Play Nice The Final Quarter/Australian Dream

Brandon Jack has written a good article on smh today
(sorry behind paywall if not subscriber)
Was booing Goodes racist? By asking this question, Australia reaches a higher mark
Brandon Jack
Writer and former Sydney Swan
July 19, 2019

After training this week with my university football team, I was sitting in the change rooms with some of the guys and the topic of racism and Adam came up. One player said that they didn’t think it was racist. His view was that the best players have always been booed. That it was a badge of honour.

As I prepared to respond, something happened. From the other corner of the room a voice called out: “He said it was hurting him. He felt it was racist. He was made to feel small and isolated and was bullied for standing up against racism. So yeah, I think it was racist.”
The conversation that followed didn’t tear us apart. We were still teammates who would run out alongside each other on the weekend and, in that moment, we were Australians discussing what we wanted to stand for.
...
Adam Goodes, who brought crowds to their feet with his electrifying on-field play, was not divisive.
Adam Goodes, who always stayed until every fan got an autograph, was not divisive.
And Adam Goodes, who took a stand to say we shouldn’t treat people differently because of the colour of their skin, was not divisive
 
Brandon Jack has written a good article on smh today
(sorry behind paywall if not subscriber)
Was booing Goodes racist? By asking this question, Australia reaches a higher mark
Brandon Jack
Writer and former Sydney Swan
July 19, 2019

After training this week with my university football team, I was sitting in the change rooms with some of the guys and the topic of racism and Adam came up. One player said that they didn’t think it was racist. His view was that the best players have always been booed. That it was a badge of honour.

As I prepared to respond, something happened. From the other corner of the room a voice called out: “He said it was hurting him. He felt it was racist. He was made to feel small and isolated and was bullied for standing up against racism. So yeah, I think it was racist.”
The conversation that followed didn’t tear us apart. We were still teammates who would run out alongside each other on the weekend and, in that moment, we were Australians discussing what we wanted to stand for.
...
Adam Goodes, who brought crowds to their feet with his electrifying on-field play, was not divisive.
Adam Goodes, who always stayed until every fan got an autograph, was not divisive.
And Adam Goodes, who took a stand to say we shouldn’t treat people differently because of the colour of their skin, was not divisive

In different ways, Brandon and Luke Ablett often have interesting perspectives. Both write clearly and without recourse to cliche.
 
Jan 13, 2007
14,553
17,676
Melbourne
AFL Club
Sydney
I haven't seen the doco. But I was there for it.

I don't think it much helps that those adopting the Goodes cause, as worthy as it is, and it is, are the usual suspects (Waleed Aly) just as those opposed are the usual suspects (Andrew Bolt).
 
The flog is in here "reacting" to posts. Pathetic.
Tagged into the thread is tagged into the thread.

PM a mod if you spot this "reaction" type trolling & we will sort it out.

A warning to anyone that trolls this thread: we are not exactly going to give you the benefit of the doubt... you have been warned.
 

ashep

Norm Smith Medallist
Jun 15, 2014
5,642
12,825
AFL Club
Sydney
So in the unlikely event Goodes were to agree to a grand final lap, on a 1-10 scale, what would your anxiety level be?

I'm sorry, I simply don't trust the footy public on this one.
 
So in the unlikely event Goodes were to agree to a grand final lap, on a 1-10 scale, what would your anxiety level be?

I'm sorry, I simply don't trust the footy public on this one.


Agree. My anxiety level would a Spinal Tap Eleven
 
People who said and did the wrong thing and have been the whole time can’t change it

But for real progress they also need to be given the chance to change and correct and that includes idiots like Sam and Eddie etc
 

The Gong

Norm Smith Medallist
Oct 24, 2012
6,772
14,382
AFL Club
Sydney
Other Teams
Northern Districts Tigers
People who said and did the wrong thing and have been the whole time can’t change it

But for real progress they also need to be given the chance to change and correct and that includes idiots like Sam and Eddie etc
They won't change. Just like all the people arguing on the main thread won't shift their opinions one inch. You still need to challenge the behaviour and over time hope that social standards shift in the right direction.
 
Jun 19, 2011
11,085
15,831
Sydney
AFL Club
Sydney
Other Teams
Wallabies
They won't change. Just like all the people arguing on the main thread won't shift their opinions one inch. You still need to challenge the behaviour and over time hope that social standards shift in the right direction.

There's at least one person who admits in this article to having changed her opinion after watching the documentary. As she herself stated, having an open mind (being open to other perspectives and not looking for confirmation of your pre-existing one) when watching the documentary makes it very hard to paint Goodes as some kind of villain.

This documentary is going to remain in Australian culture for a very long time, I think.

 
They won't change. Just like all the people arguing on the main thread won't shift their opinions one inch. You still need to challenge the behaviour and over time hope that social standards shift in the right direction.


They probably won’t but they deserve a brief chance too if they will listen and embrace it otherwise we remain divided
 

The Gong

Norm Smith Medallist
Oct 24, 2012
6,772
14,382
AFL Club
Sydney
Other Teams
Northern Districts Tigers
There's at least one person who admits in this article to having changed her opinion after watching the documentary. As she herself stated, having an open mind (being open to other perspectives and not looking for confirmation of your pre-existing one) when watching the documentary makes it very hard to paint Goodes as some kind of villain.

This documentary is going to remain in Australian culture for a very long time, I think.

That's pretty refreshing. I've been battling in the main board thread so my faith in humanity is a little shaken.
 

The Gong

Norm Smith Medallist
Oct 24, 2012
6,772
14,382
AFL Club
Sydney
Other Teams
Northern Districts Tigers
They probably won’t but they deserve a brief chance too if they will listen and embrace it otherwise we remain divided
Every opinion should be heard. I just feel like basic compassion is missing from the conversation.

I'm also not expecting Sam Newman to do a 180 degree turn.
 
Jun 19, 2011
11,085
15,831
Sydney
AFL Club
Sydney
Other Teams
Wallabies
That's pretty refreshing. I've been battling in the main board thread so my faith in humanity is a little shaken.

Yeh you might be fighting an unwinnable battle with that particular cohort of people. Convincing anyone of anything on forums and social media where you're reading post is just hard. Face-to-face discussion might be different.

I firmly believe that this documentary will change or at least alter the perspective of quite a number of people. And adapting it to be presented in schools I think is fantastic as well.
 
Every opinion should be heard. I just feel like basic compassion is missing from the conversation.

I'm also not expecting Sam Newman to do a 180 degree turn.


Some are a lost cause i guess
 

Rhino5

Club Legend
Apr 6, 2008
1,458
661
Canberra
AFL Club
Sydney
Everything has been said already I guess, but my 2c....

It was a sad reminder of that period, some of which I'd forgotten. As a couple of others had said, it did reinforce the extent of the booing - it was pretty savage. Personally, I had only really remembered the West Coast game as being particularly bad, but it was ongoing and relentless in a way that really has no precedent. I can't imagine what that would have been like for Adam to experience (or for his teammates to be a part of for that matter). The ultimate sadness for me is feeling like he couldn't do the GF parade. A 350 gamer, dual Brownlow medallist hounded out of the game to the point where he couldn't show up to a ceremony where our greatest players are celebrated. Absolutely shameful.

It was disappointing to wake up this morning to some of the same sentiments on Twitter - i.e. "won't change my opinion of him", it wasn't racially motivated, it was because he was a "dirty player", "played for frees", was a "sook" or whatever. Obviously none of that holds up to scrutiny - for one thing, it hadn't happened for the majority of his career and I don't recall him suddenly playing for frees in around 2013/4 (as if that's a crime anyway). If fans were all about booing people for that or being "dirty", then wouldn't they have booed Joel Selwood and Barry Hall mercilessly too? Please.

The film also highlighted how people have deliberately created an alternate history of what actually happened - specifically in relation to the Collingwood supporter and the war dance vs Carlton. It seems indisputable for me that he never 'targeted' the girl, as was (and is still) often claimed by those who said he brought all this on himself. He actually went out of his way to call for people to support her, to not blame her etc. The war dance was done IN INDIGENOUS ROUND as a tribute to some junior players - it was their dance and he was honouring them (and his culture) by performing it in an actual game. I'm sure they would have got a kick out of it. It wasn't threatening to Carlton fans or anyone else. Yes, it was an overt display of his culture, but again, it was indigenous round and if that isn't the time to do it, what is (not that he needed anyone's permission at any other time). He seemed genuinely puzzled that it caused such controversy and I can understand that.

Goodes himself came across incredibly well - so much dignity and calmness while all of this rubbish was going on. Robbo was fantastic as well I thought. Sam Newman obviously an absolute disgrace of a human.
 

Mick Oxlong

Cancelled
10k Posts
Oct 27, 2007
11,471
13,227
AFL Club
Sydney
The worst thing about all this Mick, is I think the country has deteriorated since the mid 90s.

It is like there has been a decline in the human spirit and solidarity in this country.

Racists unless they are complete psychopaths used to hide under a rock. Now they are emboldened to publicly rank a person according to their skin colour or cultural background.
That’s probably so true and I just don’t understand it. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good ‘an Aussie, Irishman and Chinaman’ joke because I see it as that...but racism isn’t a joke!
 

JeremyVanHolden

Debutant
Jun 7, 2019
74
261
AFL Club
Sydney
That’s probably so true and I just don’t understand it. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good ‘an Aussie, Irishman and Chinaman’ joke because I see it as that...but racism isn’t a joke!

As long as the Irishman comes out on top!! 😉 Definitely agree with you though, different cultures and races always banter with each other, have a bit of fun and laugh about it but the moment it makes someone feel upset, bad, angered, you know you’ve crossed the line. If you don’t think it’s racism yet the person you’re speaking to thinks it is, then you can be damn sure whatever you said or did is most certainly racist, whether you care to acknowledge it was or not!

Now Mick....what was that joke you were about to tell?
 

dustysnecktattoo

Club Legend
May 15, 2019
2,067
2,883
AFL Club
Richmond
I come in peace

Have asked in a couple other threads but have gotten no answers.

Where is Adam now? How is he? There’s been nothing about that.
 

Mick Oxlong

Cancelled
10k Posts
Oct 27, 2007
11,471
13,227
AFL Club
Sydney
As long as the Irishman comes out on top!! 😉 Definitely agree with you though, different cultures and races always banter with each other, have a bit of fun and laugh about it but the moment it makes someone feel upset, bad, angered, you know you’ve crossed the line. If you don’t think it’s racism yet the person you’re speaking to thinks it is, then you can be damn sure whatever you said or did is most certainly racist, whether you care to acknowledge it was or not!

Now Mick....what was that joke you were about to tell?
There was this White Anglo Saxon person, another White Anglo Saxon person and another White Anglo Saxon Person...yeah, there’s something wrong with this joke!
 
Back