It is being precious because you want to deprive tens of thousands of people who do the right thing week in week out because of a few isolated incidents that have happened to you.
Yep I gave you examples of what happened to me. You use the argument that you never had issues in 20 years but I wonder if your views would be different if you had?
And believe me it is easy to say it wouldn't make a difference but once it actually happens your mindset can change very quickly.
It wasn't until my Mum almost got knocked over, copped the tirade of abuse and she didn't come the footy for a time that I change my views. When it happened to me I really didn't care the puking, the mooning but once it happened to her my mindset changed dramatically. What if she fallen hit her head? She was lucky I was there to stop her from falling but what if I wasn't?
As I said I don't see it as being precious I see it as believing in something strongly. Personal experience is a great leveller in life
What about all the other incidents? And they are the ones we hear about and the ones we don't hear about
Nathan Jones' (MFC player) father is one we've heard about because of who his son is. He copped a one helluva bashing from drunken louts for what? Why?
But what about the others that we don't know about, hear about?
What about families that no longer go the footy anymore because the behaviour of the "minority"? Do you know any? I know some who simply wont go because of the abusive language that makes them feel threatened, their kids get scared. Is that good for the game? People turning their backs on it?
and if anything I'm on your side but I'm remaining objective and believe there has to another way. Firstly tightening the rules on serving alcohol to clearly intoxicated people. Some of those incidents you spoke of don't even require someone to be drunk.
I would love it if there was another way and I am willing to try anything, seems so many are only prepared to try to a point. Though the things they've tried inthe past have disappeared over time - light beer only anyone?
Increasing the number of dry areas is a start but there is no guarantee that will solve anything. We already have dry areas at grounds but it hasn't stopped the behaviour because there are not enough dry areas. Have sat in dry areas at grounds and although people may not bring booze into the areas but they will certianly disappear and knock back a couple quickly and come back. Go to geelong and them at work
And what's a fair split 50/50, 60/40/, 70/30? I would think there would be many who drink at the footy who would say 50/50 isn't fair let alone 60/40 or 70/30
Agree 100% that the first thing they should do is tighten the rules regarding serving booze to those already drunk. Has to be the minimum but I doubt the vendors would have the courage because all they are interested in is making a buck
As for the situations I've had to put up with the facts are in each the person was drunk. There is no hiding that and there is a strong case to say that if they weren't drunk then the incidents wouldn't have happened. Honestly, I don't believe the puking would have happened if the bloke hadn't been drunk, ditto the throwing of the beer last year, same with the bloke almost barrelling over my Mother because he could barely stand up, granted the verbal abuse is subjective but the staggering around was booze driven.
As for the mooning by the Port bloke you are correct no need for being drunk with those ferals
But in all honesty as long as the overwhelming majority are doing the right thing, then no argument needs to be made in order not to go to the extent of banning it altogether. If you want to get it banned then you're the one that will need to come up with a legitimate reason or reasons rather than just subjective ones that come from your personal experience. Personally, I've never had any issues in over 20 years of going to the footy. Though we could be from entirely different backgrounds and deem what is acceptable differently.
Does doing the right thing include sitting back and letting the "drunken minority" do the wrong thing without consequence and then laugh it off as being funny? Or is that another minority.... Arguments can be made for so many situations and I am going off on another tangent and it's a discussion for another day
But back on the original topic?
I suppose what I want to know is how many people need to put up their hands and say this has happened to me and it needs to be changed? How many incidents per game do we need or do we need someone to actually get seriosuly injured before we say we need to be a helluva lot tougher?