Ben Cousins of Richmond looks on during the AFL Round 01 match between the Richmond Tigers and the Carlton Blues at the MCG, Melbourne. Slattery Images
Ben Cousins’ interview with On The Couch on Tuesday night made for great viewing, and not just because it was candid and revealing. It was also great because of how it stacked up next to all the media-driven rumours and speculation this season.
The word relapse has been used often. The term alcohol problem has been used, too. Even the insinuation there’s more to it – without ever revealing what the “more to it” actually is – has had a good run.
To make matters worse, certain sections of the media have gone on to use those rumours – as opposed to, you know, actual evidence – as a way to pot Cousins and the club that recruited him.
It’s been said there’s no way he’ll play next year. It’s been said there’s no way he can see out the season. It’s even been said Richmond made a mistake in taking him on last year, despite the fact he finished top five in their best and fairest.
Cousins deserves better, which is why the Fox Sports interview was so refreshing.
For the first time in a while, we were not getting our Cousins fix from something Caroline Wilson had written or said, or from comments, later retracted, by Ricky Olarenshaw.
We were instead hearing from Cousins himself. And the odd thing was, he didn’t seem like a man who’d gone off the rails. In fact, he seemed like a man who the game can learn a lot from.
He said the use of recreational drugs did not help him play football and that, if anything, it made it harder. He said he spent the vast majority of his career trying to hide his addiction.
He also said he was “making some real progress”. He spoke of the enjoyment he gets seeing the development of young players and being in the position to use his experience to help them. He spoke about leaving the game with dignity and, to the surprise of many, admitted he harbours a strong desire to play on beyond this year.
And when it came to the attention from the media, he said that element of the AFL environment was counter-productive to his recovery, saying he was “at the mercy of a lot of rumours and innuendo”.
”I don’t … dignify every single rumour. The problem with my situation is that if you throw anything negative my way, it seems to stick,” he said.
With the way the media have acted lately, it was the right choice of words.
It’s one thing for a member of the media to publicly call for Richmond to sack Cousins, or to not re-sign him, when it’s based on actual evidence, like poor football or incidents confirmed to have taken place.
But it’s another thing entirely for a member of the media to call for such actions when the only basis for such an argument hasn’t been confirmed by anyone and denied by the man at the centre of it all.
The media in recent weeks and months have gone too far, and Cousins deserves better.
Matt S
Guest
Let's not get away from the issue here, that two people are dead from drugs used in association with two high profile AFL players (Cousins & Ablett). Drugs are a scourge and Cousins deserves everything he gets. If reports I hear are true, Cousins still gets pissed regularly, then he still hasn't learnt his lesson. I also think Cousins is battling some demons from the past which I doubt him & his former Eagle team mates will never own up to. One day it will get out but it ended the career of one prominant media lady.
gazz
Roar Pro
Thanks for the link, hadnt seen that, only saw snippets on the news! But yeh, bit sick of cuzz.
Shaun
Guest
What a joke. He is a drug addict and a smart arse. What we saw the other night was an act. What we have seen in the past is the real bloke. Buy hey, we should applaud him instead of blokes who live their entire lives with dignity, integrity and honour. Yeah, this is the example.
Michael C
Guest
And the 2009 illicit test results are out, about 350 more tests than last year, 2 more positives, but, compared to 2005, 1100 more tests for 15 less positives, so, overall, continuing the trend in the right direction, I reckon in todays social setting - it'll be impossible to get a zero % strike rate, is 0.89% too high??
Redb
Roar Guru
Understand what you mean. I think this OOC interview will assist his cause given the villian status has lost its gloss. The football public got to see Cousins genuine and thoughtful opinons/answers during a very direct round of questioning. Tigers fans would be pretty happy I suspect. In fact, some in the media have already speculated that Cousins could use his drug addiction and history to help with an education in the future. http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/cousins-offers-clubs-players-much-more-than-midfield-nous-20100512-uy1l.html
Michael DiFabrizio
Expert
Appreciate the comments, guys. One thing that should be remembered is that whilst Cousins certainly brought a lot of the early media attention on himself, it is some of the more recent stuff that I've taken particular issue with - the rumours of a relapse/alcohol addiction, the insinuation that there's more to it (and the resultant expectation that we simply trust what the journalist/TV presenter is saying). A lot of people in footy are saying he has been a catastophic failure for Richmond, there's no way they should hang on to him, he shouldn't see out the season, etc. and it's all based on rumour. He might've deserved to cop a bit for the way he conducted himself early on, but he deserves a heck of a lot better than what he's been getting lately.
slickwilly
Guest
cant imagine what life would be like to continually live in the public eye... cant imagine what life would be like for a talented footballer living in the fish-bowl that is afl obsessed perth...
Son of a Gun
Roar Rookie
He has cockiness no doubt, but he has like many people a self destructive side to his personality. His best is great, his worst is terrible. Serious question, the guy seems hypo, maybe ADHD.
Redb
Roar Guru
Hopefully everyone got to see the interview with On the Couch on Fox. Compelling stuff. IMO Cousins deserved to be put through a baptism of fire by the media. During that interview he took the hard questions and handled himself pretty well. That had to happen to gain some respect. Kudos to Cousins he is in better place.
ken
Guest
Well written story and one I agree with completely.I thought Ben handled the interview On The Couch with great strength and honesty.The questions pulled no punches and it was good to see Ben given a chance to give his side of the story rather than the rumour makers who seem to make up too large a number of news reporters these days.
Marsh
Guest
Agree with these three comments....it's his own making.
Michael C
Roar Guru
There's a lot of ignorance out there in many respects - clearly, some media and others have forgotten that Cousins is STILL being tested 3 times a week - - he's probably the worlds most tested and scrutinised athlete - - - so, he's hardly going to be back on the 'juice' without it being picked up. People still speculate about the 2006 GF,....but, ignore that if Cousins was on anything performance enhancing - then - the WADA testing program should have picked it up, as the WADA program target tests the top 3 club B&F place getters for each club from the previous year - - that was Cousins (the reigning Brownlow medalist in fact). But - - people keep on and on in ignoring facts and preferring their own ignorant speculation to build up a fanciful story. For Cousins - - he's obviously made mistakes, and was for some time he was a poor (although a good 'negative') role model - - - now though, he's recasting himself as an excellent 'positive' role model for people with drugs issues. Certainly - he's no role model for your run of the mill cleanskin prefect..........but then again (where do the kids first get exposed to drugs culture anyway??).
Stephen
Guest
No genuine remorse and a victim mentality. He is an admitted drug addict. No professional would say its smart for a drug addict to get drunk (note his very recent drunken punching of a teammate in Sydney). Until he loses his grandiosity, he won't clean up his act and play good football again. And punching someone in the face is a criminal act by the way, unless in self-defence, etc.
Lu
Guest
I think most of the AFL media fraternity don’t like Cuz’s cockiness.. He’s projection of a laid back attitude when discussing a serious problem and answering tough question with a naughty boy smirk pisses them off to no end.. So they go after him. Plus he sells papers.. However they fail to realise that perhaps it’s just a defence mechanism for a frighten little boy..
Bam Bam
Roar Guru
You are kidding, right!!! This guy has pretty much been on a self-demolition job his whole career, he seeks to do everything wrong possible, and somehow the AFL keeps him. If you refuse to do a drug test there is a reason for that!! This guy gets drunk like Fev yet gets off like he is on the sly with Demetriou. No one could really be too harsh on Ben Cousins.