In the early hours of March 29, 1984 a fleet of transport trucks rolled into the US city of Baltimore, loaded up all the equipment of then Baltimore Colts of the National Football League and under the cover darkness moved the team – quite literally – to the city of Indianapolis.
By first light they were the Indianapolis Colts. The city of Baltimore no longer had a team. Fans of the Baltimore Colts who went to bed on March 28 woke up to find out that their favourite team no longer existed.
And that’s how this feels today.
In sport everyone likes to see their team as the good guys, and every week they play against the bad guys as good attempts to overcome evil. Sometimes it succeeds and sometimes it fails but we enjoy the contest for what it is.
Today the actions of the ‘leadership group’ of the Australian Cricket Team have taken away all Australians’ right to think of our team as the ‘good’ guys. The team, we all believed, that played hard – sometimes toeing the line – but ultimately fairly, left the city last night and for the moment we don’t feel like we have a team to root for any more.
The only consolation to take from this debacle is the almost universal condemnation of Steve Smith and his players by the Australian public.
Culturally Australians love sport and we love to win, but we know that there is no glory to be found in a victory achieved via the aid of cheating.
What made the situation infinitely worse was the Australian captain’s dismissal of questions about whether or not he should be removed from the team either temporarily as a player and/or as permanently as captain.
It showed that Smith simply doesn’t get it.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
This is not a +35 handicapper kicking his golf ball out from behind a tree in the Thursday morning veterans’ comp. This is the captain of the Australian cricket team.
At the highest level of the game. Devising and attempting to implement a system whereby his team would cheat in order to win. And that is not acceptable. Smith must go. And he must go now.
Cricket Australia CEO, James Sutherland has confirmed that Smith will stay in charge pending further investigations.
Swing and a miss, James. Smith must go. Now.
Sutherland – a good cricket man and a good administrator of the game – should know that in these situations it is always better to over-react and shock people at the severity of your sanctions, than to under-react and only add to the fury of the mob. Sutherland has only done the latter.
Far better for it to turn out that innocent parties were harshly dealt with than to allow guilty parties to play on and damage the team, the game and the nation’s sporting image any further.
In addition to Smith, vice-captain David Warner, Cameron Bancroft and coach Darren Lehmann must also all be removed from the team immediately. If they feel hard done by, tough. We all feel hard done by today. Deal with it.
Smith and company took a gamble when they decided to cheat. They lost.
The ‘leaders’ of the current Australian cricket team are now comprised of a captain accused of cheating and an abrasive vice-captain who was last seen trying to fight an opposition player in a stairwell.
The Australian cricket team and their ‘leadership’ is rotten to the core and the team are a national disgrace.
Whether Lehmann was involved directly in this incident or not (and it is impossible to believe that he wasn’t), the fact that it happened under his watch means he must go.
(Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)
If a culture has been allowed to develop whereby players would consider blatantly cheating in order to win, then those responsible for creating that environment must also face the axe.
Some may point out that if a team is so lacking in skills that they need to resort to cheating, then the coach needs to be fired anyway. And we still can’t play spin bowling.
The selfish act of a few moronic individuals has tainted the whole of Australian sport. Sports fans have long memories. Any future victories are now condemned to be scrutinized – sometimes seriously, sometimes in jest. But they will always be scrutinized.
Australian cricket fans will no longer be able to enjoy any victory without the barbs and accusations of opposition fans and, perhaps most importantly, the inward questioning of whether what we just saw actually happened, or whether the victory was ‘assisted’ in any way.
The disregard shown to the spirit of the game by the Australian players should be mirrored in the disregard of any sympathy the public has towards the individuals involved.
You blew it, boys.
maccaa62
Roar Rookie
I couldn’t agree more and say it better myself. 100% accurate on all fronts. Well done. You are speaking for me and hopefully most Aussies.
P Air
Guest
Smith is residing over the biggest bunch of grubs to ever wear the baggy green and he has just shown that he is King Grub. This group is dragging Australian cricket into the mud. Get rid of him and Warner, then give the captaincy to someone with the bollocks to play the game in the true spirit without all the grubby antics. What a bunch of overpaid wankers.
Factsseeker
Guest
For still too many people in Aus, winning at sport is the only thing that gives their lives meaning and purpose. Sadly, the Aus cricket team embodies this miserable value and so they start panicking when a loss appears imminent and resort to cheating or nastiness to beat their opponents. It shows a certain shallowness in the Australian character and cultural history. Australia is a country with enormous potential. Citizens don’t need to get their kudos from Australian sports teams humiliating opponents. Sport should build mutual respect between opponents and not hatred. Australia does not need to cheat in sport to be a great country and people. The culture must change and then Australians will be a much happier and more admired country around the world.
Marcus
Guest
Smith's performance in the press conference was terrible. Clearly doesn't understand the magnitude of his actions.
Marcus
Guest
I agree that there’s no way Boof (nickname says it all) didn’t know. Langer would never has let this happen, get him in ASAP.
El Loco
Roar Rookie
Deano scored a double ton half dead in a tied test, guaranteeing corporate event guest speaker spots for life. He owes AB.
Gurudoright
Guest
No, he just wanted minty fresh breath for when he appeals to the umpire
Richard Islip
Roar Rookie
" Boof?"....of course the coach knew! Too right the leadership should be sacked. Don't hold your breath though. It is already shaping to be a Millenial Slap On the Wrist for the poor lads who " made a mistake."
Spanda
Guest
The Australian cricket team have just negotiated themselves an ongoing share of CA profits. If Australia collectively turns off the cricket, they liable to the losses. are they
shirtpants
Roar Guru
What's a contract these days?
Markismo
Guest
Not to forget the strategy Aus has of quicks bowling bouncers at tailenders. Just a class outfit...
Greco
Guest
Cricket Australia Error 1) Lehmans whinging about South African Fans 2) Aussie captain lets least experienced player tamper with ball 3) Smith goes to press conference and says it was leadership team decision to cheat instead of taking responsibility 4) Smith says they cheated out of desperation to win. Smith is a is a penny short of a pound . I dont think he could have handled yesterday worse. It was a blow by blow on how not to lead. He should not have to be told that resigning is his only option. ??
W G GRACE
Guest
And that has what to do with this incident - Quigley is as much an expert on this or any other matter as Trump is on international diplomacy.
Peter
Guest
You really are a 19th century dinosaur as well as untruthful, aren't you, Doctor? I believe there were incidents of uñexplained deaths amòngst your patients?
W G GRACE
Guest
time to get a life - what happened was so minor it didn't demand the attention it has been receiving - who died and who was harmed in this incident - no one - amazing you convict colonials are banging on about it especially when your country was colonised and built by convict labour from Britain.
W G GRACE
Guest
shame for what - a nothing incident blown out of proportion -wake up
W G GRACE
Guest
Big Mal should be more sympathetic as pollies make heaps of mistakes with some causing deaths and are never held accountable for it - no use saying oh at the election time they are - i.e Krudds open borders deaths at seas policy and pinks batts causing deaths policy for instance - in reality what happened is so minor it's amazing how it's front page news - no one dies or no one was harmed in this incident - wake up and move on
Mushi
Guest
Wasn't Smith himself a self-righteous moral indignant? He's been on miss high horse about "the line" and Australia may play hard but we don't cross that "line". He's a liar and a cheat.
sheek
Guest
BB, To provide some perspective, being captain of the Australian cricket team is said to be the second most important position after the prime minister. Many would even say being test cricket captain is more important than Australian prime minister. That's the pressure that Steve Smith is under. Talking to a mate tonight, the Saffies have totally fried the brains of the their Aussie counterparts. Smith has become so befuddled to come up with a stupid scheme like this, & for others to agree with it. This is a classic example of a team mentally collapsing under the pressure applied by their opponents.
sheek
Guest
Jack, Very well said. I like the Baltimore/Indianopolis story. Wasn't aware it happened as dramatically as that.