RIP Bruce Weber

[noddy]

As Rucci also said " it's either a yay or nay & no in between" in regards to Bruce Webber" so don't get in too much of a huff & puff if the tributes don't come pouring in.

Condolences to his family for the early loss of their loved one.

 

[RogerRabbit69]

IMO, just because someone dies shouldn't change your attitude towards them.

If people last week were asked what they thought of Big Bruce, plenty would have had a few unkind words to say. It'd be the height of hyprocrisy for those same people to change their tune. It may not seem a very palatable response, but at least it's honest.

How would you have felt if Sanders came out and said what a wonderful bloke Bruce was? You could quite reasonably have a crack at him.

FWIW, I personally didn't like Bruce's involvement some 15 years. But I still feel sympathy towards his family. But did I admire Bruce Weber? No.

 

[Toots Hibbert]

At least two SANFL clubs could have been playing in the national competition but for the jealousy and stupidity of the other nine clubs in 1990. Norwood, Glenelg and all the rest should reflect on that when they consider the legacy of Bruce Weber.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

IMO, just because someone dies shouldn't change your attitude towards them.

If people last week were asked what they thought of Big Bruce, plenty would have had a few unkind words to say. It'd be the height of hyprocrisy for those same people to change their tune. It may not seem a very palatable response, but at least it's honest.

How would you have felt if Sanders came out and said what a wonderful bloke Bruce was? You could quite reasonably have a crack at him.

FWIW, I personally didn't like Bruce's involvement some 15 years. But I still feel sympathy towards his family. But did I admire Bruce Weber? No.

Of course I expect crows supporters to defend the actions of their establishment. That's understandable. But don't muddy the waters deliberately or otherwise on the insensitivity being shown by the SANFL.

I'm not saying they should come out in tribute and offer to put up a bronze statue to the real father of the crows. I'm quite happy for it to be left to us Port supporters to eulogise on his vision, his dedication to Port Adelaide and his willingness to take on the establishment.

But he was a President of the Port Adelaide Football Club for 6 years, and as such his passing at least deserves to be acknowledged by the SANFL. He was a father to 4 children, a husband. Is it so hard for the SANFL to offer its condolences to his family through a representative, even if Leigh didn't want to say anything himself?

 

[dreamkillers]

Of course I expect crows supporters to defend the actions of their establishment. That's understandable. But don't muddy the waters deliberately or otherwise on the insensitivity being shown by the SANFL.

I'm not saying they should come out in tribute and offer to put up a bronze statue to the real father of the crows. I'm quite happy for it to be left to us Port supporters to eulogise on his vision, his dedication to Port Adelaide and his willingness to take on the establishment.

But he was a President of the Port Adelaide Football Club for 6 years, and as such his passing at least deserves to be acknowledged by the SANFL. He was a father to 4 children, a husband. Is it so hard for the SANFL to offer its condolences to his family through a representative, even if Leigh didn't want to say anything himself?

IMO this just continues to show the 'true' character of those in charge of the SANFL who should be thinking about what's best for the game instead of continuing to clutch onto petty grudges........

"He took a lot of hits," she said.

"Only his family knows of the hurt and despair he suffered. No-one will ever understand what he went through. But he never carried any grudges. He moved on."

It appears others, particularly at football headquarters, will never forgive Weber.

Weber, it will surprise many, did celebrate Adelaide's rise to the AFL premiership in 1997 - and certainly Port Adelaide's entry to the big league that year and flag in 2004.

"Dad's passion was Port Adelaide but he also wanted SA to be a force in Australian football - and he delighted in SA becoming a double force with the Crows and the Power," Jodie Weber said.

It seems down at West Lakes the blinds are still tightly screwed down and the doors firmly shut due to petty jealousy that continues to hinder it's own success........

Maybe someday in the future they will have the wisdom like Bruce always had to look at the bigger picture and long term future and what they can actually do to move things forward instead of continuing to hold petty grudges.........

but I don't see it changing in my lifetime..........

 

[Macca19]

I can completely understand a lot of people in this state not liking the man. But for the people in charge of the SANFL to completely ignore it is quite simply pathetic and shows what sort of people they are.

 

[Ray Nolan]

RIP Bruce Weber - thank you for what you did for the PAFC.

Just a shame the scum at the SANFL & AFC can't let bygones be bygones. W***ers one and all.

 

[Arabian Goggles]

RIP Bruce Weber - thank you for what you did for the PAFC.

Just a shame the scum at the SANFL & AFC can't let bygones be bygones. W***ers one and all.

Depends on what side of the fence you sit on as to who is the scum. Not to berate the man after he's dead but he wasn't too popular with anyone other than port supporters. What he did changed footy in your state forever. Whether that is for better or worse depends on where you sit. Without him there would be no Adelaide Crows as we know them.

 

[blackdiamond]

As Rucci also said " it's either a yay or nay & no in between" in regards to Bruce Webber

But isn't that so Port Adelaide, you either love us or hate us.

Thanks again Bruce, its great to do what most other people can't in this state, support the club in the AFL that I grew up with.

 

[Steve Dore]

Heaps of very good posts here. I too never met the man but am deeply appreciative of what we did. He saw what he tried to start come to fruition in 2004, and perversely in 1997 and 1998. I think the idea of a Bruce Webber Medal is a great one.
RIP Bruce Webber.

I never met Bruce as such but I did listen to him at the members information night held back in 1990 when he explained the clubs push to join the AFL. A man of great vision. Certainly deserving of some lasting tribute/memorial by the club.

 

[Macca19]

What he did changed footy in your state forever. Whether that is for better or worse depends on where you sit. Without him there would be no Adelaide Crows as we know them.

Without him, Max and Leigh might still be contemplating whether having an SA based AFL club would be a good idea or not.

 

[Paralowiepower]

Depends on what side of the fence you sit on as to who is the scum. Not to berate the man after he's dead but he wasn't too popular with anyone other than port supporters. What he did changed footy in your state forever. Whether that is for better or worse depends on where you sit. Without him there would be no Adelaide Crows as we know them.

I think he would of been quite popular in AFL ranks.

I hope the PAFC do the right thing by his family and really look after them this weekend at the Dockers match.

Once again Bruce we say thanks.

 

[Steve Dore]

Without him, Max and Leigh might still be contemplating whether having an SA based AFL club would be a good idea or not.

True. The major problem they had with putting an SA team into the AFL was that they wanted to dictate 100% of the terms. This is why the PAFC bid was acceptable to the AFL where as previous SANFL bids were not. Max was not satisfied with being a big fish in a small pond he wanted to be the big fish in the big pond as well. Ports bid forced the SANFL to accept the same terms as Port or miss out for at least 5-6 years. It could be argued that Max new that the SANFL would not survive 5-6 years with Port in the AFL.

 

[Macca19]

From memory, the SANFL didnt want to negotiate for a spot again until 1994. Far too late. The AFL would have put in another club from another state and thats not accounting for Norwood accepting their offer if we didnt do what we did.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

One of the conditions Port negotiated was ploughing the bulk of profits made back into the SANFL, just like that other club .. now who are they again? That's always converniently overlooked in painting Bruce as the uber villain.

 

[Magpiespower]

From memory, the SANFL didnt want to negotiate for a spot again until 1994. Far too late. The AFL would have put in another club from another state and thats not accounting for Norwood accepting their offer if we didnt do what we did.

Macca, it was actually the end of the 1992 season (with the intention of entering a side in 1993.)

Gary Linnell's 'Football Limited' succintly documents the entire saga.

Including Norwood's complicity in it all.

Worth reading because it isn't told from the typical Adelaide viewpoint.

You know - small, narrow, parochial, through rose-coloured glasses.

The great irony in it all was that the very same people who lambasted Bruce Weber and the Port Adelaide Football Club were the same one's who wholeheartedly embraced the Crows as the 'Team for All South Australians.'

 

[RogerRabbit69]

I can completely understand a lot of people in this state not liking the man. But for the people in charge of the SANFL to completely ignore it is quite simply pathetic and shows what sort of people they are.

IMO, it's more respectful for people like Whicker and Sanders, who by all accounts didn't think much of Big Bruce, to say nothing than to offer some hollow form of condolence.

 

[Quadzilla]

IMO, it's more respectful for people like Whicker and Sanders, who by all accounts didn't think much of Big Bruce, to say nothing than to offer some hollow form of condolence.

That is making a personal 'grudge' stand in way of condolesences to the family of a man who was a SANFL official. IMO that sucks and says a lot about them.

 

[Steve Dore]

That is making a personal 'grudge' stand in way of condolesences to the family of a man who was a SANFL official. IMO that sucks and says a lot about them.

Excellent point.

Bruce was the president of an SANFL club and as such should be shown respect by the SANFL.

 

[dreamkillers]

IMO, it's more respectful for people like Whicker and Sanders, who by all accounts didn't think much of Big Bruce, to say nothing than to offer some hollow form of condolence.

The problem is though they didn't remain quiet......they made sure their thoughts are out their by saying very little and the fact they can't offer ANY form of condolence to his FAMILY clearly shows the type of people they are.

 

[RogerRabbit69]

You've all made very valid points and I can understand your disappointment.

Personally, I wouldn't want condolences from someone I knew didn't like me.

But that's just my peronsal opinion - and probably belongs on the "life philsophy" board, if there was such a thing.

I think it's vaguely mischievous that the Advertiser went out of its way to highlight the fact that the SANFL and Crows chose not to comment. The article could just as easily have been written without that detail. Rucci undoubtedly would have realised their lack of comment would have sparked heated debated. Is that particularly respectful? IMO, no.

 

[Paralowiepower]

Could you imagine the outcry if it was Max Basheer and there was no condolences or comment from the PAFC.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

You've all made very valid points and I can understand your disappointment.

Personally, I wouldn't want condolences from someone I knew didn't like me.

But that's just my peronsal opinion - and probably belongs on the "life philsophy" board, if there was such a thing.

I think it's vaguely mischievous that the Advertiser went out of its way to highlight the fact that the SANFL and Crows chose not to comment. The article could just as easily have been written without that detail. Rucci undoubtedly would have realised their lack of comment would have sparked heated debated. Is that particularly respectful? IMO, no.

It's not about whether you want condolences. In that case, you're the dead person, it's all fairly irrelevant to you. But to the family it's an important part of the healing process. I'm sure I'm not the only one here, but I lost a very close family member (my father) a few years back and it was devastating to me. But I remember with affection every person who went out of their way to show my father their respect by offering their condolences to the family or me personally or by attending the funeral.

 

[Portia]

The fact that Basheer and Whicker don't want to offer condolences, and are willing to look like prats in the media in refusing to do it, well, thats another little tick in the WINS column for Bruce really

 

[RogerRabbit69]

It's not about whether you want condolences. In that case, you're the dead person, it's all fairly irrelevant to you. But to the family it's an important part of the healing process. I'm sure I'm not the only one here, but I lost a very close family member (my father) a few years back and it was devastating to me. But I remember with affection every person who went out of their way to show my father their respect by offering their condolences to the family or me personally or by attending the funeral.

We've all had people we care about who have died.

I haven't got too many left, actually.

Did I feel better because there were people at the funeral who I knew didn't see eye to eye with the deceased when they were alive? Nope. Not one bit. Did I appreciate some token gesture just so the person giving it felt like they had "done the right thing"? Not in the slightest.

But, hey, that just goes to show we all handle death - and life - in different ways. Be a pretty boring place if we didn't.