Why Cousins did it

Redb - yep - but that's because it was in the 'sports' domain, we now have acknowledgement that Jodi Gordon was using drugs and has a 'problem' (and yes, she had a sad experience a few years back with a boy friend who died young). What's a bet she gets sympathy and understanding, whereas, the sports context would dictate that a certain number of 'zero tolerance' advocates should be demanding to know why H&A haven't been drug testing their young stars and why she hasn't been named and shamed and sacked for 2 years. I just want to see the Today show and Sunrise go to town on this, because, the TV networks and production houses have a duty of care equal to at least that of an AFL or NRL footy club. What annoyed me a bit was with the sad passing of Chris Mainwaring a couple of years back - was that he'd been within the 'media' environment for several years and sustaining a drug 'problem' that played a major role in his demise. Where is the responsibility of his employer to drug test? Sadly, he would have been better off still playing footy - - in the 'new world' of AFL illicit drugs harm minimisation protocols. So, I just get sick and tired of the holier than though news media attitude when their own backyard is littered with skeletons. Right - rant over!!!!

MC, If the answer to your question is how Ch 9 handled the Matthew johns incident, the network stood him down and then interviewed him the same day. Redb

Redb - After this and the North Melb 'Chicken video', I'm just curious now to see the penalties and continuing moral outrage over the following: -The Chasers sick kids skit -Lyncoln Lewis (Home & Away) and his 'sextape' -Jodi Gordon (Home & Away) and her 'association' with shady characters (suspected bikies and houses being attacked by gunmen) Let's see how good the tv networks are at a bit of self assessment.

Mc, re Ch 10 I said further up they're the real culprit but maybe I was just naive, as I was surprised to hear on Ch 9's Footy Classified and Foxsports Backpage that both networks would have definitely played the footage and beleived any media would have also. So it's not just Ch 10, its the media generally who use Cousins for readership/viewership fodder. Rather than sport the coverage of Cousins soap opera moronic antics belongs on a cheap womens weekly/ TV gossip type mag. Redb

ben cousins is the worst thing to happen to football ... noone in their right mind should act in the poor manner that he has .. the sport is too good for him.. do the right thing and get rid of him once and for all......especially the kids ....who do not deserve to see an idiot giving people the bird ..then coming up with the worlds most useless excuse ever.. come on AFL ...there are plenty of young up and comings to replace him and they will at least put the effort in...

Yeah, Sunday arvo was an anti climax - like many neutrals I was looking forward to seeing what Essendon might do. Geelong just flexed their muscles...........they are SOOOO good. It reminded me of the first final in 2007, North Melb had reason to believe that they could have a crack, and at qtr time, 3 goals each (mind you, we had 3 straight I think and Geelong had about 3.7). 2nd qtr, Geelong just did what they had to do, and clearly exposed to all and sundry that North just could NOT compete. Essendon were similarly made to look like boys against men. And that's without Ottens, Chapman, Stokes, Egan etc. Fair enough, Essendon is well down in the ruck stakes and Lovett-Murray owes his team mates an apology. btw - glad to see Greg Baum taking channel 10 to task in the Age - - for showing the Cousins finger, and the parallel that Ch.10 had better be willing to show every 'off air' nose pick, f bomb, bum scratch etc that any of their contracted talent do in front of a running camera. Betcha they won't. Agreed though - - well and truely over it.

MC, I was never that comfortable with his re-entry into the AFL in the first palce but was willing to give him another chance and thought the hype around Richmond might help the club a bit. For Cousins to bird the cmaera shows a lack of classI dont beleive his story baotu a mate behind the camera. Over it already, move on. haven't been in the best of moods since Sunday afternoon. ;-) Redb

Looks like the Cousins issue is the icing on the sad story cake of Wallace at Richmond !

Redb - I'm gaining the impression .... now, stop me here if you must........ but, I'm gaining the distinct impression that you don't really 'like' Ben Cousins, infact, perhaps fairer to suggest that you absolutely loath him. (a bit like Jim Wilson last night on 3AW) Personally - - I like the 'idea' of Ben Cousins. His journey I reckon is one well to be shared by others. Role models are permitted to be flawed. In fact, parents need access to both positive and negative role models to assist their children in discerning good from bad. Ben Cousins has much going for him, and, perhaps like a Scud - he might end his career and wonder how and why he wasted it so. Still though - I reckon the public journey that people are in part sharing with B.Cousins will be a healthy one (with a few completely over blown 'scandals') as the general public becomes more aware of the issue of drug addiction and rehab and the value of getting back to work and support structures etc etc. But - did Cousins have reduced impulse control because of drug issues in the past or his rehab process? Who knows. I'm no expert.

I thought it was pretty cringeworthy when Wallace came yesterday and said at his news conference that one of his great decisions was to recruit Ben Cousins. ;-) Redb

Nird99 - exacly - if it was deemed so 'offensive', then why did channel 10 show it over and over and over and over again........simply to 'offend'. If anyone was offended - then about whom should they complain? I'd be tipping they should complain to ch.10 (or the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal) who firstly elected to show it and then show it again and again...etc.

Regardless of the action of the player, there was no need for the 10 news to show the footage three times during the story tonight. What is achieved by the station by showing it three times, other than some sensationalism.

Big Al I think you're right about it being a fixed one - Cuz just had to keep away from it - it was clearly a brain explosion that was never going to achieve anything.

I'm with Redb on this one. The AFL don't control what is broadcast - just imagine the media storm if they even tried !!! Also wasn't the camera un-manned & fixed position ? -i f so I can't see how it could 'follow' Cousins.

Redb - ah, but, before he was aware of this story 'breaking' on the night - the post game boundary line interview with him saw him going to great lengths to pay tribute to T.Wallace and Richmond - - a nice little display of loyalty. Sure though, he's a little arrogant and cocky (or appears that way) - - many top flight sports people who sustain long careers at a high level come across that why - - it may be a pre-requisite. Okay, James Hird didn't. Robert Harvey didn't. Not all people are the same. Agreed re the AFL re the 'releasing' of the footage. Doubt there'd be any interaction there whatsoever. However, the AFL potentially whacking him for such a non issue in my mind would be a bit rich. Perhaps it'll help cover the costs of the 3 or however many weekly drug tests. Perhaps the cameras should be zooming in on those - surely that's in the 'public interest' MORE so.

MC, Don't see it that way. It's not the biggest sports story on the planet by any stretch but his actions belie a certain behavorial trait I dislike - disloyalty. He owes the AFL, Richmond, fans,etc a lot more than a bird for giving a him a second chance. My reaction was fark him. There are two parties to this issue, Cousins and the Ch 10 TV Director who decided the footage was too juicy to be true. The AFL actaully had no say in it, thus for anyone to contend that the AFL is happy to be reaping a 'bad publicity is good publiciity' type scenario is way off the mark IMO - light years in fact. Redb

Thanks MC. Maradonna, Matthew Johns, Marilyn Jones, Andrew Johns, Wendell Sailor – there are plenty of sportsman in other codes that have cracked under the public pressure. Just how public is a famous sportsman and what privacy are they entitled to. The sports administrators, not the players give permission on what to release to the media. I would have thought, given all the Cousins controversy lately, the AFL should have held back that footage – Cousins’ finger was well and truly aimed at everyone watching, whether you follow AFL or not.

Regardless why he did it. Richmond need to take action. We all agree that their culture needs to be changed so why not start with a senior player and suspend him for a week for his actions... Now that will send a strong message to the rest of the players, club officials etc.

He's an idiot. Sorry to the Cousins bandwagon but he is. He knows that for the rest of his career he will be watched and critiqued. But he still does it. Why is this fool given so much media attention whilst ignoring those who are the perfect example of the responsible public figure( I'd say Role Model but evidently they aren't) is ignored.

Spiro . . . what you say may be true, but professional AFL players (should) know that it comes with the territory. It would be interesting to know whether, out of all the Richmond personnel in the room at the time, Ben Cousins was the only 'offender" ?? It could well be that the players know that the fixed change room camera is not live and that Ch 10 just take what they want - which probably makes Cousin's actions even more stupid !