Mason Cox's success is embarrassing for the AFL

[Barry_Badrinath]

They're really pushing the feel good story but it makes the league look second rate. 3 years ago he'd never heard of the sport and now he's performing at the highest level. Now every club will be sending recruiters to the U.S. combine to try and find the next failed college athlete to come and make our guys look amateur. That's not good for the AFL's credibility as a professional sport.

The AFL are very lucky Hunt and Folau both failed to make the grade. It would've given rugby endless bragging rights about which one is the superior sport.

 

[catters_28]

... no it's not? It's given the game some good publicity, and sending scouts over there widens the talent pool. Mason Cox's story can only be good for the game in all honesty. Just because one bloke comes over from the US and makes it, doesn't mean everyone else will. Rugby isn't going to be bragging about this at all, in fact they probably wish they had similar options for recruiting.

 

[BPikkers]

They're really pushing the feel good story but it makes the league look second rate. 3 years ago he'd never heard of the sport and now he's performing at the highest level. Now every club will be sending recruiters to the U.S. combine to try and find the next failed college athlete to come and make our guys look amateur. That's not good for the AFL's credibility as a professional sport.

The AFL are very lucky Hunt and Folau both failed to make the grade. It would've given rugby endless bragging rights about which one is the superior sport.

"What are you talking about Willis?"

 

[Bluelegs]

AFL develops overseas academy to grow talent pool successfully.

What an embarrassment.

 

[Supercoach Bargain]

Not every participant in the combine goes anywhere. Only a few, what's the problem with scouting for talent far and wide? Mason Cox is still a "work in progress" I would have thought.

 

[Milux]

Cant say i agree. This is nothing but good for the game. I mean its keeping cloke in the vfl. So win/win all round.

 

[quotemokc]

So because 1 guy does it means every US recruit will?

 

[midorigreenwood]

Not really.

Basketball players have the athleticism to transcend a single sport.

If they can succeed in the nfl, no reason aussie rules should be any different.

 

[Brentmeister]

There have been plenty of guys from around the world and Australia (Hunt and Falou) who have stunk it up after having a go at AFL. Sometimes a few good ones will come along.

 

[Damon_3388]

Why does it make it better if our game is more difficult to play? Honestly, I think people overrate the "difficulty" of our game. If you're a quality athlete and are willing to "go in hard", you've won half the battle.

Even still, it's not like anyone can just come and play footy. Cox has a pretty high level of athleticism, coordination and the obvious physical gift of his size, too. He's got a pretty great base to work with.

 

[AstonSouffle]

Is Jason Holmes travelling okay?

 

[Underarm]

A country with 15 times the population should have a few spares that make it in some other game....

 

[Devington]

Absolutely agree OP.

Where are all of OUR 7 foot tall giants with an atheltic background. Why do we have to go to a country with 15 times the population to find them?!

 

[ScoobySnacks]

We're yet to recover from Jim Stynes embarrassing us all those years ago. First the Irish and now the Americans. When will it stop? Won't somebody please think of the children?

 

[Pie eyed]

They're really pushing the feel good story but it makes the league look second rate. 3 years ago he'd never heard of the sport and now he's performing at the highest level. Now every club will be sending recruiters to the U.S. combine to try and find the next failed college athlete to come and make our guys look amateur. That's not good for the AFL's credibility as a professional sport.

The AFL are very lucky Hunt and Folau both failed to make the grade. It would've given rugby endless bragging rights about which one is the superior sport.

Maybe he's a just a good athlete.
Jim Steins did not embarrass the AFL did he.
Cotchin is more embarrassing to the AFL but not as much as your thread embarrasses Big footy..

 

[grouse mate]

AFL develops overseas academy to grow talent pool successfully.

What an embarrassment.

I know what you mean, northern clubs are forced to pay for their academies yet the AFL is flipping freebies to Collingwood, and now they are funding their new academy as well. Please Gill, listen to Eddie, just make it an even playing field.

 

[bkozican]

OP is a hater!

Just enjoy the story

 

[Garlic muncher]

Dikembe Mutombo never picked up a basketball until his late teens.

The 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m), 260-pound (120 kg; 19 st) center, who began his career with the Georgetown Hoyas, is commonly regarded as one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players of all time, winning the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award four times; he was also an eight-time All-Star. On January 10, 2007, he surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the second most prolific shot blocker in NBA history, behind only Hakeem Olajuwon. He averaged a double-doublefor most of his career, and is 12th all-time in career double-doubles,[2] and tied for second all-time in career triple doubles involving points, rebounds and blocks

 

[Stifler's mom]

The US should be part of Sydney or GWS's zone.

We must have done a shifty.

 

[Garlic muncher]

OP is a hater!

Just enjoy the story

Yep the OP is a hater IMO, seen him before.

 

[Supercoach Bargain]

Wonder if any Yanks tore their blouse when Sav Rocca or Ben Graham had a crack at the NFL?

 

[JUBJUB]

Thread needs to be put in here

 

[basashi]

23 million Australians. Effectively a smaller catchment due to the unpopularity of the sport in the northern states.

It doesn't surprise me that a massive, well resourced system like US college basketball can throw up the occasional success story.

I think if you are worried about the AFL's reputation as a professional sport you should be more worried about:
- the league's response to and the management of the Essendon drug saga
- "" "" the Adelaide salary cap scandal
- "" "" the Melbourne tanking scandal
- the mishmash of commercial arrangements and contracts that leads to every club being on a different deal
- the variability of umpiring
- the sponsorship of clubs by bookies and the onslaught of punting ads at the game
etc etc

 

[Exe Gesis]

They're really pushing the feel good story but it makes the league look second rate. 3 years ago he'd never heard of the sport and now he's performing at the highest level. Now every club will be sending recruiters to the U.S. combine to try and find the next failed college athlete to come and make our guys look amateur. That's not good for the AFL's credibility as a professional sport.

The AFL are very lucky Hunt and Folau both failed to make the grade. It would've given rugby endless bragging rights about which one is the superior sport.

Like I've been saying for ages....America > Australia
But also.....basketball athletes are the perfect type to make it in many football codes.

 

[chaelsonnen]

There have been plenty of guys from around the world and Australia (Hunt and Falou) who have stunk it up after having a go at AFL. Sometimes a few good ones will come along.

Thought Hunt was decent, not great but decent. Folau sucked though, clearly was in it for the money only.