For Those Born & Bred in Australia, Why...

[Sedat!]

Yeah, the likes of Don Bradman, Richie Benaud, Walter Lindrum, Dawn Fraser, Jack Brabham, Peter Brock, Ron Barassi, Lionel Rose and Hubert Opperman must have tired of all of that disdain piled on them after their "fleeting" successes!

Basically, your argument is questionable on many levels. The likes of Hewitt and Warne are not scorned because they are successful - they are ridiculed because they are flawed individuals who at times behave in ways that give ordinary people the sh*ts. The same people who had problems with these two sportsmen before they were successful are probably the same people who still have problems with their antics. Their success on the world stage is irrelevant.

And Pat Rafter certainly didn't disappear because he was successful. He voluntarily retired due to his tiredness with the whole tennis circuit. He retired, and remains for the most part, a much admired sportsman.

Greg Norman, again, is still very popular. The fact that he hasn't actually lived as an Australian in Australia for the better part of two decades might contribute to some not cheering him on like they would a local hero. I still think everybody acknowledges his remarkable contribution to Australian and world golf in his career.

So how about you overcome this persecution complex of yours about Australian sporting stars, and at least give people the credit that very often they make judgements of who they choose to idolise based upon factors other than simply what colour they wear ... or what colour they are.

Beautifully put in both your posts, Ghost. Tall Poppy Syndrome is a chronically over-used term to explain the sometimes negative perceptions of a successful sportsman/sporting team in this country. And it 99 cases out of 100, the term is incorrectly used to offer a simplistic argument to justify the rah-rah-rah cheerleader mentality of the tabloids.

For example, Hewitt is not disliked because he is successful. He is disliked because he is an a-hole. Not everyone thinks he is an a-hole, but those that like him should understand that those of us that can't stand him do not begrudge him his success or his millions: we just think he is a first-class a-hole. Ditto Brett Lee. We don't care if he is a multi-millionaire with sposorship deals coming out of his arse. We just don't like his chainsaw, or his gay little leap in the air, and we especially don't like the 5 runs an over he coughs up in test cricket more often than not. We don't begrudge Warney and his millions either. In fact, we admire the sheer brilliance of what he can do with a cricket ball. But some of us are not so naive that we believe that he took a steroid masking agent to make himself look thin, especially at a time when it took him 3 short weeks to recover from a dislocated shoulder in his bowling arm 2 months before the World Cup. We also don't believe that taking cash from an Indian bookie for "pitch and weather information" cuts the mustard. More than happy for him to have 10 Ferraris in the garage and get paid half a mill to quit smoking (even though he didn't). Doesn't mean we have to like him.

It is not because of Tall Poppy Syndrome that these sportspeople are disliked. Despite evidence to the contrary, most humans can actually process decisions rationally in their brain. These 3 examples offer plenty of reasons to be disliked, and similarly they also offer plenty of reasons to be liked and admired. The choice is ours quite simply.

 

[eastaugh36]

Basically, your argument is questionable on many levels. The likes of Hewitt and Warne are not scorned because they are successful - they are ridiculed because they are flawed individuals who at times behave in ways that give ordinary people the sh*ts. The same people who had problems with these two sportsmen before they were successful are probably the same people who still have problems with their antics. Their success on the world stage is irrelevant.

.

Yeah but these nobodies in life who bag them only see a miniscule % of these people when they are in their work place, the sports fields. I'm sure if we saw the nobodies in their work place when the pressure is on, we could judge them in a negative way. What about the 99.9999% of the sportspeople and celebrities lives that the nobodies do not see?

 

[Freo Big Fella]

Thankfully I am not a descendant of a ruthless convicts.

Ruthless convicts > German Nationalists.

 

[F/D]

De Villiers > WA's best young talent.



The End.

 

[Punt_Road_Roar]

i really couldnt care as long as Australia keep winning.

people hate australia cause they arrogant and win a lot

people hate England cause they are arrogant and dont win much

i know which country id like to come from.

too true !

LOL @ all these people who must wake up everyday and feel miserable about living in Australia.

Suck it up, its the best country in the world thats why you are all here to begin with, we know that, you know that. We arent arrogant, we are just proud.

Aussie and Proud !!!

 

[GhostofJimJess]

It is not because of Tall Poppy Syndrome that these sportspeople are disliked. Despite evidence to the contrary, most humans can actually process decisions rationally in their brain. These 3 examples offer plenty of reasons to be disliked, and similarly they also offer plenty of reasons to be liked and admired. The choice is ours quite simply.

Truer words have never been uttered.

For some reason, many people in this country are too easily pussy-whipped by success. They are content to trade their integrity for being accepted as successful. Hell, this country was on the verge of accepting and welcoming the impetuousness of Jelena Dokic, and maybe even her d*ckhead father, when she promised to be our first decent women's tennis player for twenty years. Sell our soul for silverware.

And why is it so important that we need to appear competent and successful to the rest of the world? Why is it that so many Aussies constantly need to be reassured by a local sportsperson or artist being accepted on the world stage - "making it in America", or "big in Europe" - before they are truly acclaimed here? Are we so insecure about our place in the world that we need to be told which of our musicians and actors are truly talented by them being successful overseas?

If there's one thing that living overseas for an extended period of time has taught me, we don't need anyone else's approval or recognition to know that we're a great country. We don't need to tolerate poor sportsmanship or spoilt, petulant brats wearing our national emblem or colours just because they bring esteem to our nation on a competitive level.

I love watching Warney play cricket. He's a star, and the most exciting thing to happen to Australian cricket in my lifetime (sorry Higgsy!). I reckon I might even get along with him as a bloke in a parallel universe where neither or both of us are hugely successful. But ultimately when a guy is constantly told that he is superhuman, and is consistently reinforced for his antisocial behaviours, then he is going to start believing that he is superhuman.

And that's where the problems start with me.

 

[crownie]

Truer words have never been uttered.

Why is it that so many Aussies constantly need to be reassured by a local sportsperson or artist being accepted on the world stage - "making it in America", or "big in Europe" - before they are truly acclaimed here? Are we so insecure about our place in the world that we need to be told which of our musicians and actors are truly talented by them being successful overseas?


I love watching Warney play cricket. He's a star, and the most exciting thing to happen to Australian cricket in my lifetime (sorry Higgsy!). I reckon I might even get along with him as a bloke in a parallel universe where neither or both of us are hugely successful. But ultimately when a guy is constantly told that he is superhuman, and is consistently reinforced for his antisocial behaviours, then he is going to start believing that he is superhuman.

And that's where the problems start with me.

you make some very good points,

with your first point of aussies making it big in europe and america well that is the big stage so get on the charts their youll get world wide recognition and celebrity status.

same with sports like soccer and basketball, i never heard of Andrew Bogut until i heard he was getting drafted into the states, thats cause its the biggest stage in basketball, same with aussie soccer players making it into Europe. thats why it creates so much interest more then playing at the top league in Australia.

also on Shane Warne someone asked me lately what i thought of him and i said "champion cricketer, thats about it". the only awards he deserves to win are cricket ones.

Australia is a very sporting country and we have a great passion for it, i wouldnt want it any other way...it beats politics and Hollywood.

 

[windyhill]

I was a huge Australian fan growing up in the 70`s , going to every day of The Centenary test is a huge memory for me, still can`t believe the margin was the same as the original test played between the two. Border and Thommo`s last stand ?? I was there, what a game.
I stuck with the Aussies when they were at their lowest ebb, when Marsh,Lillee and G.Chappell all pulled the pin at the same time.
When did I hop off the bandwagon ? As soon as they came good, it all comes down to pure arrogance, Ian Healy I blame, have you ever seen a more cockier bloke than this one, I can/could not stand him, throw in McGrath and Warne and they were easy to dislike.
I will always support Victoria. Australia ?? apart from Hodge , i always hope he does well, just support whoever they are playing. Pure Arrogance turned me off them.

 

[Bullies_06]

I was a huge Australian fan growing up in the 70`s , going to every day of The Centenary test is a huge memory for me, still can`t believe the margin was the same as the original test played between the two. Border and Thommo`s last stand ?? I was there, what a game.
I stuck with the Aussies when they were at their lowest ebb, when Marsh,Lillee and G.Chappell all pulled the pin at the same time.
When did I hop off the bandwagon ? As soon as they came good, it all comes down to pure arrogance, Ian Healy I blame, have you ever seen a more cockier bloke than this one, I can/could not stand him, throw in McGrath and Warne and they were easy to dislike.
I will always support Victoria. Australia ?? apart from Hodge , i always hope he does well, just support whoever they are playing. Pure Arrogance turned me off them.

same with me. the arrogance of the team and the NSW bias has made me dislike them. dont get me wrong i like some of the players like hodge, gilchrist, hussey and a couple others. i would still support them against england and NZ though.

 

[eastaugh36]

same with me. the arrogance of the team and the NSW bias has made me dislike them. dont get me wrong i like some of the players like hodge, gilchrist, hussey and a couple others. i would still support them against england and NZ though.

I'm with you. England and NZ are the ones that I am passionate about beating. The rest, I don't really care.

 

[Divado]

I always supported Australia A when they played Australia. I love an underdog.

 

[West Coast Fan 123]

I support Australia against England but against NZ when they "rested" McGrath and tried to rest Gilly, that just stinks of arragonce and I like the way that although the NZ team is alot less talented they play for one another and make up for their lack of talent with a great sense of team spirit (remember the warpaint that was classic). So against NZ I still probably go for NZ, but in the Ashes, Aussie through and through.