Such is Life: The Ben Cousins Story

[stanley86]

i thought it was fascinating, a real eye opener
tomorrow will be more confronting i think
did anyone else find it interesting his sister knew what was going on all along?

 

[scout]

Northbridge always felt like a set-up.

But he appeared to aggravate the Police by not co-operating over the Kizon phone call, and running away from the booze bus wouldn't help either. And all very much in the public eye, looked to be living above the law.

Cousins' lifestyle was making enemies all over. Possibly something he was blind to.

 

[aneale]

I thought his sister came across looking like a dill tbh. She's obviously known for a lot longer than most. What kinda sibling doesn't dob the second they have something on you. It's Un-Australian.

 

[crownie]

i thought it was fascinating, a real eye opener
tomorrow will be more confronting i think
did anyone else find it interesting his sister knew what was going on all along?

as for the doco overall it was more full on then i thought it would be, one footage i found very hard to watch was when his sister was talking about how he gets twitches when his on drugs and they were actually showing the footage of him doing what his sister was describing.

 

[Forgotten Legend]

Was very fascinating. Cant wait to see the rest tomorrow.

 

[roostersgal4eva]

I thought his sister came across looking like a dill tbh. She's obviously known for a lot longer than most. What kinda sibling doesn't dob the second they have something on you. It's Un-Australian.

in denile prehaps - you dont want to think this is happening to your family

 

[roostersgal4eva]

as for the doco overall it was more full on then i thought it would be, one footage i found very hard to watch was when his sister was talking about how he gets twitches when his on drugs and they were actually showing the footage of him doing what his sister was describing.

that bit had me in tears actually - it was so confonting.

 

[Axcellence]

You're saying this despite the fact he's admitted he'll always be an addict and that it's something he'll always have to manage?

Twit.

Resorting personal abuse? Pathetic.

Just because you get up in AA and say "I am an alcoholic" doesn't mean you can get away from it. Just saying, "I am a problem gambler and I need to manage my addiction" doesn't solve it.

It is a step, but it's not the be all and end all. People can repeatedly admit their problems as they go down the hole.

I repeat that the reality is it will be a hard road for cousins and even if he admits it, the side effects of drugs mean that he might not last that long. On top of that, he will remain susceptible to binging or OD (overdose).

 

[George Washington]

Anyone else laugh at his story about running from the Booze bus?

"When I decided to run... I went for it"

Over fences, roofs and then tried to swin across a 1k river.

 

[HeavyPop]

Anyone else laugh at his story about running from the Booze bus?

"When I decided to run... I went for it"

Over fences, roofs and then tried to swin across a 1k river.

It reminded me about the blonde joke where she swam halfway, got tired and swam back to shore.

 

[mcuzzy]

but what footage is legit and what is acted out?

 

[roostersgal4eva]

Resorting personal abuse? Pathetic.

Just because you get up in AA and say "I am an alcoholic" doesn't mean you can get away from it. Just saying, "I am a problem gambler and I need to manage my addiction" doesn't solve it.

It is a step, but it's not the be all and end all. People can repeatedly admit their problems as they go down the hole.

I repeat that the reality is it will be a hard road for cousins and even if he admits it, the side effects of drugs mean that he might not last that long. On top of that, he will remain susceptible to binging or OD (overdose).

I agree compleatly

its a long hard road and its going to be a rollercoaster.

 

[Flawed Genius]

but what footage is legit and what is acted out?

I would've said none of it was acted out.

 

[Jatz]

very confronting. i really feel for ben. his dad said he had no knowledge of drugs and with ben growing up as the star athlete and hanging out with the wrong crowd he didnt have a figure there to tell him of the dangers it could cause. at the age he started at all he cared about was the buzz he got off it. hence why the addiction spiralled out of control.
wish him the best of luck.

 

[pepsi]

Really was fascinating. Does make you think that there is probably a plethora of drug addicts in the AFL that we don't know about.

There has to be no doubt about that. I imagine the amount of players who have taken an illicit drug during their career would be probably 20%, if not more. Illicit drug use in society is bigger than it ever has been and the biggest user group would be in the 18-29 age group, exactly the age of footballers. Whether you think it is right or wrong, it is what it is. People experiment, and some enjoy what they try and keep using it. Here we have one of the best players in the sport, playing hard off the field, but putting in even harder on the field and winning premierships/brownlow medals. It is the aspect that worries me the most, that even though he was taking drugs, he was still sucessfull in his footy career. I hope young people do not take this point as a sign that it can be done and you can still be successful. I do not think that he ever played under the influence of illicit drugs, however the fact he was playing and during the season taking drugs shows it can be done. Alcohol is a drug, and players abuse that also.
The problem I have with illicit drugs is the associated isses including effects on families and the effects on others. When a person turns to crime to feed their addiction, or become violent when under the influence, or uses medical resources after having overdosed, is my major issue. And what about the long term effects on the person, will their life expectancy decrease because of their drug use? How many relationships will be fractured/never repair because of a person becoming involved in illicit drugs? What about the cost?
When you have a lot of money like Cousins does, you do not have to worry so much about the cost of the drugs, you will also have access to the purest forms of the drugs and the best quality drugs. The majority of people are not in that situation. Not only that, but Ben has an amazing support network, which not everybody has.
I found it very interesting, and am interested to see what teenagers think after watching the documentary tonight.

 

[George Washington]

Also gathered from this, the media are *****. Just parasites and leaches, his dad put it the best when he said none of you are helping him get any better.

 

[Papa Juggs]

He was on coke all those years without getting caught.

This doco is a massive slap in the face for the AFL.

 

[Quivorir]

I would've said none of it was acted out.

This. All real, and bloody good viewing too, really looking forward to see how it wraps up tomorrow..Wonder if he survives..

 

[Snoozer]

I thought his sister came across looking like a dill tbh. She's obviously known for a lot longer than most. What kinda sibling doesn't dob the second they have something on you. It's Un-Australian.

Because she was in it up to her eyeballs as well.

 

[aneale]

but what footage is legit and what is acted out?

Gudinski was on AA this arvo, he said the 'river story' was the only re-enactment, the rest was filmed either by the crew or his mate.

 

[Angus1]

Simply an amazing doco.
I had no idea it would be this confronting. He really is showing his life warts and all.

I still find it hard to believe that he has been on drugs since the age of 17.
I mean this guy was a freaking champion at West Coast. Hardest runner I've ever seen yet he was addicted to coke, ICE and just about anything else he could get his hands on it would seem.
6 day benders without going to sleep WTF!!!

I'm surprised that no footballers are in the doco. Would have been good to hear from Judd or Embley etc..

 

[aneale]

Anyone else laugh at his story about running from the Booze bus?

"When I decided to run... I went for it"

Over fences, roofs and then tried to swin across a 1k river.

I did. Its a good blokey story. "mate aren't you Ben Cousins?" "no mate, don't be silly I just look like him"

 

[stanley86]

Because she was in it up to her eyeballs as well.

that came across, as she said they used to go out and ben would always have to do more than everyone else and it became a ritual for a while

 

[VicO]

 

[Gets!]

He was on coke all those years without getting caught.

This doco is a massive slap in the face for the AFL.

There is still an absolute truck load of players getting on the coke all the time...