2014 AFL Grand Final Thread

[jeemak]

From my perspective I see a lot of the things the AFL does in terms of minority engagement as contrived tokenism. If there wasn't perceived commercial benefit in the things they do they wouldn't do them.

All it takes is for something like the Matt Rendell saga to demonstrate that the AFL is more concerned about image management than it is about material impacts it can make through managing their diversity programs properly.

[azabob]

No charges to be layed or incidents to be investigated from the game.

[Sedat]

I reckon paying fans have the right to boo whomever the hell they want to at the footy. So long as there are no racial, homophobic or sexist comments attributed to any one player, they are all fair game to be booed as fans see fit. I don't really get the Goodes booing myself, but if others don't like him for his incessant diving let them boo to their heart's content.

[Sedat]

From my perspective I see a lot of the things the AFL does in terms of minority engagement as contrived tokenism. If there wasn't perceived commercial benefit in the things they do they wouldn't do them.

All it takes is for something like the Matt Rendell saga to demonstrate that the AFL is more concerned about image management than it is about material impacts it can make through managing their diversity programs properly.

Quoted for truth. The AFL do nothing that doesn't benefit their organisation - protecting the brand classifies as benefitting their organisation. How can you have an organisation so supposedly hell-bent on being against violence towards women, and then thoughtlessly have their headline act on GF day sing a song about domestic violence against a woman?

[Greystache]

I reckon paying fans have the right to boo whomever the hell they want to at the footy. So long as there are no racial, homophobic or sexist comments attributed to any one player, they are all fair game to be booed as fans see fit. I don't really get the Goodes booing myself, but if others don't like him for his incessant diving let them boo to their heart's content.

Goodes gets booed for being a diving protected species and it's a national disgrace that highlights what a racist and prejudiced society Australia is.

Joel Selwood gets booed for being a diving protected species and it's just the consequences he has to live with due to the way he chooses to play the game.

That's how rational the people are that make a scene about Goodes being booed.

[bornadog]

I reckon paying fans have the right to boo whomever the hell they want to at the footy. So long as there are no racial, homophobic or sexist comments attributed to any one player, they are all fair game to be booed as fans see fit. I don't really get the Goodes booing myself, but if others don't like him for his incessant diving let them boo to their heart's content.

What I don't get is the booing itself. You are a Hawk fan, your team is thrashing the opposition and the only emotion you can show is booing.

[Sedat]

Goodes gets booed for being a diving protected species and it's a national disgrace that highlights what a racist and prejudiced society Australia is.

Joel Selwood gets booed for being a diving protected species and it's just the consequences he has to live with due to the way he chooses to play the game.

That's how rational the people are that make a scene about Goodes being booed.

Very good comparison. Selwood is every bit a champion of the modern game as Goodes, and he is subjected to as much booing without any racial commentary associated with it. Goodes has form as a diver and clearly some fans don't like it.

[jeemak]

For the record, I don't get the booing of Goodes but I don't really care about it.

Again for the record, I have very little doubt some of the people who have a problem with Goodes have one because they are racist and he is a successful Aboriginal sports person.

[soupman]

From my perspective I see a lot of the things the AFL does in terms of minority engagement as contrived tokenism. If there wasn't perceived commercial benefit in the things they do they wouldn't do them.

All it takes is for something like the Matt Rendell saga to demonstrate that the AFL is more concerned about image management than it is about material impacts it can make through managing their diversity programs properly.

'

Yep, the AFL itself is all about stage management.

However I think within the AFL there have been numerous positive contributions to diversity and embracing different cultures by all kinds of personnel, both acknowledged and not.

Again for the record, I have very little doubt some of the people who have a problem with Goodes have one because they are racist and he is a successful Aboriginal sports person.

Absolutely.

However the booing stems from him being a diver, protected species, and in many peoples eyes a bully, a dobber, an undeserving AOTY and a bit of a FIGJAM.

[chef]

No charges to be layed or incidents to be investigated from the game.

Surprise surprise.

[Remi Moses]

If I have to hear one more hawthorn whinge about nobody picked us, nobody respects us .
Two years back everyone picked Hawthorn, and Sydney saluted.
Why don't they just enjoy the win and stop moaning .

[Remi Moses]

For the record, I don't get the booing of Goodes but I don't really care about it.

Again for the record, I have very little doubt some of the people who have a problem with Goodes have one because they are racist and he is a successful Aboriginal sports person.

Exactly. Some people don't like an aboriginal person with an opinion IMHO

[LostDoggy]

If they didn't boo the diver it would be racist!

[Remi Moses]

If they didn't boo the diver it would be racist!

I'm not saying all people booing are bigoted, but I think there's a few though.

[The bulldog tragician]

What I don't get is the booing itself. You are a Hawk fan, your team is thrashing the opposition and the only emotion you can show is booing.

I've never understood this aspect of crowd behaviour. One of the many ghastly memories of 97 is that Crows fans, instead of celebrating, took time to come up and jeer us as we left the ground literally shoving scarves in our faces. This included distraught crying children and my pregnant friend. There are some ugly people in footy and ugly reasons some fans are involved in the game.