to pick him again next week against a lowly combination...Is he good enough?

Interesting comparison.

At the start of 2009 I totally agreed with you, and wouldn't have been too upset had Griffin been traded.

The last month has evened up my thinking, not so much Griffin's numbers in the SANFL but rather his all-round improvement and increased physical presence (his major flaws).


We have 4 promising ruckman who are IMO all currently rating around 6/10 for status as AFL ruckman...

Maric a strong bodied competitor when his confidence is up, adds a spark for teammates, dead eye dick for set shots, good with the handball. Conversely, is slow across the turf, relatively short with a leap that does not make up for it, is clumsy in contests and is a terrible judge of a mark 9 times out of 10. Depending on confidence he rates between 4/10 and 8/10 as an AFL ruckman but critically 8/10 is his ceiling due to physical limitations.

Griffin is our best tap ruckman by a mile when not hampered by injury and his early season form last year showed how influential this can be, not to mention his surprising good skills when he finds space. However, his lean frame repeatedly led to a lack of endurance across the seasons, a poor presence around the ground and in traffic, and dropped plenty of marks he should have taken due to body pressure. Up to the end of 08 it appeared Griffin would never overcome his body and all-round play limitations. As such his obvious potential was looking wasted. So he remained a 6/10 ruck prospect on average...That was until this pre-season. While his performances were underwhelming, he now appears to have added much needed bulk (still no monster but its mitigating his weaknesses) and thus is improving his presence around the ground in the SANFL. IF he can step up to the AFL with this new found game, we have found our new No. 1. Massive query over whether he will do it but on potential he has the highest ceiling imo.

Moran i realise is underrated by most as a ruck on here. Let's not forget the latitude given to Maric and Griffin in their development! Moran is still young and a developing tall. His SANFL form is reputably promising, i believe his ruck work is better than claimed and last year showed evidence of learning quickly. Importantly, he has the best natural skills of our big men and has proven he can win the ball around the ground, is streets ahead of Maric and Griffin in marking (obviously Tippett is the best), is versatile and mobile and thus could play his role well in the new 'zone' game plans. While many of his drawbacks will improve with development, the one aspect of his game which will stop him rivalling Griffin as a ruck (and yes Griffin needs to answer the same query on the big stage) is his intensity and toughness at the contest. IF he can harden up a bit and forget the metrosexual act when he steps onto the field he could be anything. Unfortunately football history is littered with many examples of promising players who never did anything due to this type of 'softness'. See last years famous delistee.

Tippett is obviously a potential gun. Has an aptitude for ruckwork, though it remains inconsistent. Is tremendously competitive on the ground and with second efforts, adds a great presence without the clumsiness of Maric, can take a huge grab, and is a very good handballer in heavy traffic BUT despite all this is very unlikely to ever be more than a pinch-hitter in ruck due to his enormous potential up forward. So while he is a 6-7/10 ruck now and could so quickly develop into an elite ruck (perhaps without the high possession style of Cox), he is unlikely to progress in this area through being an all-rounder.


So yeah, while an in-form Maric as been our best option to now i think his ceiling is a little lower than the other guys. It remains to be seen whether they live up to it and surpass him on a consistet level.

 

[Damp Squarie]

So yeah, while an in-form Maric as been our best option to now i think his ceiling is a little lower than the other guys.

Is that because he's shorter

This bit needs to be adressed for Griff to improve...

However, his lean frame repeatedly led to a lack of endurance across the seasons, a poor presence around the ground and in traffic

...and as you stated; its getting better.

He also lacks a bit of mongrel that Ivan has, you know, someone who steps in and stands up for the players in a scuffle.

 

[Jars458]

Topjars I am flattered that you have used one of my posts for a sig but is there any particular reason? Was it that bad?

 

[relapse]

A day that will live in infamy...

Blight was often quite brutal with his players. The Pittman criticism would certainly have been a culture shock for the Crows players. One that Blight perhaps thought we needed.

Craig's berating of Maric though seemed quite out of character for him. It wasn't a controlled, measured "needle" aimed at getting the best of of the individual/team. It was an emotional response at a high pressure time.

I think Craig apologised not because what he did on Saturday night was anything worse than what other coaches might do but because it was a momentary loss of control and out of step with his personality.

NB: A forgotten "gem" from Blight's 1997 Round 2 press conference was when he got asked about Jason McCartney's game. "Oh, he was hopeless," Blight replied swiftly before moving on. Somehow that comment got lost in the Pittman Pathetic Effort circus that followed.

I agree with your comments on Blight's approach, Blight attacks were a way to put the challenge to a player, it was never about Blight losing his composure and just letting rip. Blight was very controlled and deliberate with his criticism he was doing it to push buttons to hopefully get a response from the team.

Blight was the king of shock tactics as far as players and team's psyche went. I have heard though from a couple of sources that the players were beginning to resent some of Blight's treatment that some were relieved when he left the club.

One of the funniest things that Blight ever did was when the Crows were getting beaten in a home match (I think it was in 99) and we basically had no chance of winning and was playing like crap. Around the 20 minute mark of the last quarter the crowd suddenly sees Blight walking along the boundary line heading towards the Crows training facility head down not even looking at the filed or acknowledging any of the players.

My brother was a Woodville supporter and a couple of classics he told me was once Woodville were getting smashed so Blight made them sit on the boundary line watching the mini league at half time, so they could see how basic football was played. Another one was when Woodville played terrible so Blight told the players that they have no right to go and socialise at the club after a performance like that so he banned the players from going back to the club after matches until he felt that they played like winners and thus deserved to go back to the club and socialise.

 

[pjcrows]

Haha Blighty was a genius. St Kilda don't know what they missed out on.

 

[macca23]

Blight was the king of shock tactics as far as players and team's psyche went. I have heard though from a couple of sources that the players were beginning to resent some of Blight's treatment that some were relieved when he left the club.

One of the funniest things that Blight ever did was when the Crows were getting beaten in a home match (I think it was in 99) and we basically had no chance of winning and was playing like crap. Around the 20 minute mark of the last quarter the crowd suddenly sees Blight walking along the boundary line heading towards the Crows training facility head down not even looking at the filed or acknowledging any of the players.

My brother was a Woodville supporter and a couple of classics he told me was once Woodville were getting smashed so Blight made them sit on the boundary line watching the mini league at half time, so they could see how basic football was played. Another one was when Woodville played terrible so Blight told the players that they have no right to go and socialise at the club after a performance like that so he banned the players from going back to the club after matches until he felt that they played like winners and thus deserved to go back to the club and socialise.

There's a fine line between genius and madness and I'm positive we got doses of both from Blight.

I remember the game that Blight walked off around the oval a good 10 minutes before the end - a surprise loss against Richmond, wasn't it??

IMO Blight was a bully. He used to humiliate Matthew Connell frequently in front of his team-mates and spectators at training to the point where I've been told by people who would know that he was almost suicidal.

In his 3rd and last year as a coach, Blighty appeared to be a little mentally unstable and had lost the majority of players. It was time for him to go for the benefit of both parties.

I'm forever grateful to him for the 2 flags, but I don't respect him because of his poor man management ways.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

IMO Blight was a bully. He used to humiliate Matthew Connell frequently in front of his team-mates and spectators at training to the point where I've been told by people who would know that he was almost suicidal.

It's an interesting study of coaching methodology. You look at the success Blight had with his methods. Look at some of the horrific tennis parents whose kids have achieved greatness. The coaching of young gymnasts and other athletes overseas.

What is acceptable? How much do the results justify the actions?

 

[drdave]

There's a fine line between genius and madness and I'm positive we got doses of both from Blight.

I remember the game that Blight walked off around the oval a good 10 minutes before the end - a surprise loss against Richmond, wasn't it??

IMO Blight was a bully. He used to humiliate Matthew Connell frequently in front of his team-mates and spectators at training to the point where I've been told by people who would know that he was almost suicidal.

In his 3rd and last year as a coach, Blighty appeared to be a little mentally unstable and had lost the majority of players. It was time for him to go for the benefit of both parties.

I'm forever grateful to him for the 2 flags, but I don't respect him because of his poor man management ways.

Thats not good, I have also heard he got treated like this.
Think Edwards got similar treatment under Blight obviously a tatic he constantly used.

Although Edwards has obviously come out the other side stronger, and has probably been our best and most consistant post Blight young players do not deserve to be put through this.

Imagine the presures a young player would be under if they were copping this from there coach and then went home and read about themselves on big footy. The consequences for a young Connell 97/98 with the added humiliation of the internet 12 years later, could be a catastrophy.

 

[Damp Squarie]

Topjars I am flattered that you have used one of my posts for a sig but is there any particular reason? Was it that bad?

Nah, I rofld and actually agree with it. Sorry about the copyright breach
Time for lets bench Walker sig.