Ah social media, you beautiful source of controversy. You did it again this week, when Sam Thaiday – now only known as a Brisbane Bronco – used you to tell the world how disappointed he was about not receiving a phone call.
You know, to let him know he had missed out on a spot in Mal Meninga’s Kangaroos squad for the upcoming Rugby League World Cup.
I couldn’t help but wipe a sarcastic tear away from my eye as Sam poured his heart out in an Instagram post. It hit me right in the feelings, you know.
Look, whether Sam was deserving of a phone call is up for debate and you can go ahead and debate this with anyone who wants to take you on, probably somewhere on social media. It’s so easy to do, isn’t it?
Most of us do it in one way or another. And so do our sports stars, not just here in Australia but all over the world.
Gone are the days where an athlete needed a television interviewer to actually want to talk to them to get their message across. The days of having a newspaper journalist needing take an interest in your message in order to have it splashed across the pages of the next edition are also gone.
Today’s athletes have got things to say and they are bypassing the middleman to be heard. They are doing it themselves via Facebook or Twitter or Instagram or who knows what else. They don’t need the mainstream media to do their talking for them.
They have their own voice, thanks to social media.
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And you can hear them loud and clear. Even if you couldn’t give a stuff about what they’re banging on about, you can’t get away from them because, chances are, you are trying to do the same thing yourself. And you’re doing it the same way as they are, via social media.
As we all know, there isn’t a whole lot of censorship or manners or respect in the land of social media. It can get ugly, and it is very easy for things to get out of control.
That is why so many sporting bodies and clubs absolutely hate it. They can’t control it.
They can try to clean up the mess afterward, but the damage has already been done by the time they find out what has happened.
The same can be said for the sports stars themselves.
A quick tweet in the heat of the moment can easily be deleted. But as soon as you send that into the Twittersphere, it is available for anyone to see it, screenshot it, and use it elsewhere.
The author of the tweet thinks they have solved their issues by deleting it, but it will still exist. And that means they, and whoever pays them, will have to deal with it somewhere along the line.
Which brings me back to Sam’s Instagram message.
NRL Photos/Grant Trouville
There will no doubt be people out there who think this should have been kept out of the public domain. They may have a point, but that isn’t how things are done these days. Transparency is one of the big buzzwords today and the players know that they will have an audience and get a reaction if they go public with their grievances.
When it comes to Thaiday, you could argue that he thought “Stuff it, what are they going to do to me?” and let rip. Social media, and thereafter, the mainstream media have done the rest.
Pretty easy way to get your point across to a lot of people, isn’t it?
Just look at what the President of the US has done using Twitter. We’re just a few smart-arse tweets away from nuclear war because of the power of ‘The Donald’ and his social media skills.
I really wish I was joking there.
For better or worse, social media is here to stay and we may only be seeing the tip of the iceberg when it comes to sports stars using it to vent, celebrate, condemn, congratulate, protest and support all kinds of issues.
They have an audience, and funnily enough, we want to listen.
In the same way more of us are tuning in to comedians analysing politics so that we understand what is really going on, we are more than happy to read or listen when an athlete ventures outside the safe, cliché zone, full of “it was a team effort” and “we just have to take it one game at a time” statements that mean nothing.
When they have something else to say, we can’t wait to hear it. And you get the feeling there’s plenty more to come.
So quick, open up your phones. Otherwise, you’ll miss out. And we can’t have that, can we.
Gaz
Roar Rookie
Spot on Suechi. My thoughts entirely. Hence the call to Ferguson who would have thought he was up for selection.
Suechi
Guest
A bit precious I must say. A publicity stunt from Sam more than anything - trying to secure a media gig. Did he really think he was in line for selection?
Kurt S
Roar Pro
I think Thaiday overreacted, or more to the point, reacted without thinking. I feel he deserved a phone call, too. He and Meninga and lockyer have all been through a lot together at rep level and Lockyer moreso at club level. It is just good form to give him a bit of a heads up on the matter. Like you Andy, I can't understand why so many people think Thaiday was angry about not being picked. I don't see anywhere where he remotely seems unhappy about missing out on a position. Like you said his time at the broncos was bench player (or first choice hooker... It could have gone either way there for a while) and he had already been let go from the Origin team. And Adam, nice article. Social media has really changed the environment in the last while and it will for some time to come. Everyone's a narcissist at heart, it seems.
no one in particular
Roar Guru
social media gives most people a voice. Unfortunately most people are idiots
The Barry
Roar Guru
It does come across as a bit hypocritical when you're complaining online about not getting a personal call. It was good of Meninga to come out and say he should have called. Done and dusted.
Not so super
Guest
Sam seems like a good bloke but he was very lucky to play that many tests A slightly above average player
Adam
Roar Guru
Overall I think both individuals handled it pretty well. Sam Thaiday was quite articulate and Big Mal was mature enough to admit the mistake and apologise unreservedly. If all coach/player relations played out in this manner League would be pretty vanilla.
Jimmmy
Guest
TB I agree with you completely . Sammy deserved a call and I think Mal has admitted as much but i don’t think the first place to air your grievance is an online post. Surely you are compounding the problem. Why not ring/text/message the man who you are pieced off with. That’s what I would do and I’m sure you as well . I don’t get this airing the linen in public.
Hard Yards
Roar Rookie
Sammy probably knows how Madonna feels.
Paul Chapman
Guest
I can understand where Sam is coming from with his blast at Mal Meninga. Cast your minds back to the 1st SOO this year after the Qld defeat & Sam was dropped. Mal Meninga came out in the media & said even though Sam had been dropped by Qld, he could still be picked for Australia. Sam's form at times has been below par but he still is a great bench player for the Broncos. Mal has apologised to Sam & so he should have, to a player who has always given 100% to the Broncos, Qld & (Australia for 10 year). Sam will play out his contract with the Broncos in 2018. I met Sam in 2004 so he has been around the Broncos for a long time.
The Barry
Roar Guru
I think Thaiday has a valid point. It's a bit of an unwritten rule that long standing players get a call. Especially if Ferguson got one - it maybe shows how far out of calculations Thaiday was that he wasn't front (or back) of mind. You wouldn't think Mal would deliberately do it, given how long they've been together in the rep scene. I don't particularly mind Thaiday breaking it on twitter, it was just a bit of a sulky post. "Aussie Aussie Aussie. No No No" and lots of "I deserve..."
HarryT
Guest
Welcome to the real world Sam. When they want you they treat you like a king, but when they don't they treat you like the janitor. The game is pretty ruthless across the board. It is good that Sam can point this out in such an articulate manner.
Andrew
Guest
Interesting that Sam uses social media to demand a little respect, when earlier in the year he had to use social media to apologise for the lack of respect he showed to (in particular) indigenous women.
Paul
Roar Guru
Adam You make a really valid point about the damage social media can create, regardless whether we're talking about NRL players or just the general public. I'm aware of at least 5 or 6 people in my organisation who have been sacked because of comments they put up on various social media platform. This is yet another thing NRL clubs need to include in their player education programmes. Sadly though, you can't stop people doing stupid things.
Andy
Guest
I'm not a huge fan of players needing a phone call when dropped, and my initial reaction to the Thaiday post was not positive (and I'm a Broncos/Qld/Aus supporter). However he has played over 30 Tests for his country, has an off field record far better (although not perfect) than Ferguson, is generally good with media, and whilst injured from a Kangaroos game in hospital last year wrote a team ode for the Kangaroos. So if any player deserves a call it is Sam, to hear that Ferguson got one and Sam didn't is even worse, so I'm glad Sam said something, but I'm even happier with the way Mal admitted the error and sorted it out quickly and openly. I think Sam knows he didn't deserve a spot in the team, heck he's really only a bench player for Brisbane now, and whilst he's been a great player, the end is close for his career and he's playing no where near his best.
Adam Vaughan
Roar Pro
Well, he wasn't having a go at the Broncos, he was having a go at Mal Meninga and the Kangaroos. They'd already dropped him, so they couldn't do anything else to him. They'd already done it.
Simoc
Guest
"When it comes to Thaiday, you could argue that he thought “Stuff it, what are they going to do to me?” and let rip." Maybe not employ him.