The Tom Curran incident is rather troubling; not because of what happened, as I have seen young kids get abused by adults at children’s sports because of decisions they disagreed with.
The ‘kids’ umpiring games were trying to give back to the sport they loved, only to be subjected to unfair treatment.
Most of us, for whatever reason, will never be at elite-level competition in the sports we love. However, without the officials, the sports we love and support will never exist.
My problem is that a Sydney Sixers player was specifically told by an umpire that he should not run on the pitch.
It could be understandable that he may not have heard, or properly understood, the instruction. But a reasonable person would walk up to the official as a mature adult and try to gain proper clarification as to why he was standing in the way. I am sure the umpire would have explained the problem if given the chance.
For some reason that player, instead, decides to do what he wants and continue his run-up, forcing the umpire to take evasive action. Then later – after he has been reported and sanctioned – he says ‘I didn’t know what I did was wrong’.
That is inexcusable in itself. However, what is worse is why did the Sixers not condemn the action, and actually go in to bat for him.
Fair enough for a player who has lots of money to lose to claim ignorance, but an organisation that only exists because of the fans should have sacked him on the spot, or at the very least banned him for the entire season. That would have shown they cared about the game and the umpires.
All sports are struggling at the junior level with the lack of officiating. Knowing that officials would be supported right across the BBL, regardless of financial benefit, could have been a massive boost to the people who often volunteer their time at a grassroots level.
Shame on all who defend the actions of this player, who should know better – not just as a professional sportsman, but as a mature adult and human being.
Entitled athletes need to learn the side of their bread is buttered on. Without the fans turning up there is no game. Without parents turning up on the weekends to take the kids to the sport, there is no game.
A four-match ban is nothing as the player will get paid regardless. The fact the Sixes are supporting him all the way is disgraceful.
What I would like to see happen is that if they follow through with the appeal, then they should be stripped of all points and removed from the BBL for three years.
That would send a clear message; sack the player and back the ump.
The problem is that the people at high-level sports administration are not at the grassroots of the sports. They do not see the sideline issues that officials face at local grounds.
They should be sacked as well if they support this player.
Tom Curran of the Sixers. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
Without the umpires, referees, linesmen and other people there is no game.
However, nothing will change because money talks. When players get paid millions and refs get paid peanuts the governing bodies of the sports will support the hand that feeds them.
The media companies, the players and the commentators will back the player. Why? Because the umpires are not the stars of the show, they do not bring in the crowds.
An official has only done their job if nobody notices they were there. Let us see how these sports go when no junior official will turn up.
Do not get me wrong, I understand the player probably made a massive mistake and regrets it.
However, owning and apologising for a clear and obvious breach would set much more of an example than appealing it and pretending nothing was wrong – or carrying on like it was a case of ‘nothing to see here’.
If the Sixes do appeal then they should hang their heads in shame, because they have let the whole sport of cricket down.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
The NRL charges you with x offense, and the penalty is less severe if you simply plead guilty than if you plead not guilty, have a hearing, and lose. At those hearings, as well as arguing your innocence, you can opt to argue the severity of the offense and thus its punishment. Perhaps for all future cases, the BBL could announce the charge, list the different punishments based on how the player pleads, and allow for a hearing before applying a suspension. If the alleged offense is particularly egregious, the player could be stood down until their case is heard, and any games missed in that period would count towards a suspension if found guilty.
AndreD
Roar Rookie
I agree 100%, appalling behaviour, and should have been given MORE penalty and been condemned by his and other teams. To defend this in any way shape or form, as a few previousy respected commentators have, is shocking. He's an arrogant rhymes with Banker, and can GO back to the UK. Shame. Shame. Shame on him.
Tony H
Roar Pro
The NRL does something like that. They don't do a lot that I like, but I'll take that one.
Paul
Roar Rookie
Completely agree Tony. I also believe there needs to be a penalty if a team appeals and loses. An extra week and/or a monetary fine.
Tony H
Roar Pro
Yeah, but that's grounds for sacking him. It's a pretty clear example of "bringing the game into disrepute."
Barb Dwyer
Roar Rookie
So if the umpire becomes a doormat, that would be better for umpires and the game? I don't think so.
Paul
Roar Rookie
My biggest beef with the Sixers is that they thought to appeal a decision that was supported with video and audio of the player defying the explicit direction of a match official. They want him to play because he costs them wages whether he plays or not. Their statement should have been swift "We do not condone Curran's actions, and apologise to the umpire. The player has agreed to undergo counselling"
Kiwikrs
Roar Rookie
Considering what happened to Chris Gayle for something I would argue was much less serious than this, I would say Curran is extremely lucky to get off with only 4 matches. What he did was stupid and inexcusable
Tigers171920
Roar Rookie
Couldn't agree more Tim, complete lack of understanding of the position of officials in sport......Curran showed complete lack of respect and should've been sent home!
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
That’s a strange comment. Curran was suspended for what he did (making him unavailable for his NSW club), and two New South Welshmen were suspended for what they did. One suspension was insufficient, and the other excessive, but they both actually happened.
BlouBul
Roar Rookie
It is a NSW team. Nothing will happen. #sandpaper2.1
Tony H
Roar Pro
Yeah nah. Curran behaved like a moron, and he absolutely 100% knew what he did was wrong.. He should have been sacked. On the minuscule chance that he didn't know that running at the umpire and then swearing at him was wrong, he should have been sacked for being too stupid to be worth anything.
All day Roseville all day
Roar Guru
Welcome to The Roar, Kathleen. The 4-match ban doesn't cover "the rest of the season". The Sixers have 7 games plus finals still to play. The player's origin is irrelevant. The umpire wasn't acting like a "spoilt brat". He was simply applying an important, long-standing and well-accepted playing condition, with which the player would have been completely familiar. Cricket's not "dieing" [sic] in Aus, based on accepted metrics eg attendance, participation levels, viewer levels, media rights, national team success. A 44-game tournament is not a "handful of matches." All of the matches are being broadcast, not a "select few." Granted, some aren't being shown on free-to-air. Regardless of whether or not the player heard the umpire, clearly he saw him, and recklessly kept on coming regardless. That smacks of arrogance and disrespect, at the very least.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
“Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insa-nely idio-tic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dum-ber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.”
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
“Kathleen Conway, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.”
U
Roar Rookie
That kind of disrespect for an official is unheard of in the top level of cricket. He’s lucky he didn’t get kicked to the curb and sent home.
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
Put it this way. If I was the umpire and Curran was running in like that at me, I'd expect CA to give him a very long time out of the BBL to think about what he'd done
Kathleen Conway
Roar Rookie
Wow. You do realise that the 4 match ban covers the rest of the season. And you obviously don't like cricket or care if the game dies. Sacking a player, who by the way isn't from Australia but over here from England, is not sending the right message at all. The 4 week ban it's self is ridiculous. The umpire was acting like a spoilt brat. Standing in the way, rather making sure the player heard him and understood why they couldn't run on the pitch. That's like not talking to someone because "they know what they did". This is why cricket is dieing in Australia. You cut the season back to just a handful of matches, only broadcast a select few and then carry on like idiots because 1 player didn't hear an umpire. Pretty sure he's not the first umpire to have thier feelings hurt by a player. And why shouldn't they appeal? They have every right too.
Ace
Roar Rookie
No argument to your response Gordon. Everyone has a gut reaction at the time to these actions I guess……. My reaction just based on close up incidents
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
I think cricket as a sport, struggles when it comes to punishing players. I guess in comparison to a lot of other sports, it has relatively little need to come down hard, mostly because players don't transgress too often or too seriously. This might explain why so many have differing opinions on what penalties should be imposed. I don't disagree with your thought that Curran should have been outed for the tournament. There's certainly enough there to suggest that's not an over-the-top punishment. For mine. 4 games is okay but that's a minimum. I'm more than fine if he loses his appeal and the powers that be give him a harsher sentence.