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With the memories of Matt Lodge’s return pushed far to the back of any rational thinker’s mind, we can only do what naturally comes to most NRL supporters. That’s batten down the hatches for our next round of media sensationalism!
Before I start, I’m going to predict a few things I think will happen in the next few weeks. Kim Jong-Un will have mysteriously won another six Winter Olympic gold medals according to the North Korean Media. A male in Hollywood will be accused of inappropriate conduct.
And a very select few people will go full quasi-ruler, telling any poor soul that will listen that Todd Carney shouldn’t be allowed to play NRL again.
While there have been many people indorsing Carney’s return, there has been a tiny minority that simply can’t force themselves to.
Ruan Sims was quoted on 100% Footy as saying “He’s a nice guy, I’ve met him before, I’ve had some things to do with him and he’s been very genuine and very gentle towards me but at the end of the day our game is our business.
“If we start bringing that into disrepute as players then we are actually reducing the amount of money that comes into the game, reducing the amount of money of commercial sponsorship that comes in.
“And also mothers with small kids wanting to play footy, they’re not going to get them to play footy if they see that at the top level.
“So for me personally, I say no.”
(AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts)
Everyone is entitled to their opinion of course, but this one has confused me. Some things were correct, some I think not:
Carney is a “nice guy” – agreed.
“Our game is our business” – strongly disagree.
“They’re not going to play footy if they see that at the top level” – strongly disagree.
I have never met Carney, nor have I heard a bad word about him as a bloke.
If our game is our business, South Sydney would’ve never been given the boot in 1999. Neither would the Gold Coast. Neither would the Bears.
And lastly, try telling a troubled child that loves footy that there isn’t room to turn their life around while playing the game they love.
The problem with Carney is he’s almost obnoxious in the fact he has such talent, yet has regular brain explosions. Has he trafficked drugs? No. Has he punched and stomped on the head of a man lying prone on the ground? No.
We’ll leave them sorts of kerfuffles to Danny Wicks and Russell Packer. Who, by the way, were welcomed back to the NRL.
And while Carney has been in the news more than Russel Packer has been out of shape, he is certainly no monster. More to that, he seems to be a reformed man from all reports abroad.
Most people watch NRL for the entertainment, with personal opinions of how a player should be/should not be off the field put to the side.
Acceptance is the key here, as we are all human beings, and making mistakes or bad decisions certainly isn’t exclusive to professional athletes.
So unless you have can cross your fingers and toes while telling people honestly that you have never made a (or even multiple) silly decision in your life.
Please eat some humble pie, hope this very talented footballer plays NRL again, and remember that while you can lead a horse to water… you can’t make it think.
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