One-Eyed Richmond Forum
Football => Richmond Rant => Topic started by: one-eyed on March 21, 2010, 07:22:56 AM
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It's getting hard to say yes to Ben
CAROLINE WILSON
March 21, 2010
ONE year has passed since Ben Cousins made his debut for the Richmond Football Club in front of a highly charged, almost sold-out MCG. The anticipation was fever pitch in the days that led up to that game, which will go down in football history as one of the AFL's more memorable anti-climaxes.
Remember the feeling beforehand though? Former Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy had returned to Tigerland and led the push to recruit Cousins. He told the players at the heavily attended guernsey presentation that they could steal a premiership and Richmond was tipped by many to make the eight.
Cousins was under financial duress and had enlisted the support of AFL Players Association boss Brendon Gale to call off what was apparently becoming, for him, untenable tabloid media scrutiny. Then he decided that rather than beat them, he would join them and, under the guidance of manager Ricky Nixon, he became a ghosted newspaper columnist.
It all fell apart for Richmond on that chilly MCG autumn night when Cousins tore a hamstring. Coach Terry Wallace never recovered from the humiliation and the Tigers, after a number of micro-skirmishes, took a deep breath and realised they must once again start all over - dramatically but effectively this time.
Gale is now their CEO, Sheedy has moved on and Nixon, after a bitter financial falling out with the player he fought to resurrect, no longer does Cousins' bidding. He also has blamed Cousins' drinking on the split. Wallace has been banished and has all but disappeared from the AFL landscape and Richmond has placed its faith in his diametric opposite in Damien Hardwick.
Twelve months on, as Hardwick attempts to transform the Richmond Football Club from a team scorned for its selfishness, skill and lack of four-quarter commitment into a hard, respected and perhaps, one day, even feared playing group, it is worth examining once again whether Richmond did the right thing in backing itself to back Ben Cousins. My answer one year ago was yes. Today it is no.
Despite a carefully-worded denial released by the club several days ago key figures within the club continue to confirm that the Tigers have been provoked on more than one occasion over the past year to warn Cousins to curb his drinking. There is no shadow of doubt he has over-indulged in alcohol on too many occasions since going to Tigerland and no shadow of doubt that something went horribly wrong for him pre-Christmas.
Although the club denies he ever ''went missing'' during the off-season, there were many nervous moments and the club would not want to endure another summer like the one just gone where a long-term and, hopefully, recovering drug addict is concerned. It was confirmed again several days ago that Cousins was told some three months ago to lift his game where the pre-season was concerned.
The club remains mystified regarding Cousins' stomach illness, which has seen him hospitalised twice over the past 10 days. Although no one has ever suggested binge drinking led to the illness, it is beyond doubt that drug addicts should not over-indulge in alcohol. Richmond keeps a close eye on Cousins' activities and there have been too many dubious sightings for anyone's comfort.
The good news is that towards the end of the week the player himself was "training the house down'' and could still shape up for Thursday night's season-opener. His form last season over 15 games earned him a top-five finish in Richmond's best and fairest and the players have certainly talked up, on occasion, Cousins' work ethic on the track and his superb example where on-field skill and decision-making are concerned.
It is not Cousins' fault that 2009 went pear-shaped for the club. In fact, Andrew Demetriou described him at one point as a great source of pride for Richmond in an otherwise dreadful year. It is less certain what Demetriou thinks now and certainly both the AFL and the Tigers have had a gutful of the speculation surrounding the documentary, the book, the gangland connections, the happenings that may or may not have taken place in Thailand last summer, the constant meetings with AFL doctor Harry Unglick and all the baggage that continues to cling to this troubled man.
Cousins' off-field battles and the recent controversies are not in themselves enough to mount an argument that the club might have been better off without him. And who knows what his freakish talent can produce this season? But surely there is some lingering doubt as to whether he is the best example for a very young group of players.
This is not to suggest that Cousins is directly a bad influence because he remains by all reports a relatively solitary member of the playing group where social activity is concerned. But surely the fact that he is treated so differently to any other player and operates under a different set of rules is not helpful as Hardwick fights to eradicate the long-standing culture of division and selfishness at Richmond.
It was a far more subdued season launch two days ago compared with the fanfare of 2009. Premiership talk had been replaced by the new Tiger buzz word ''transformation'' and Hardwick spoke quietly, but convincingly, about his conservative hopes and assurances for 2010.
As a group, the players looked frighteningly young with thirtysomethings Cousins and Troy Simmons lifting the average in what could prove their final seasons.
Certainly, if you asked Richmond now, it would say that this is most likely Cousins' last year in the AFL. The structure of a home-and-away football season and a more generous and still bonus-driven playing contract is hopefully just what the doctor ordered.
That at least provides the short-term solution.
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/its-getting-hard-to-say-yes-to-ben-20100320-qnbg.html
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It's getting hard to say yes to Ben
CAROLINE WILSON
Womans Day
March 21, 2010
::)
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Dumb slut.
Another Woman's Day tabloid article full of hear-say and baseless connotations.
:scream
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Terrible article Caro.
Next time I see you dining upstairs at the Stokehouse , I will be tempted to get a photo with you holding a glass of wine.
I will then post it on the net, saying your a drunk. ::).
Its no secret Bens gets out often, no problem there. So did Richo and Nathan Brown.
Didnt see the papers saying that Richo had a problem when he was out late . :banghead
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Its no secret Bens gets out often, no problem there.
As long Ben's social drinking doesn't effect his football I could really care less and there's absolutely no evidence that it has despite what this pap columnist would have you think.
I cannot wait until the ball is bounced on Thursday night. Can't happen fast enough!
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certainly both the AFL and the Tigers have had a gutful of the speculation surrounding the documentary, the book, the gangland connections, the happenings that may or may not have taken place in Thailand last summer, the constant meetings with AFL doctor Harry Unglick and all the baggage that continues to cling to this troubled man.
As i'm sure they are sick of scrags like you continually dredging up dirt in this manner.
Despite a carefully-worded denial released by the club several days ago key figures within the club continue to confirm that the Tigers have been provoked on more than one occasion over the past year to warn Cousins to curb his drinking. There is no shadow of doubt he has over-indulged in alcohol on too many occasions since going to Tigerland and no shadow of doubt that something went horribly wrong for him pre-Christmas.
So Caroline you hag, you are saying the club is lying? Some one is. Either the club, you, or your so called source. Name them or shut the stuff up. anonymous accusations carry no weight, no matter how much you sully the waters with insinuations
This is not to suggest that Cousins is directly a bad influence because he remains by all reports a relatively solitary member of the playing group where social activity is concerned. But surely the fact that he is treated so differently to any other player and operates under a different set of rules is not helpful as Hardwick fights to eradicate the long-standing culture of division and selfishness at Richmond.
You really are a gutter snipe aren't you? "not to suggest he is a bad influence", but then insinuate he is!
Fact that he is treated so different? In what way? because he remains relatively solitary socially.? You idiot!
Time and time again you display no real knowledge of football itself, yet are happy to write condemning articles full of innuendo and as Douggie would say - NAMURE.
Go back to middle earth with the rest of goblins, vile creature.
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caro is a unt with a c
i know for a fact that on the end of season booze up last yr , cousins did not drink a drop of alcohol, drank water all the way.
not the behaviour of someone who has an alcohol problem
why the f has caro got it in for ben
she needs a penis
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well shes not getting anywhere near mine - beastiality is a crime.
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Caro is a respected football journalist(cheif writer for the Age if I'm not mistaken),and a Richmond person to boot.....To have names such as slut and hag associated with her,really makes my stomach churn.
Granted she might get things wrong sometimes as they all do,but to stoop to such name calling is beyond me
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Caro is a respected football journalist(cheif writer for the Age if I'm not mistaken),and a Richmond person to boot.....To have names such as slut and hag associated with her,really makes my stomach churn.
Granted she might get things wrong sometimes as they all do,but to stoop to such name calling is beyond me
Richmond people don't go around bagging Richmond in newspapers. Richmond people don't go bagging their club on TV shows. Richmond people don't do what Caro does.
Caro can get stuffed as far as I'm concerned.
I agree with al, she can go back to middle earth with the rest of the goblins :thumbsup
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It's an opinion piece.
I disagree with Caro.
But for heaven's sake some of the language used towards her in this thread screams of misogyny. ::)
Or the primary schoolyard.
Surely we are big enough and old enough to disagree with her without resorting to that.
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It's an opinion piece.
I disagree with Caro.
But for heaven's sake some of the language used towards her in this thread screams of misogyny. ::)
Or the primary schoolyard.
Surely we are big enough and old enough to disagree with her without resorting to that.
Surely Caro is big enough and old enough (certainly is old enough :shh :lol) to put aside her personal vendettas and write something that's not complete rubbish? Some of it is opinion, some of it is her speculating and hinting at other things. What does she get out of writing all this stuff about Richmond? I thought she was a Tigers fan.
If it was all opinion I probably wouldn't care a lot and like you, I'd simply disagree. But it ain't...she acts like she speaks fact but never lists her source?
Don't rate her at all.
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so in effect she is saying in her opinion there is no place at richmond because he drinks to much.
well i have no doubt hes probably chucking it down to much but if articles of late by her reasons for why the rfc should get rid of ben well shes way of track.
anyway whats the point hes contracted for a season its likely his last season. so we are talaking short term anyway. hes not got into trouble. hes back training the house down, and hes most definately an on field leader of which we have very few. i dont think anyone could complain about what hes produced so far on field or the leadership and help hes provided to the kids.
so whats the point here. shes concerned he will be a bad influence on a very young group outside of footy. but she herself said hes a pretty solitary member of the group.
is that it. caro what are you trying to achieve. the cynic in me says ben sells papers so you will write anything about him even though hes done nothing wrong. was there even a need for these articles given the overall circumstances.
who really cares if he gets peeed a bit to often as long as he is not hurting anyone else and hes doing his job most wouldnt give a damn.
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:sleep :sleep :sleep :sleep :sleep :sleep :sleep :sleep :sleep :sleep :sleep :sleep :sleep :sleep :sleep :sleep :sleep :sleep :sleep :sleep
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Caro is a respected football journalist(cheif writer for the Age if I'm not mistaken),and a Richmond person to boot.....To have names such as slut and hag associated with her,really makes my stomach churn.
Granted she might get things wrong sometimes as they all do,but to stoop to such name calling is beyond me
Hag;
Pronunciation: \ˈhag\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English hagge demon, old woman
Date: 14th century
1 : an ugly, slatternly, or evil-looking old woman
2 archaic a : a female demon b : an evil or frightening spirit : hobgoblin
3 : witch.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hag
Meh, I'm comfortable with my use of the word.
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she needs a penis
I'm told so do you :-*
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she needs a penis
I'm told so do you :-*
All class, both of you.
:lol
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who really cares if he gets peeed a bit to often as long as he is not hurting anyone else and hes doing his job most wouldnt give a damn.
That's what really annoys me with her approach and discredits her totally here.
Cuz to our knowledge is clean of his drug of choice which was illegal. He continues to pass blood tests and play good football.
That in itself is a monumental effort by him given he's an self admitted addict & I for one am thrilled with what he's given us and had my doubts believe me.
Yet she wants to keep kicking him because he's so far proven her wrong. >:( >:( >:(
So now he's being crucified by her for indulging a little too much in alcohol, which a gazillion players in the league do quite regularly and have for years, yet it's somehow newsworthy?? :-\
It's a effin paparazzi circus and she is leading the charge.
This rubbish is not about concerns for the RFC, or concerns about Ben's welfare or the youngsters he plays with.
It's purely a celebrity piece charading as 'news' and on the front page no less! >:(
All this does IMO opinion is discredit the Womans Age & I expect a heck of a lot better from a paper as supposedly credible as the this.
She deserves every criticism that comes her way. Woeful mudraking that gives journos the worst name.
Caro sits proudly alongside with Hutchy right at the minute.
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I've read this "opinion" piece a couple of times now and I keep coming back to the same thing....
What the hell is her point?
It just reeks again of gutter journalism. Why? Because for an article that is supposed to be an opinion piece there is no need for the snide innuendo and the comments that imply trouble. It just seems to be another attempt by Caro to put the boots in Cousins for no other reason than because his name is Ben Cousins.
It will be interesting to see how the other Benny - this time Benny Gale handles her tomorrow. Hopefully he gives her a whack
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who really cares if he gets peeed a bit to often as long as he is not hurting anyone else and hes doing his job most wouldnt give a damn.
That's what really annoys me with her approach and discredits her totally here.
Cuz to our knowledge is clean of his drug of choice which was illegal. He continues to pass blood tests and play good football.
That in itself is a monumental effort by him given he's an self admitted addict & I for one am thrilled with what he's given us and had my doubts believe me.
Yet she wants to keep kicking him because he's so far proven her wrong. >:( >:( >:(
So now he's being crucified by her for indulging a little too much in alcohol, which a gazillion players in the league do quite regularly and have for years, yet it's somehow newsworthy?? :-\
It's a effin paparazzi circus and she is leading the charge.
This rubbish is not about concerns for the RFC, or concerns about Ben's welfare or the youngsters he plays with.
It's purely a celebrity piece charading as 'news' and on the front page no less! >:(
All this does IMO opinion is discredit the Womans Age & I expect a heck of a lot better from a paper as supposedly credible as the this.
She deserves every criticism that comes her way. Woeful mudraking that gives journos the worst name.
Caro sits proudly alongside with Hutchy right at the minute.
:thumbsup :cheers
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is there any proof that Cousins has been binge drinking?
didn't Cousins go back to Perth for Christmas or before Christmas?
if he has been drinking, there is a point Caroline has.
however, Fevola ... enough said.
ask Trent Cotchin's dad if Ben Cousins is a good influence?
wasn't he the one who said he didn't want Trent to go to West Coast in 2008 because of their "problems"?
i just don't understand why AFL players have to go out and get "smashed" during their end of year?
immature!
:)
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Not immature torch. They miss the rush game day brings. Ben probably should go skydiving in the off season.
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Most "football articles" that don't involve Coverage of the games are along this personal side of the players. It's a major industry for journos.
Just avoid the paper - that is if you want to avoid it.
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Not immature torch. They miss the rush game day brings. Ben probably should go skydiving in the off season.
i take a different approach. imo footballers are a representation of a cross section of society. some do drugs some drink alcohol sometimes to much. a small percentage are liars some are wife beaters some are rapists etc etc.
i would bet the correlation of those who muck up corelates with what happens in society.
the real trouble is we expect these blokes to be role models well the do gooders do anyway. why cant we just accept them for what each individual is.if the wowsers want role models then make em put their own hands up,
as a father of 3 i do.
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Not immature torch. They miss the rush game day brings. Ben probably should go skydiving in the off season.
i take a different approach. imo footballers are a representation of a cross section of society. some do drugs some drink alcohol sometimes to much. a small percentage are liars some are wife beaters some are rapists etc etc.
i would bet the correlation of those who muck up corelates with what happens in society.
the real trouble is we expect these blokes to be role models well the do gooders do anyway. why cant we just accept them for what each individual is.if the wowsers want role models then make em put their own hands up,
as a father of 3 i do.
It all comes back to how it effects their football. Whether that be getting involved with the law or effecting their health.
Otherwise who gives a stuff.
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Claw dont forget that AFL is an artificial environment..its not like normal society.
Dont forget that some of the screw up these guys make wouldnt be tolerated by most employers for one second
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she needs a penis
I'm told so do you :-*
haha
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i take a different approach. imo footballers are a representation of a cross section of society. some do drugs some drink alcohol sometimes to much. a small percentage are liars some are wife beaters some are rapists etc etc.
i would bet the correlation of those who muck up corelates with what happens in society.
the real trouble is we expect these blokes to be role models well the do gooders do anyway. why cant we just accept them for what each individual is.if the wowsers want role models then make em put their own hands up,
as a father of 3 i do.
There is merit in what you say Claw but I think the main (and important) difference is that in part the players income is derived through business sponsorships and in return for this expenditure the businesses demand a certain 'image' for their exposure (and rightly so). That's where a lot of the 'role model' stuff comes from and is not negotiable in the eyes of the clubs. Add to that the intention and efforts of the AFL in 'selling' the game to the wider community and you end up with the situation as it is - players are held above the 'normal' expectations of the community. In some way its probably not fair at a personal level however each player knows this prior to placing ink on a contract and accepting the money so really they have no grounds to complain about the differences.
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Expect Caro to be proclaiming her 'sources' as undeniable tonight on Classified and her bewilderment of Richmond's denial of the Cousins drinking problem. The real problem here is that she has been made to look silly by the club, players and anyone else who would is a credible and open source for the facts about Cousins supposed alcohol abuse. Rather than admit her error and misjudgment in believing her 'sources' she would rather keep harping her cause in a vain effort of persuading the football world of the legitimacy of her story.
Caro - you made a mistake now suck it up and move on to other enterprises worthy of your attention. :moi
Stripes
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Expect Caro to be proclaiming her 'sources' as undeniable tonight on Classified and her bewilderment of Richmond's denial of the Cousins drinking problem. The real problem here is that she has been made to look silly by the club, players and anyone else who would is a credible and open source for the facts about Cousins supposed alcohol abuse. Rather than admit her error and misjudgment in believing her 'sources' she would rather keep harping her cause in a vain effort of persuading the football world of the legitimacy of her story.
Caro - you made a mistake now suck it up and move on to other enterprises worthy of your attention. :moi
Stripes
quite simply caro is now just like KB, she is a journalist first and a tiger fan second. So much so that she is willing to sell out the club for the sake of a story, even though it is largely untrue...again just like KB and the cotchin in the leadership group rubbish.
Funny how I saw her with my own eyes enjoying the festivities sitting ringside when her father was put in the hall of fame at the richmond season launch last friday. I reckon that should just about be the last rfc function she will ever be invited to.
Gutter journalism is rife in the afl what a disgraceful article
Cousins both on and off the field has been nothing short of superb for the rfc.
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Hmmmm...Even though my last post on Caro was deleted by Admin for some ungodly reason, especially after seeing some of the recent comments regarding her are going through to the Keeper, I still think this youtube link is still a relevant form of expression.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnfbFKjUehE
Maybe saying "Get a dog up ya" was a bit strong, so for the purposes of conformity, I will revise my response to..."Large, Dark haired female Dog in desperate need of a conjugal visit."
This clip is still ROFL :rollin