All this week the Adam Goodes booing debate has raged on and on. It’s racist, it’s not racist, I have the right to boo, it’s part of sport – and so on and so on.
Now the “it’s part of sport” argument – which former Brisbane and Bulldogs player Jason Akermanis said is just part of the theatre – is a fair point. Every crowd has booed players from other clubs for one reason or another at some point.
The argument is lost, however, when you look at the long list of players who have done far, far worse than Goodes has ever been accused of doing on or off the field.
Ben Cousins was cheered by Eagles supporters upon his return to the field after his public leave due to drug problems, he was booed the next game by Bulldogs supporters in his return game.
Eventually his drug problems ended his time at West Coast and landed him at Richmond where he finished his career. He was cheered loudly and proudly and with much respect in his last career game for Richmond, despite only being at the club for a grand total of 32 games.
Goodes spoke out this week about his fear of being booed into retirement. The question needs to be asked does he deserve that when Cousins according to footy crowds didn’t? This despite Cousins’ drug use being a far greater issue than Goodes’ standing up against racism.
You can also add Goodes’ former Sydney teammate Barry Hall to the mix. A player who despite highlighted events of on-field violence in his career was eventually cheered off in his last game.
Again I find it hard to believe his ‘crimes’ are lesser than Goodes, whatever Goodes ‘crimes’ are.
Chris Judd had a interesting on-field record, from eye gouging and chicken-wing tackles to the famous “pressure point incident”. Yet he is another payer who just this year was cheered into retirement – certainly not booed.
I’m not judging any player I listed here, but there are a great number of payers I can list who committed far worse deeds than Goodes has ever committed on or off field.
So the question needs to asked, if all these players deserved to retire without the boos then doesn’t Adam Goodes?
bryan
Guest
"The booing won’t stop until the teams playing the Swans walk off when it starts and stay off until it stops". Yeah then the Swans could stay on the ground---they might win some games that way! :)
Jean Smith
Guest
Well said I think they need to have a good hard think about the way they're reacting , I mean what's the big deal about what he was doing they're being too sensitive. Adam Goodes should not have to consider retiring because of these people booing so I think maybe both teams should consider walking off if people start booing at a player to lt these people know its not going to be accepted.
Jean Smith
Guest
I agree I think they should to demonstrate that that kind of behaviour won't be tolerated because after all they are spoiling it for every one else and maybe the AFL should exercise a 3 strike system for anyone who chooses to boo at a player just because he was demonstrating his culture with a dance I think they're over reacting.
Jean Smith
Guest
What happened to that 13 yr old girl when she was escorted away should be a message to others who choose to boo at Adam Goodes that they be also escorted away or either that both teams walk of and end their game if the booing continued. After all he was only demon a trating his culture so why do they need to over react to the dance he's performing they're being over sensitive. It spoils it for everyone with they're reaction.
Jean Smith
Guest
Maybe they should to demonstrate to the ones who are booing that that kind of behaviour is not going to be tolerated after all Adam Goodes is only demonstrating his culture if people are going to be over sensitive about what he's doing then they are the ones who are behaving in a racist like way. What's the big deal about the dance he's performing I think they're over reacting about the dance he peforms as far as that 13 yr old is concerned who was really putting her up to calling an ape was it her parents or the company she was with but it wouldn't look good for her parents it would be rather embarrassing to them for her behaving that way.
Northerner
Guest
People don't like being told what to do? Possibly. So why do so many feel entitled to tell Goodes what to do?
Northerner
Guest
For crying out loud. An aboriginal man stands up and says what he thinks and the crowd, taking courage from numbers, tries to boo him into silence and then whines when it gets called for its infantile, boorish, and, yes, racist behaviour. I know who are the ones who can't deal with criticism, and its every person attempting to excuse or rationalize their poor behaviour.
AlanKC
Guest
Apparently WADA disagrees with you : http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/wada-says-afl-linked-drug-aod-9604-is-banned/story-e6frg7mf-1226627233661
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
And I'm sure if she hadn't been called out on it, it would have continued at the next game.
eee
Guest
Very well said
Axle an the Guru
Guest
You just called her on an open forum fat Jim,with all the eating disorders today with adolescent girl in mind,can you please explain the difference with what you just called her as opposed to her calling Goodes an ape with all the racial tensions going on ATM.
Axle an the Guru
Guest
It's a pretty big call to say she was bullying Goodes. Bullying is a daily constant attack on someone Jack,she just happened to be at one football match.
Duck sauce
Guest
Mate, how many times do you have to be told. He did not know it was a 13 year old girl! He was pointing to the crowd who called him an ape. Stick to the facts you are only convincing yourself!
mdso
Guest
Just goes to show how much reading you do. AD9604 was NOT ever banned. The AFL knew it and Asada KNEW IT. That was simply a beat up. Then again ignorance is bliss isn't it. Try reading the ASADA/WADA code and get the right information.
Duck sauce
Guest
Yep, as some one said. We like our aborigines to be seen and not heard! We certainly don't like it if they have opinions and "shove them down our throat". Doesn't he know his place! It has nothing to do with his play it's pure jealous racism. He does better tan you Josh and you don't like it.!
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
No it's not just a child. What she said represents a culture of racists that exist. That's were we need to grow up and admit we have a problem.
Jim
Guest
The 13 year old fat girl deserved to be pointed at and made an example of. She would have grown up thinking that it is OK to call black people 'apes'. Goodes did her a favour.
Josh
Guest
Olivia you haven't covered something which I think is a big factor - people don't like being told what to do, not by AFL executives in suits, not media personalities and especially people who take a higher moral upstanding position. I believe people are hopping on the bandwagon as an act of defiance; that AFL fans will not be told how to act or feel. I agree with a lot of your points, but your arguments will not work on a lot of people, as they ignore a major factor that is being played out by the AFL their very strong left wing stance (which they would have to of course for the sake of image).
cm
Guest
Never been to a dockers game. Just going off TV. Usually about 2 a year, 3 if I go to Melbourne mid year as I sometimes do, and then I usually catch a VFL game as well.
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
Not an AFL fan by any means - I'll put it out there before commenting further. What I am though is a person of an ethnic minority in Australia, and my name makes that blatantly clear. I am not an Indigenous Australian, and cannot empathise with what incites Goodes and Jetta to do the war dance that they did. What I do know though is that feeling that you are somehow lesser than others by nothing else than the colour of your skin, and people remind you of that fact in different ways, some in blatant deliberate ways, others in more subtle and accidental ways. While I'm not an AFL fan, and therefore know little about Goodes the player - all this is about is the notion of otherness in Australia. Is the other made as valid as the mainstream? Are the cultural values of Adam Goodes as treasured in this country as the values of a white Anglo-Saxon Christian Australian? I don't want to give my opinion to this question as the be-all and end-all. But from my experience, I cannot help but feel that sometimes I stand outside the mainstream for no reason better than my skin colour. I might be highly presumptive, but I guess Adam Goodes may feel the same way, hence the need to express his culture the way he has. Dismiss it if you like as "sensitive", "playing the victim" and other terms, but know that Australia is not black and white (definitely not black for sure), but a country of technicolour. It's time to start acting like it.