News: A mirror to our own failings

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Matabele

Journey Man
Yet another NRL season descends upon us blighted by numerous scandals involving young footballers running amok. Predictably this is followed by another outpouring of public outrage at the actions of these highly paid professionals crossing so-called moral boundaries.

It gives me reason to pause and consider the spotlight we place on these young footballers and the expectation we put upon them to be ‘role models”.

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Wow, that's the deepest thing I've read on this site all week. Way better than anything I could come up with. I'm voting for you in the next election, but please can your stimulus package be more than $900.
 
I wouldn't have handed out a stimulus package willy nilly.  I'd have given a GST waiver for 6 months.  But that's a whole other thread!
 
I very much agree with your thoughts Matabele, however the sooner people wake up and realise that Jesus Christ is no more real than the tooth fairy the world will be a much nicer place.

The comments by the pope this week provide insumountable evidence to support this.

Apologies for the religious rant.
 
Look I've got no problems with footy players going out and getting on the turps like most other people in society. What I do have a problem with is them accepting money from sponsors (either indirectly as with a club sponsor, or directly as with a 3rd party or personal sponsor) and then them still thinking they are like everyone else in society. If you want to be paid to endorse a product then you MUST accept that you then become a "product" yourself, and you are at the mercy of some bean counter who decides your actions cost the shareholders 0.037% profit or something. If you want a normal life free of the constraints of third party interests then sign a contract for half the value of the one you are on now and stipulate that you don't wish to be associated with any product whatsoever. While you are at it refuse to sign the NRL code of conduct as well. Want to get paid money to play sport, then live with the fact that you will be under scrutiny. Anyway I seriously doubt that many parents would be holding up RL players as role models, there are exceptions no doubt, but in the main they aren't exactly an inspiring group, they just happen to be good at the game. This "role model" rubbish is just the marketing suits at the NRL trying to "polish the turd".

As for the supposed dearth of influential religious leaders, in a couple of hundred years when the cyclical nature of religious supremacy winds around to Islam again, they'll be hailing Osama Bin Laden as a hero and a martyr for the cause. And just think you lived to see it first hand and didn't even realise what a champion he was.

Anyway don't fret I have it on good authority that Jesus will be back baby.
 
Nice work there Matas.
I feel that the news outlets have a lot to answer for when it comes to these scandals rocking league.
 
Good article. Sadly the vultures of the media are guilty but if there wasn't the thirst for scandal, it probably wouldn't happen.

Standards are different and you talk to any young footballer on the pressure he is under. That first contract takes them out of the normal world into an unreal one. Don't forget there are many out there just waiting for them to trip up!!
 
Critical analysis.  Now that's rarely seen in the media.  Although Paul Kent did write a critical piece yesterday. Group-think overtakes the media like the plague. Sort of like a good mob hanging.

A company wants to sell crispy bread, so they attach their image to some "authority".  Perhaps a sporting star.  So when we see the crispy bread we get the warm feelings we have associated with the sporting star ... and the trust. And if that sporting star starts behaving unacceptably, then we associate those repulsive feelings with the crispy bread.

When we look at this whole process, it's ridiculous isn't it?  Hilarious. Mind-numbingly stupid.  How shallow are we to buy a crispy bread because someone talented at flinging a rockhard ball at 20.12 metres says he does or we should?  Yet that's exactly what we do.  And until we start noticing that's what we do, then we are forever trapped, a puppet to whoever wants to pull our emotional strings.

Why do we have this need to seeing sporting stars as authorities and behaviour role models? Is it possible to stop doing that?
 
I have given the hill a smite beacuse he has contributed to another 50 page 'God V Dan" thread
 
The Wheel link said:
I have given the hill a smite beacuse he has contributed to another 50 page 'God V Dan\" thread

I dont have the time at the moment to start one of those debates, and it's clear neither of us are going to change the others point of view, even if I am right.....there is no god
 
Dig you hear about the dyslexic insomniac - he lay awake at night wondering if there really was a dog.
 
I like the article Mata but I can't say I totally agree with your summation.

"Often they are placed there without adequate preparation and support."
This is where we have high expectations of administrators, elder players and coaching staff to guide them. Mentors are needed and we are right in expecting them to step up. But, in the end the youngsters make their own ultimate choices and we can't save everyone.

"The virulence of our reaction betrays the fact that their inevitable fall is reviled only because it holds up a mirror and reflects back to us much of our own society that is decaying and reprehensible."
I see this as a small rant against the ills we perceive of society. I for one believe most folks are good and well meaning. I see it a lot every day. But we are also surrounded by narcistic self-important people who seem to push their way for their benefit. I don't see that society is decaying or reprehensible, but it does surprise with instances that baffle our understanding.

I really enjoyed reading that. I would also like, if you had a little time, to put up possible solutions to the problem.
(where is that clap emoticon)
 
ManlyBacker link said:
I like the article Mata but I can't say I totally agree with your summation.

\"Often they are placed there without adequate preparation and support.\"
This is where we have high expectations of administrators, elder players and coaching staff to guide them. Mentors are needed and we are right in expecting them to step up. But, in the end the youngsters make their own ultimate choices and we can't save everyone.

\"The virulence of our reaction betrays the fact that their inevitable fall is reviled only because it holds up a mirror and reflects back to us much of our own society that is decaying and reprehensible.\"
I see this as a small rant against the ills we perceive of society. I for one believe most folks are good and well meaning. I see it a lot every day. But we are also surrounded by narcistic self-important people who seem to push their way for their benefit. I don't see that society is decaying or reprehensible, but it does surprise with instances that baffle our understanding.

I really enjoyed reading that. I would also like, if you had a little time, to put up possible solutions to the problem.
(where is that clap emoticon)
  I actually wrote that a few years ago and I just tweaked it a bit to fit current circumstances.

There was a Part II follow-up.  The answer was .........

Beaver.
 
Mind you Mata - the answer might have been Beaver, but too many players get on the plonk and then go looking for Beaver!!!

(He is too far away at the moment to make an impact!) :)
 

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