Bulldogs reach a compromise with their unrepantant veteran

[Mantis]

I am not normally a fan of Caro's work, but this one made for interesting reading...

CAROLINE WILSON
June 2, 2010

Having realised they were dealing with a delusional and unrepentant footballer, the Western Bulldogs yesterday reached a compromise with Jason Akermanis - the footballer they know could have derailed their season and might yet help save it.

Deep in their hearts, experienced campaigners Campbell Rose, James Fantasia and Rodney Eade knew they could still be headed on a collision course with the 33-year-old, whose media commitments yesterday proved too compelling and lucrative to abandon, despite the fact his teammates had looked him in the eye and asked him to do so.

So the three - who were tellingly joined by industrial employment expert and former club president Peter Gordon to thrash out some of the more sensitive aspects of the compromise arrangement - chose the path of least resistance.

Click Link for rest of article.

[dadsgirl16]

the comments from the punters are more interesting!

[LostDoggy]

How is Aker delusional? Because he's not spitting the corporate AFL and Club line? Or is it because his view is different to Caro's?

It's quite obvious that Aker doesn't care what people think about his views, and that's why I love the bloke, right or wrong…

[The Underdog]

How is Aker delusional? Because he's not spitting the corporate AFL and Club line? Or is it because his view is different to Caro's?

It's quite obvious that Aker doesn't care what people think about his views, and that's why I love the bloke, right or wrong…

He's also quite clearly demonstrated that he doesn't care what his teammates or administration think. I think he's been a valuable addition to our club since we took him on and overall done what he's been asked until now but he's clearly shown that he views himself as more important than the team.

[Ghost Dog]

He's also quite clearly demonstrated that he doesn't care what his teammates or administration think. I think he's been a valuable addition to our club since we took him on and overall done what he's been asked until now but he's clearly shown that he views himself as more important than the team.

I think this is a slight exageration. Don't we all value ourselves more than our employers? Anybody who said they didn't would be lying. He obviously does value his team mates and they value him, to the degree that people in a sports club do. What would you have him do? he was asked to write the article. Wasn't his idea.

Anyway, If he was kicking heaps of goals, nobody would care.

Caroline Wilson is the old cranky high school teacher of sports journalism.
Remember her rants on Ben cousins and Barry Hall / B. Fevola?
Loves to wag the finger does Mrs Wilson and play the moralist.
will be an interesting change when she writes about something that happens ON field.

[alwaysadog]

He's also quite clearly demonstrated that he doesn't care what his teammates or administration think. I think he's been a valuable addition to our club since we took him on and overall done what he's been asked until now but he's clearly shown that he views himself as more important than the team.

I don't think Caro gets the point and I think you might have missed it as well.

Yesterday everybody gave a bit of ground, that's what mature people do.

Nobody did the childish take it or leave it stuff, or the equally silly drawing of lines in the sand. In fact they worked on a win-win solution and in the end they showed the maturity and personal resources to maintain their focus on the football team and what Aker had to do to make a further contribution to it rather than on personalities or the multitude of supposed indiscretions committed or omitted.

They got a solution that doesn't make great headlines and doesn't play into the media crisis scenario. No doubt that doesn't go down well with those who built it up in their usually immature manner. Yet again the sky hasn't fallen on Cock Robin.

It should have also put to bed the idea that Aker has played his last game for the dogs, but that's too sophisticated an understanding for some of the scribblers to understand especially those who sensationalised the matter and now have more egg on their already well covered visages.

Given that Aker earns more money off the football field if he had quit yesterday in high dudgeon, and really disrupted our season he would have been able to cash in big on the notoriety. So I can't see how not having done this can be represented as contemptuous of either the club or his team mates, rather the converse.

[alwaysadog]

I am not normally a fan of Caro's work, but this one made for interesting reading...

CAROLINE WILSON
June 2, 2010

Having realised they were dealing with a delusional and unrepentant footballer, the Western Bulldogs yesterday reached a compromise with Jason Akermanis - the footballer they know could have derailed their season and might yet help save it.

Deep in their hearts, experienced campaigners Campbell Rose, James Fantasia and Rodney Eade knew they could still be headed on a collision course with the 33-year-old, whose media commitments yesterday proved too compelling and lucrative to abandon, despite the fact his teammates had looked him in the eye and asked him to do so.

So the three - who were tellingly joined by industrial employment expert and former club president Peter Gordon to thrash out some of the more sensitive aspects of the compromise arrangement - chose the path of least resistance.

Click Link for rest of article.

I don't see this as other than typical Caro, she has egg all over her face and so she has cobble together another explanation of events which accuses us of taking a convenient rather than a principled line, because she is never wrong and everybody else is.

[azabob]

He's also quite clearly demonstrated that he doesn't care what his teammates or administration think. I think he's been a valuable addition to our club since we took him on and overall done what he's been asked until now but he's clearly shown that he views himself as more important than the team.

I agree with you Underdog.

His first year at the club got off to a rocky start, hopefully his last doesnt end the same way.

[chef]

He's also quite clearly demonstrated that he doesn't care what his teammates or administration think. I think he's been a valuable addition to our club since we took him on and overall done what he's been asked until now but he's clearly shown that he views himself as more important than the team.

Agree with this.

[LostDoggy]

I'll bet cash money that Aker knows a thing or two more about being professional and a 'team player' (you don't win bests-and-fairests and the like otherwise) than poor old media sourpuss "no one likes me so I'll pretend not to care" Caroline Wilson.

How she can write such speculative rubbish with such conviction -- and you bet your ass it's speculative, she hasn't actually spoken to anyone who's anyone in this story -- boggles the mind.

[azabob]

I'll bet cash money that Aker knows a thing or two more about being professional and a 'team player' (you don't win bests-and-fairests and the like otherwise) than poor old media sourpuss "no one likes me so I'll pretend not to care" Caroline Wilson.

How she can write such speculative rubbish with such conviction -- and you bet your ass it's speculative, she hasn't actually spoken to anyone who's anyone in this story -- boggles the mind.

Certainly is interesting. Clearly she doesn't like Akermanis but I'm not sure Akermanis has acted very professionally this time around. Ps is cashmoneya wire referance?

[FrediKanoute]

Given that Aker earns more money off the football field if he had quit yesterday in high dudgeon, and really disrupted our season he would have been able to cash in big on the notoriety. So I can't see how not having done this can be represented as contemptuous of either the club or his team mates, rather the converse.

This is the double edged sword we created last season. We wanted Aker to go around one more year because based on his 2009 final series he represented a valuable part fo our side. The problem was with the need to re-sign Lake there was simlply bugger all left in the kitty hence we had to relinquish some control over his media pieces.

Personally I don't think there was anything too bad in what Aker wrote. I think its been seized upon by overzealous political correctness junkies and been made into a mountain.

The main issue I have with Aker's conduct surrounds the allegations that the piece was doctored by the HS, but was subsequently found not to be. That is a pretty big breach of trust.

[Mantis]

How she can write such speculative rubbish with such conviction -- and you bet your ass it's speculative, she hasn't actually spoken to anyone who's anyone in this story -- boggles the mind.

Why would she put her name to such 'speculative rubbish', if she is wrong she would lose credibility? (insert she has none now if you wish)

I like a bet, so I will bet my ass against your's that she wouldn't have written such a piece unless had some idea of what happened behind the closed doors at the WO over the past few days.

[Ghost Dog]

Wilson has a personal Axe to grind.
See the following headlines in days gone by

Time for Dogs to axe Aka
CAROLINE WILSON
May 30, 2010

'Aker shouldn't play on' 3AW (http://www.3aw.com.au/)

A week to forget for a sad, bitter champion
Caroline Wilson | May 24, 2009


maniacal narcissist ( Wilson 2005 )

divisive and destructive ( Wilson 2009 )

Also see the following

Tainted Fevola's victims pile up
4 Mar 2010 ... CAROLINE WILSON. March 4, 2010

Sheedy living on borrowed time
CAROLINE WILSON
May 16, 2010

Sneaky AFL acts shamelessly
CAROLINE WILSON
February 21, 2010

Rumours of secret deals
CAROLINE WILSON
February 17, 2010

Look at the kind of language she uses? She sees herself as the moral overseer of the AFL. Tends to attack the man, not the ball.
Go and watch Akers highlights reel on youtube. It throws light on how silly her comments are to Axe a brownlow medalist who is down on his form ( Ricky ponting, Micheal Slater, tell me an athlete that has not gone through this?

[Topdog]

Why would she put her name to such 'speculative rubbish', if she is wrong she would lose credibility? (insert she has none now if you wish)

I like a bet, so I will bet my ass against your's that she wouldn't have written such a piece unless had some idea of what happened behind the closed doors at the WO over the past few days.

I'm not going to pretend that I have any idea what has happened over the last week but it wouldn't be the first (or last for that matter) that Caro has written an article without talking to anybody at the club.