Ben Cousins - Suspended

[alwaysadog]

Re: Ben Cousins - Suspended

We are not without sin and I reckon all clubs have a few skeletons in the cupboard, but WCE seems way over the top.

Agreed, I also think it shows the short comings of player leadership groups. They are incapable of acting when a very skilled and popular player is doing crazy things that aren't effecting his football, of course it's not in their area of responsibility. That should be a matter for the club and where it fails to act, for the league.

This whole thing is a failure of responsible authority to justify itself by doing something at an appropriate time. Having been so holier than thou over problems with Thugby players they have slumbered through the early stages of a much bigger and ultimately more damaging crisis.

Only last week they were assuring us they were on top of it, and that their drug testing only picked up 24 players, well below the societal average for such things. All the warning signs were there, we had the Carlton incidents, worying overtones with two Collingwood players and the ongoing saga at West Coast.... and the response, boys will be boys, we'll give them a pep talk.

Also called into question is the AFLPA's committment to player welfare issues beyond bank account matters. Rather than being concerned about whether Cousins is being paid I would like them to reassure us that he is being properly cared for and is not at risk of a bigger harm than the final destruction of what remained of his bank balance and his reputation.

It's time to get our priorities right and to ensure that when young men leave home to take up a career as a footballer they are not exposed to unnecessary risks and that they understand the risks they will be exposed to on and off the field and the consequences. It is time furthermore for the duty of care we hear so much about in the strangest of places to actually be exercised by those with whom the responsibility ultimately rests. We have got to put an end to this hand wringing and isolation response and acknowledge and deal with the problem in a manner that asssits those who get trapped in the abuse web to rebuild their lives.

No one who has followed my contributions to this thread would have any doubt about who I see as the real culprits.

[Go_Dogs]

Re: Ben Cousins - Suspended

Some good discussion in here. I guess with all the media the matter has been receiving over the past few weeks, Cousins being intoxicated at a family day and apparently binging due to relationship troubles has come to head. Obviously some players at WC wanted it to stop - and wanted to come clean about the matter - perhaps why fisticuffs ended up being thrown.

It really does raise an important Duty of Care question IMO as AAD pointed. If he club has known this information for as long as it appears to have, surely they owe a duty of care to Cousins to try and correct the issue, especially given the policies on drugs etc. I guess it also raises important questions such as - has WC sought rehab or counseling for Ben? What have they done internally to try and address the problem before the extreme steps taken yesterday? - it seems as though they knew it was about to blow up and quickly acted in hope that it would cool the situation down. IMO it basically did the opposite.

Some very tough times ahead for all WC people, surely don't envy their situation.

[alwaysadog]

Re: Ben Cousins - Suspended

Some good discussion in here. I guess with all the media the matter has been receiving over the past few weeks, Cousins being intoxicated at a family day and apparently binging due to relationship troubles has come to head. Obviously some players at WC wanted it to stop - and wanted to come clean about the matter - perhaps why fisticuffs ended up being thrown.

It really does raise an important Duty of Care question IMO as AAD pointed. If he club has known this information for as long as it appears to have, surely they owe a duty of care to Cousins to try and correct the issue, especially given the policies on drugs etc. I guess it also raises important questions such as - has WC sought rehab or counseling for Ben? What have they done internally to try and address the problem before the extreme steps taken yesterday? - it seems as though they knew it was about to blow up and quickly acted in hope that it would cool the situation down. IMO it basically did the opposite.

Some very tough times ahead for all WC people, surely don't envy their situation.

The Hun, not a terribly reliable source IMHO, claimed today that Cousins father intends or is thinking about suing the Weagles. He is apparently very angry at the club's lack of action.

[southerncross]

Re: Ben Cousins - Suspended

The Hun, not a terribly reliable source IMHO, claimed today that Cousins father intends or is thinking about suing the Weagles. He is apparently very angry at the club's lack of action.

Surely a switched on former elite footballer parent has been hearing all the rumors about his own son. I hope he can prove that he went to the club and requested them to ban him earlier but they knocked him back.

To me it's a bit rich to be pointing the finger at others because it's not like his son was living in another state.

[BulldogBelle]

Re: Ben Cousins - Suspended

Surely a switched on former elite footballer parent has been hearing all the rumors about his own son. I hope he can prove that he went to the club and requested them to ban him earlier but they knocked him back.

So many different things circulating around, although you would think that Cousin's dad would have tried to push the issue with the Eagles a bit more when he started to get concerned. I feel sorry for Cousin's as AAD mentioned earlier the club has let him down. Like him or hate him things should not have got that far.

[alwaysadog]

Re: Ben Cousins - Suspended

Surely a switched on former elite footballer parent has been hearing all the rumors about his own son. I hope he can prove that he went to the club and requested them to ban him earlier but they knocked him back.

To me it's a bit rich to be pointing the finger at others because it's not like his son was living in another state.

Have you ever tried to get a Football club to examine what it is doing or to actually change, even on a non contentious manner?

If they are in a good mood they appear all receptive and agree with you but do nothing.

If they are at all under the pump they act like a tortoise and withdraw into their shell and then move about as quickly till you give up and then they go back to doing what you have explained to them is in effective.

I supect that Brian Cousins kept aappealing to the club and kept getting the we've got everything under control act, but no action and now he's trying to startle them into action.

It reminds me of the old joke about how Rus Hinz's driver used to get Rus' tie on him every morning. Hinz being a very overweight giant of a man with no visible neck who was deputy Premier to Jo Bielke Peterson.

When asked how he performed this miracle the driver is claimed to have replied that he learned the trick from a mate who owned a chinese restaurant and had a technique for making a tortoise stick it's head out so it could be killed and cooked.

Evidently the chinaman would put the tortoise on the chopping block and raise the chopper over the spot where the neck would be if it was extended. Then with his free hand he would apply the John Hoppoate treatment. The startled creature stuck its neck out to see what was going on, according to the tale it worked a treat on Rus too.

[Twodogs]

Re: Ben Cousins - Suspended

AAD you've made some great observations in this thread. I've had much the same problems in the past as Cousins and I am incredibly relieved that I didnt have a talent that meant it was easier for people to sweep my problems under the carpet than address them. Thankfully I was just a pleb and my situation was addressed by those who loved me and not the benefits I bought them.



I really feel for Ben, know exactly where he stands, whats going through his mind and what lays ahead for him-it wont be pretty.

[alwaysadog]

Re: Ben Cousins - Suspended

AAD you've made some great observations in this thread. I've had much the same problems in the past as Cousins and I am incredibly relieved that I didnt have a talent that meant it was easier for people to sweep my problems under the carpet than address them. Thankfully I was just a pleb and my situation was addressed by those who loved me and not the benefits I bought them.



I really feel for Ben, know exactly where he stands, whats going through his mind and what lays ahead for him-it wont be pretty.

Twodogs, very glad you faced and overcame your demons and had honest and loving people on and at your side; what has occurred in Ben's life is going to be a real test for him and his family.

What upsets me the most is the humbug that is going on. No one in authority is telling the truth. They're all trying to say what they think will make it go away. Even most of the Captian's comments at the season launch yesterday are about as genuine as their smiles for the cameras. The only honest one refused to comment.

With this attitude prevailing we are never going to be able to take even the first steps along the incredibly difficult path to working on solutions. Surely the release of the ABC tapes will force some action. If I hear that the AFL has met with the police and their has been a mutual picking up of brooms and carpets I think I'll spew.

I suspect however, that we won't get anything like the truth till the next time the AFL gets its PR company's report on the public reaction to these events. Football has always been a political game but on such an important issue is it unreasonable to have expected a little more?

[Twodogs]

Re: Ben Cousins - Suspended

Firstly. Can we see any benefit for Ben or his family now that he has been named and it is a circus? Would his chances of benefiting from rehab/treatment be improved or worsened by it all appearing in the media. (Rhetoric)

I have been listening to a lot of self proclaimed experts expousing their solutions to this problem radio talkback and I'm starting to wonder exactly what their expertise in drug and alcohol addiction is. Some pretty stupid opinions have been made from "Ban all the druggies" to "Shoot them all"

I even heard the ever sanctimonius Timmy Watson enlighting us with the good old 'zero tolerance' line this morning on SEN. "First positive test and they are out" thundered the oracle on all things moral. Get a clue Timmy-how long before opposition clubs take to spiking drinks of players they dont want taking the field?


Make some informed opinions or exclude yourself from the debate.

[GVGjr]

Re: Ben Cousins - Suspended

Anyone else hearing the whisper of which high profile former player might have a similar problem to Cousins?

Lets not name anyone but I would be interested to know if word is getting around

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: Ben Cousins - Suspended

Anyone else hearing the whisper of which high profile former player might have a similar problem to Cousins?

Lets not name anyone but I would be interested to know if word is getting around

You mean the "$5000 a ticket all the cocaine, booze and hookers you can handle" parties?

[alwaysadog]

Re: Ben Cousins - Suspended

Secondy. I now have an image of Russ Hinze and his driver engaged in neck extending activity and I dont appreciate it being burned into my brain.

Please dont do that again.

I plead guilty to telling an off joke, but burning it on your brain is not my doing.

Besides I chuckle every time I think of it. There was definitely something pompous primordeal and reptillian about Rus that it both captures to a T while exploding the pomp..