Why are sportsmen always photographed in cafes?
Roar Guru
By Steve Kaless, 10 Feb 2010 Steve Kaless is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- NRL, Rugby League, Willie Mason
Bugger this. Time to deal with the big issues. Is it just me or has there been an explosion of photos of sportsmen in cafes over the last few years?
It seems weird that every Saturday I find myself in a café staring at a photo of an athlete in café. It’s like one of those head wrecking pieces of modern art.
The café seems to be the setting for the “I’m on the straight and narrow now” tale. It’s the setting which shouts out, “Look at me, I’m up early and smashing back a few orange juices and happy to pay $18 for two eggs and two pieces of toast. Don’t worry about these huge sunglasses, they are there for effect not to hide any blood shots eyes!”
Sure enough, Willie Mason was on the front page of The Australian last weekend talking about his move north, just as he was on the Herald talking about his new homebody lifestyle last year.
I genuinely hope the big man has switched to de-café, such is his frequency to be in a café.
But its not just players.
Last season, the Bulldogs turn around apparently all started with coach Kevin Moore meeting the ‘leadership group’ for a few coffees. What?!
This is rugby league. Whatever happened to everything outside training being discussed over a Chinese meal. Bulldog patriarch Peter Moore would have turned in his grave if he knew tactics were being discussed without a spring roll in sight.
Surely it would have been a lot simpler for Brett Kimmorley to explain to Michael Ennis how he wanted him to draw the ‘A’ defender if he could have used the soy sauce bottle and two chop sticks.
But maybe sugar packets do the job these days.
Mark my words, the first interviews with Mark Gasnier, Tim Cahill and Lote Tuqiri when they first get back to Australia will be set in a café, like they haven’t had their fill of them in Europe and are stinging to get back to an RSL and fire up a schooner and a fisherman’s basket.
Is it an attempt to attract more women to sport or are players just a sucker for a Panini?
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- Explore:
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Mick from Giralang said | February 10th 2010 @ 5:53am | Report comment
Better than being photographed in the toilets.
Brett McKay said | February 10th 2010 @ 8:01am | Report comment
Maybe it’s insurance if they suddenly get harassed or “targetted”?? Cafe’s are public places; there will be plenty of witnesses….
Stinger said | February 10th 2010 @ 8:11am | Report comment
Sonny Bill was always in Mundine’s cafe. Maybe they were doing it for free publicity?
M1tch said | February 10th 2010 @ 8:13am | Report comment
a relaxed place for a coffee, nice views outside, looks good for the photographers too for the backpage
its then not a intense interview for a relaxed chat
Gerry Faehrmann said | February 10th 2010 @ 9:01am | Report comment
You’re taking this a bit seriously ol’ son. Steve is takin’ the piss out of everyone in this article.
Dogz R Barkn said | February 10th 2010 @ 9:09am | Report comment
Heh, heh – nice article Steve!
Cafes are the new black!!
mushi said | February 10th 2010 @ 1:01pm | Report comment
Steve, ever been to london? The boys playing in england are probably pining for a decent cafe
Steve Kaless said | February 10th 2010 @ 4:35pm | Report comment
Mushi, I lived there for three and a half years if that counts. I think you may confuse the division between caffs (the greasy spoon) and cafes in London. They certainly have a multitude of the former where you load up on baked beans and sausages, but there are also truckloads of cafes which will satisfy your hunger for a five quid ciabatta.
Maybe we need see a few players tucking into a plate of beans to return the game to its roots.
No Nate Myles comments please.
mushi said | February 11th 2010 @ 8:20am | Report comment
Don’t know about the greasy spoons but the cafes around the west end may have 5 quid finger food but the coffee wouldn’t even make it into the tea room on a construction site in Oz.
OldManEmu said | February 10th 2010 @ 1:47pm | Report comment
After a summer sojourn I am back on the Roar, my marriage is going to slide into its usual winter months induced trough, my business will suffer, but by crikey there’ll be some laughs. Love it Steve.
May I be so bold as to throw into the mix the following ingredient. Next time you see a photo of a sportsman of the eligible bachelor flavour, hark back to a few years ago just prior to when Totally Ian came leaping out of the locker – there it was , front and centre in the Daily Terror, a photo of the proudly heterosexual Roberts cozying up to some lovely of the female variety.
As though I dont have enough time on my hands this winter, I propose to keep a weather eye on the sports pages for otherwise gratuitous photos of single NRL players with their girlfriends because the stats dont lie……….
Steve Kaless said | February 10th 2010 @ 4:44pm | Report comment
That certainly puts the Dally Ms and the Brownlows in a whole new light.
Andrew Watson said | February 10th 2010 @ 8:17pm | Report comment
Gone are the days of singing the club song while sculling a jug of beer with your undies around your ankles!
To keep some form, they could of at least tried the microwaved King Island Beef Pie…
bever fever said | February 10th 2010 @ 8:21pm | Report comment
Been reported just today that Wayne Bennett was talking to Buddy Franklin in Melbourne cafe.
http://www.smh.com.au/afl/afl-news/west-is-a-winwin-battle-for-sabrerattlers-20100209-npu2.html
(towards end of article)
Jay said | February 10th 2010 @ 9:00pm | Report comment
ermm.. bennys promoting the all stars game. the article is taking the piss
bever fever said | February 10th 2010 @ 9:08pm | Report comment
Oh dear !!
cosmos forever said | February 10th 2010 @ 9:03pm | Report comment
I believe Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft have taken out injunctions to halt any association between footy players and the devices they use 20 out of 24 hours a day. Cafe’s are the only place they can be photographed without a playstation in the background.
I hope for Nth QLD’s sake Willie is on the caffeine – he is the most insipid player in the NRL – choosing to engage in a game and utilise the natural size and talent he has for about 10 minutes out of 80 – he clearly needs the caffeine (and some quinine while he’s up there)!