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In the last week or so, we have seen two examples of public figures being jerks. For one it means disaster, while for the other it is business as usual.
Both Amber Sherlock and Darren Lehman were seen being less than nice, but only Sherlock will suffer for it.
‘Boof’ will suffer no consequences because male professional sport and jerks go together like chips with sauce.
The footage of Channel Nine presenter Amber Sherlock berating sports reporter Julie Snook has created a perception that Sherlock is a bitch – something that isn’t very conducive for being a news and weather presenter.
To be a successful weather presenter your number one attribute is to be likeable.
Conversely, Australian cricket coach Lehmann’s recent comments placed no stock at all in being perceived as nice.
After he made a suggestion that Matt Renshaw might not get a gig for the tour of India, in spite of just getting 184 on a turning wicket, former Tassie Tiger now journo Brett Geeves questioned the Australian coach’s logic.
When questioned about Geeves’ criticism during a radio interview, Lehmann responded that people shouldn’t listen to the former Tasmanian bowler’s opinions because “he wasn’t a very good player”.
Darren Lehmann: jerk.
Firstly, Boof, you’re obviously wrong. Anyone who plays first-class cricket for their state for ten seasons is a very good cricketer. During that period, the Tigers won the one-day competition three times and the Sheffield Shield twice.
So it’s not like he was making up the numbers in a crap team.
Geeves also played two ODI matches for Australia. While he may not have been at the top of the tree, he was clearly extremely good.
Secondly, Lehmann got a pertinent question and chose to deflect it by saying it wasn’t valid because the person who put it forward wasn’t very good; that because Geeves didn’t play at the top level his opinion was invalid.
What a stupid thing to suggest.
Let’s put that theory into practice for footy coaches. Some of the very best players have been woeful coaches: Diego Maradona, Wayne Pearce, Terry Lamb, Wally Lewis, Brad Fittler, Tim Watson and Michael Voss just for starters.
Now think of some awesome coaches who were not superb players: Craig Bellamy, Tim Sheens, Trent Robinson, Mick Malthouse, Alastair Clarkson and Kevin Sheedy were all only, at best, as good a bunch of footy players as Brett Geeves was a cricketer.
By Lehmann’s logic, you shouldn’t ask their opinion on their respective games.
Yeah, right. Great logic Boof.
Geeves played for a long time and at the top level. He’s also an extremely good writer. He has pointed out the dysfunction in Australian cricket in regards to his experience in South Africa in 2009 and again in his rebuttal of Lehmann’s comment.
They are both compelling reads.
But here’s the thing: though Lehmann was a jerk for dismissing Geeves like he did, being a harsh jerk is the reality of top-level sport.
In the competitive and testosterone-fuelled world of professional sport, it is kill or be killed. Cricket is a game where 11 grown men surround a batsman and say the most disgusting things they can come up with to try and put him off. The batsman, in turn, must have the total arrogance to cop it all, block it out or give it back and still play well.
That’s why Boof responded the way he did. He heard what he saw as a sledge and returned serve in a manner that is ingrained in his industry.
I loved Steve Waugh, Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne. They were the key reasons our national side was the world’s best for so long.
I guarantee they were some of the worst sledgers. I celebrated ‘mental disintegration’ and through that I encouraged the status quo Geeves highlighted in his article. How many of you did the same?
We even celebrate the best sledges! (Ed note: The three articles linked are sledging gold!)
When the Kiwi side during the last World Cup basically said we should all play like gentlemen, the response of our national side was, effectively, “jam it, bro.”
We want our side to win and nice guys to finish last.
The harsh reality is that, to be competitive at the top level, sportsmen must be tough and arrogant.
I’ll never forget walking past a young Shannon Boyd sitting on the bench during his under-20s days. He was a huge and raw-boned unit even then, his head like a big potato with two eyes and a great, big, childlike smile.
Fast forward to last season and there he was in the sheds with his headphones on, dancing around like a boxer before a championship fight.
And that’s because he is. He is going out there to smash his body repeatedly into other large men who mean him harm and will absolutely give it to him verbally, attacking him mentally.
He’s got to be tough. He’s got to be arrogant. He’s got to be at least a bit of an arsehole.
The smile and the child are now gone. They’ve been exchanged for a starting front-row spot in a top-four side, a Kangaroo jersey and – possibly – a sky blue one.
We like to ignore the possibility that the players we love might not be nice. And we’ll forgive them lots if they are winning. However, start losing and they’re in trouble. Then they’re just jerks.
The last four Test wins have papered over some yawning cracks in the Australian cricket side and a bad Indian tour might see Boof in a spot of trouble.
Who knows, one day someone with the Australian cricket team may say, “Don’t listen to Lehmann. He wasn’t a very good coach.”
And it is worth noting that while Amber Sherlock will be attempting to rally any support she can muster to rescue her career, all for appearing a bit bitchy in something that should have stayed behind the scenes, Darren Lehmann was able to be a jerk in full public view and he’ll continue on as if nothing has happened.