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Re: Hall and Aker - Always The Double Edged Sword
I'd like Aker to just concentrate on getting a kick, and a good one at that, but we knew what we were getting and, as MrMahatma said above the so-called 'playing group' doesn't seem to have been distracted. Perhaps that's because Aker and Hall came into a quiet but mature group of leaders at the club.
And I'm sure some players have learned a lot from both of them.
I've just wanted to say this about Aker's article: I'd prefer it not have existed, because I'd rather our club didn't have any extraneous matters in the public eye. But at the same time I think a lot of the reaction is pure humbug. Yes, it'd be great if a gay player was just another player and if the attitudes around gays could be said to belong to another, past era. But society doesn't yet accept gays without at the very least smartarse comments a la Eddie. My evidence for this is purely the fact that no gay AFL player has come out. If these attitudes all belonged to a past era, as we keep being told by Mr Demetriou and others, then there would be plenty of out gay players. But there are none.
As far as Hall goes, I was sceptical when he arrived at the club, but I believe in redemption (in this life only though). So when I see a bunch of cowards tackling the man in the competition with the least latitude in reacting to their pathetic behaviour, I really think the administrators and umpires are letting the game down. It's as if they're part of the desire to see just how much he will take before he snaps. If that weren't true, there would have been multiple free kicks, for the same reason Riewoldt got them in last year's Preliminary Final.
But anyway, yes, a double-edged sword, but so far it's been worth it.
I'd like Aker to just concentrate on getting a kick, and a good one at that, but we knew what we were getting and, as MrMahatma said above the so-called 'playing group' doesn't seem to have been distracted. Perhaps that's because Aker and Hall came into a quiet but mature group of leaders at the club.
And I'm sure some players have learned a lot from both of them.
I've just wanted to say this about Aker's article: I'd prefer it not have existed, because I'd rather our club didn't have any extraneous matters in the public eye. But at the same time I think a lot of the reaction is pure humbug. Yes, it'd be great if a gay player was just another player and if the attitudes around gays could be said to belong to another, past era. But society doesn't yet accept gays without at the very least smartarse comments a la Eddie. My evidence for this is purely the fact that no gay AFL player has come out. If these attitudes all belonged to a past era, as we keep being told by Mr Demetriou and others, then there would be plenty of out gay players. But there are none.
As far as Hall goes, I was sceptical when he arrived at the club, but I believe in redemption (in this life only though). So when I see a bunch of cowards tackling the man in the competition with the least latitude in reacting to their pathetic behaviour, I really think the administrators and umpires are letting the game down. It's as if they're part of the desire to see just how much he will take before he snaps. If that weren't true, there would have been multiple free kicks, for the same reason Riewoldt got them in last year's Preliminary Final.
But anyway, yes, a double-edged sword, but so far it's been worth it.
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