Ben Cousins - what action should the AFL take?

[wayneL]

Ifocus, I don't know about you but I watch a game of football. Game over I go on with my life. It was entertaining, sure. But it's now over and off I go..
I don't care what colour jocks the full forward was wearing or who he's dating. I have my own full life to be engulfed in..

To me a fallballer is nothing more than my milko delivering my milk. It's a part of my life and it feeds a need. Nothing more...Sure there is emotion in sport. There is in my milko, too. I like to hear his stories about my family, his daughter's new baby, their new house.. Much like a great kicked goal.. I'm moved, but it's not my world.

People need to pull their heads in and realise this just a game. These players are not GODS, they are people who kick and catch balls better than the average person...


cheers,

:iagree:

 

[doctorj]

Couldnt agree more TVhead, cousins is an idiot who deserves to be a sacked.

He deserves to be sacked and was sacked, as announced tonight.

In the press conference the club made a statement that whilst he was no longer past of their playing group, they would still do what they can to ensure he gets the help he needs.

Big ups to them for that, irrespective of what some here might think.

 

[tvhead]

He deserves to be sacked and was sacked, as announced tonight.

In the press conference the club made a statement that whilst he was no longer past of their playing group, they would still do what they can to ensure he gets the help he needs.

Big ups to them for that, irrespective of what some here might think.

I suppose they have babied him this whole time why stop now. Introduce him to their new draft picks, so he can show them what some of the eagles players have been doing for years but every one didnt want to know about it. That may be why their best player left, he wasn't stupid.

 

[Prospector]

Hi Julia

And if he was your son..... committed suicide?

Focus

That is hardly what anyone here has said! But his current behaviours - well, he is well on the way. Or driving like he did the other day, may well kill someone else. He could barely stand. He was lucky he didnt kill a child on the way to school. He has lost all sense of right and wrong - abuse his own body if he wants, but why do we condone behaviour on a public road that puts others at risk! Oh, poor thing, he is a drug addict. Good grief - he is a drug addict that is driving!

He has had plenty of opportunities to rehabilitate, but clearly, despite being giving far more opportunity to do so than anyone else, HE has clearly not taken on the mental toughness that rehabilitation involves. Despite his staged apologies, he does not want to rehabilitate. Not yet anyway. And while others continue to make those decisions for him, he will not rehabilitate.

He has to want to do it himself, and he is not there yet! And by being propped up, as he is (was) that is not helping him one little bit. His family will stick by him and in the long run that is all that counts.

And DrJ, good on West Coast for continuing to support him, but my comments were more that they are certainly not morally obliged to do so; unless of course, it is their fault that they gave him such a big pay packet that he had nothing better to spend it on than drugs! And good on Chris Judd; he seems a fabulous bloke and no surprise in hindsight he was keen to get back to his family and friends.

I get this sense that WA in general is somewhat of a 'maverick' state?

 

[2020hindsight]

If he's got to the point where he can't be trusted - can't even trust himself (as happens of course) - the monkey is out of control etc - then you have to give that monkey plenty of time to prove it's well and truly dead and gone - try 3 or 4 years

Just thinking aloud - but I was speculating (always dangerous I know) whether or not there was a chance they are really trying to get him on the defensive so that they can wear him down for the main game - and get the real facts in Chris Mainwaring story for instance. Better not go there. Time will tell.

PS Prospector - I didn't see the footage to which you refer - but of course you're right - he's DUIED driving under influence of ..who knows - but he's unsafe at any speed (with any speed?)

 

[Gspot]

"I get this sense that WA in general is somewhat of a 'maverick' state?"
Don't be fulled Prospector. If you think this is only a problem in WA, then you have too much bling around your head.
Watch out vics, "drugs are coming to a club near you, soon."
As Jackovic said last night on radio, " there are about 5 or 6 clubs in the same position as the Eagles were 3 years ago."

 

[IFocus]

Hi Julia

Apologies for the post it was aggressive and harsh

Stan 101 no offence ever taken / Wayne and others agree with many of your points but the individual we are taking about is not a commodity but human like me.

He will need to face the consequences of his actions just like everyone else and here in the West for Ben Cousins that actually means more so.

No argument if this is fair or not.

I think the Eagles have handled the situation as though he is a human and regardless of other comments there have been consequences along the way but dealing with addiction is not black and white nor is it as simple as some here seem to believe.

Chops may have other information that I am not aware of…….

But I don’t accept that some how sports stars are some sort of commodity to be cheered and treated with adulation when they succeed (did you watch the grand final) and thrown onto the scrap heap when they fail to meet the standards we as a community demand.

To soar as high and fall as low is a serious consequence one that few would have to experience never alone survive.

Sorry if this is a ramble like I said before I hope he recovers to lead a successful and productive life

One eyed Eagles supporter
Focus

 

[doctorj]

I get this sense that WA in general is somewhat of a 'maverick' state?

Why generalise based on a single footballer?

What about Hawthorn?

 

[Julia]

Hi Julia

Apologies for the post it was aggressive and harsh

Stan 101 no offence ever taken / Wayne and others agree with many of your points but the individual we are taking about is not a commodity but human like me.


Focus

Hi Focus,

That's very civil of you - thank you. But I didn't take it as being personally directed at me, given your previous post which makes your feelings about Cousins (and probably his colleagues) clear.

Others have said all that I would have said in response, and probably much better.

 

[Kauri]

Not wanting to take the thread off subject but.....
What if the drug that the" 2 carloads of Major Crime Squad" detectives found was Diazepam... admittedly non-prescription, but from my limited knowledge a form of Valium used by addicts to help with bad withdrawl symptoms??? :sheep:
Cheers
..........Kauri

 

[chops_a_must]

Not wanting to take the thread off subject but.....
What if the drug that the" 2 carloads of Major Crime Squad" detectives found was Diazepam... admittedly non-prescription, but from my limited knowledge a form of Valium used by addicts to help with bad withdrawl symptoms??? :sheep:
Cheers
..........Kauri

They would have then arrested Kerr...

AAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHHAHA!

 

[Prospector]

" If you think this is only a problem in WA, then you have too much bling around your head.
Watch out vics, "drugs are coming to a club near you, soon."

It was just a question, not based solely on football, but because of its isolation, WA has always seemed to have to 'go it alone' and was just wondering if this an accurate perception. So it was more of a question of perception rather than statement of fact. Of course the drug problem is widespread, and while I do like the bling, do not assume I don't have the brain to go with it

And even DrJ, you've got to admit that the West Coast does have more than its share of players involved in the drug culture. To an outsider anyway, it seems embedded in the culture, rather than just a couple of players doing the wrong thing. But then, maybe it is the media. But the fact that West Coast has in recent years been so successful in finals and the Brownlow, that it does cast aspersions on what exactly was going down within the team when those events were being played out.

 

[greenfs]

Whatever they do, I sure hope the wipe the perennial smurk of his face. Just to make this 100 characters...

 

[Prospector]

Whatever they do, I sure hope the wipe the perennial smurk of his face. Just to make this 100 characters...

only in share discussions:

 

[doctorj]

And even DrJ, you've got to admit that the West Coast does have more than its share of players involved in the drug culture.

There are serious problems at West Coast. Gardiner was involved in the wrong circles and getting rid of him helped. The likes of Cousins and Chick allegedly have done wrong as well.

That said, it was announced that Hawthorn had 3 players with serious drug issues that have thus far escaped scrutiny from the media. So yes, WCE have far more than I'd like to see, but it's not just limited to then. Just the media scrutiny is...

 

[Prospector]

That said, it was announced that Hawthorn had 3 players with serious drug issues that have thus far escaped scrutiny from the media.

Yep, but does anyone care about Hawthorn:? Although the media would have loved to have outed them but the courts put a stop to that!

I heard that Cousins is on his way to the US. Wouldnt he need a Visa to get in - he has now been charged with a drug offence which makes him, at least for the moment, a criminal? So no automatic entry?

 

[explod]

Yep, but does anyone care about Hawthorn:? Although the media would have loved to have outed them but the courts put a stop to that!

I heard that Cousins is on his way to the US. Wouldnt he need a Visa to get in - he has now been charged with a drug offence which makes him, at least for the moment, a criminal? So no automatic entry?

Being charged at law does not make one a criminal. A conviction from a court hearing records the conviction. Of course public opinion and media conviction is a whole different ball game.

 

[The Mint Man]

He needs a good kick in the @rse

nods

 

[Prospector]

Being charged at law does not make one a criminal. A conviction from a court hearing records the conviction.

Yes, I know that, but I dont think this definition applies when trying to enter a country? Particularly when the case is still to be heard.

 

[chops_a_must]

It was just a question, not based solely on football, but because of its isolation, WA has always seemed to have to 'go it alone' and was just wondering if this an accurate perception. So it was more of a question of perception rather than statement of fact. Of course the drug problem is widespread, and while I do like the bling, do not assume I don't have the brain to go with it

As a Perthie, I actually agree with it. Look at our two biggest cultural exports: David McComb and Kim Salmon. Both were/ are on massive amounts of drugs, and David ended up dying from his drug use at age 36.

But yeah, even in the mid and late 90s, Perth "art-rock" bands (and most touring acts for that matter) were paid in acid for instance. Perhaps the reason for a thriving music scene, but perhaps not the best feature when you begin having things like this said about your latest big act:

Their latest album ‘'''Chubby'''’ is the follow up to their 2003’s deliciously twisted ‘Bish Bosh II: The Bosh Bosh’, which saw them described as ‘the biggest pack of whackos to wander onto the Australian music scene in a long time.

Which is actually true of the Tucker b's... they are whackos. But anyway. We had the absurd situation a few years back where a band was nearly given a deal (no pun intended) purely because at every gig, they were nearly totally incapable of standing on stage, and hence, drew a large following. Lol!

Perhaps I should post a bit more about David in the music thread, check it out there Prospector.