No Oppo Supporters The ASADA Thread... from a Tiger perspective

[Wally Matera]

I know that this is a Richmond site, but l'm keen to know what others views are of the situation. I have found myself wanting this filthy club to tinker on the border of extinction, purely out of my hatred for the club. The have allegedly cheated. They have been completely arrogant about the situation. Lied. Told mis-truths. They even have a pretty boy coach who you would love to smack in the mouth. You cant help but want to lay a boot into them.

But l cant help but feel for everyone in this sorry state of affairs. Its a weird situation, as a Richmond supporter who has been walked over for years, getting back at someone for possibly cheating their way to the top disgusts me and would normally fill me with glee But the way its going, the scandal is going to ruin peoples lives - inside and outside of Essendon.

I want to hate Essendon, not because of their reputation as druggies, but to hate them because they are our arch rivals. I dont want their players to be banned, l dont want them to be kicked out of the 8 and nor do l want a situation put into football oblivion because it takes them 10 years to rebuild.

The best outcome for football is that they are cleared of taking performance enhancing drugs. But the AFL punishes them for their administration and malpractice. I really feel for Essendon supporters and the players families. How will they ever manage to overcome the tainted scar this will leave on everyone at the club? Never. So many people will be lost to football out of this - some quite rightly - but the pain that many will bear as a result of this, the penalty wont match the crime.

If WADA applies a consistent ruling, then apply it. But anything other, l want any punishment to be in line with making sure the football world can look back with comfort that a right, balanced and fair decision was made, without ruining a club, no matter how poorly they have acted. This saga has gone on way too long and its making me feel sick what is about to come. There is no way out for anyone, the pitiful media have destroyed the careers of many, even before a decision has been made.

Discuss - comfortable with the '**** em' responses, but put yourself in the shoes of a 10 year old bombers supporter, or the parents of a draftee coming into the club, or even a Fitzroy supporter - going through a situation where your football club is completely pointed at. Our game is better than that to want them get the treatment they are getting. I'll still hate the campaigners as much as anyone.

 

[Bojangles17]

The club and officials should bear the brunt of the penalties dished out coz they orchestrated it. I have a fair amount of compassion for the players coz it was a situation they did NOT instigate. The senior staff realise the blowtorch will be on them thats why they are fleeing now rather than face the indignity of being sacked or suspended, may not be good for future job prospects

 

[telsor]

Short term, I'm more worried about the impact on us...ladder position and how they'll be when we face them in rnd23 .

Bigger picture, I imagine a lot of clubs have 'cutting edge' sports science programs and essendon were just the unlucky ones who went too far or (more likely) got caught overstepping the line. Unfortunately for them, this means theyre the ones who should be used to send a very clear message to the others that crossing said line isnt worth it.

I would make the punishments an undeniable message, and then tell the other clubs to self report everything they do (for lighter penalties), or cop worse than essendon if theyre found out any other way.

 

[the push up king]

I was looking at the ladder.

Hypothetically, if essendon lose all their points. We would be better off having the pies finish above us, and port finish above the blues. So it will finish as tiges 6 th and port 7th and home final against port.

 

[WATiger86]

They pushed the boundaries knowing full well what they were doing was right on the edge. Turns out they crossed the line. Turns out they are drug cheats.

Get emotional in your pressers all you want Hirdy. Fact is, its all your own fault. Time to bend over and take the consequences.

Look forward to Essendon getting what they have coming to them

 

[leemo]

I want to hate Essendon, not because of their reputation as druggies, but to hate them because they are our arch rivals. I dont want their players to be banned, l dont want them to be kicked out of the 8 and nor do l want a situation put into football oblivion because it takes them 10 years to rebuild.

This.
As a lifelong Celtic supporter, when Rangers got into trouble financially a lot of Celtic supporters wanted to see them completely liquidated never to be seen again. I on the other hand, whilst happy to see them punished for a bit of a lol, did not want to have a situation where we can't play them as that's what half the enjoyment of following sport is about.

Re essendon, I don't wish anything bad on the players in particular or their fans but I'm happy to see them as a club face sanctions.

God their fans make it hard to pity them though dont they? All so sure they've done nothing wrong and the whole #standbyhird bullshite...

 

[JAKLAUGHING]

One day at a time...and for me personally the longer this drug saga continues the better...
Nothing beats celebrating a tigers win...especially after all our collective hard work from the last 3 years...the Players...Coaches...Admin...Finances...Sponsors...
Its been hard for all concerned...even the supporters of the Club have had to dig deep...stick hard and eventually increase our membership numbers..
All this during years of an AFL condoned climate/culture of Tanking for Draft picks...and on top of a compromised Draft for 2 new Franchise AFL Clubs...
As well as twisted convoluted justified Player payments outside the established Salary Caps...
Played in an AFL draw slanted in favouritism towards the Pies which had the effect of reducing our clubs Media/TV exposure...
Played at Shitteard Stadium where the Gate Takings were slanted towards the Bummers...
We copped derision from opposition supporters and Media during our slow rebuild...We were the New Fitzroy...cos we lost 9 games in a row...
We sold 3 home games to the AFL/Gold Coast to continually raise finance$...copping collective derision in the process...
During all this rebuild we took no short cuts...I repeat...NO SHORT CUTS...none were taken by our Proud Club...
The Club's Jumper never once touched the floor...because it all seemed too hard...
So now when I read all other Clubs dirty little secret SHORT CUT attempts to quickly rise to the top and win easy premierships...
I just get loverly tingerly goose bumps...like I do when the Tigers win a close game of footy...
For now its all about my mate Shadenfruede(r)...one day at a time...how sweet it is......

PS...
Demetriou you looked after them as well...I knew nothing...nuthingggg!!!......I just rang the Bummers to ask if they had hird about Drug use by an AFL club..

 

[PHX]

I want their season killed. I want all their points take from them.

But I don't want to see a Storm situation where we have kids who put their trust in the club playing for nothing next year, even the players that play for them are also some of my most hated in the league (Bellchambers, Melksham, Kommer, Hurley etc.).

Smash the club on the field this year, destroy the officials (that are left on the sinking ship) and publicly humiliate them as a warning for everyone further than that, but come round 1 next year the players (unless some of the senior ones were part of implementing the program) should get to start round 1 next year with the ability to get 4 points from every match.

 

[tigs2010]

I was looking at the ladder.

Hypothetically, if essendon lose all their points. We would be better off having the pies finish above us, and port finish above the blues. So it will finish as tiges 6 th and port 7th and home final against port.

Or beat Sydney today and win our last 4 with Swans having to play Hawks, Pies, Cats in the last few weeks and then we come top 4.

 

[JAKLAUGHING]

I want to see them humiliated...close to extinction as a Footy Club as you can get...similar to Fitzroy...
I want to see them play next year for no points at all...
I want to see Jab Watson stripped off his illegally won Brownlow...
I want to see them lose Draft Picks...first two rounds for 3 years...
I want to see players suspended from playing for a year...
I want to see those same players sue the Bummers club for player welfare negligence...
I want to see Major Sponsors drop off the bummers...
I want to see massive fine$ dishe out to the bummers..
I want to see and read in the Media that the bummers are a club of drug cheats...
I want to see them become irrelevant...
What ever it takes...

 

[fumbler]

Suffer in their jocks.

 

[TigermanM2]

Get emotional in your pressers all you want Hirdy. Fact is, its all your own fault. Time to bend over and take the consequences.:

Unbelievable isn't it? As the coach, has been pretty much the architect of this shameful episode and now wants to play the victim card.

Same with David Evans. Essendon supporters are blaming the media when all of this happened on his watch.

 

[nut]

Players have to cop sanctions.... for the good of the game so this never happens again...

We don't want players looking like this

 

[TJTIGER]

Sorry wally, I'm struggling to get past ur first paragraph cos of that terrible avatar

P.S Don't think I can add much more to the discussion than has been said already.

 

[scarecrow2k1]

As for general thoughts-
I feel terrible for the players involved. AFL and Australian sport in general always discourages individual thought and encourages teamwork and blind faith. Having said that, and I know it's easy to say when I'm not involved, I know that if it were me being told to take those substances I would have sought an outside opinion.

Regarding Evans, Hird, Robson and Co- I feel they are culpable and need to pay the price. If the bombers are deluded enough to keep Hird, so be it, but he needs to be banned if players are banned- and as long as the longest one. If they aren't banned, would think he needs a 6 month stint on the sidelines.

I have seen this kind of crisis coming for years- Australian football has more money than ever, but those in charge of using it are mostly Ex Footy Players and glorified personal trainers. We don't have intelligent people in place at football positions, hence ridiculous programs like this, or every club going off to do altitude training in the pre season because it kind of worked for one club. Football has more money that it knows what to do with and it's getting used dangerously.

And that is why I feel comfortable with our club. Although it's run by Benny Gale- an ex footy player, just like the example I criticsed previously, we are in great stead. Benny has shown himself to be a very intelligent sort, and has had experience in the legal world and also as head of the AFLPA- and is not making silly decisions with our clubs cash.

 

[Roachy8]

Posted the following in The TAN thread too...

I've ranted before about how much I'm sick of seeing The Bombers in the media day in day out.........​

Even though it is almost all bad news - as a died in the wool Essendon hater even I have had it up to here!​

​

Then solarium boy Hird quotes stuff like this:​

​

''This week's another week of six months of living through an ordeal that people shouldn't have to live through. I don't want to go into personal instances because that will all come out ... it's just got to finish, it has to finish.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/riled-robinson-to-tell-all-on-hird-20130727-2qrac.html#ixzz2aI6hQmDY​

​

I mean, seriously, people shouldn't have to live through this eh? Well it seems more and more likely that you were one of the main tools behind the 'pushing the boundaries' program and even IF there is nothing technically ilegal able to be prooved... you James my boy are one of the main reasons this is even a 6 month issue.​

​

You screwed up my lad.​

​

You could have helped stop it dragging on so long by being more upfront or better still... not allowing it to happen in the first place.​

​

Funny circumstance this.... when a footy team plays badly for an extended period it is always the coach who take the first blame and hit...​

​

When this footy team is found to be bogged down in incredible mismanagement and negligence with poor due-diligence for player welfare... then Hird the coward suddenly 'knew nothing about it' and was 'duped' by shady characters.​

​

Please - as a player you were seen and respected as courageous and of having great integrity.... well now is the acid test fella - MAN THE **** UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!​

 

[Tiger_Of_Old]

Feel sorry for the young players,The older players should have questioned what exactly is going into their bodies,The younger players were only following their lead.Weather its legal or not i don,t give a dam,But what concequences down the track could be a worry.As a parent and my son was on the playing list i,d want my son out of that club because at the end of the day they failed in duty of care.
As for Hird,He said from day 1 that he takes full responsability on what happens in the football department.Well James as being a Parent yourself i,m amased that your still in charge.No respect.

 

[smasha]

Pretty much with you on this Wally.
They will survive.They are a big club.

I'm sure if it was Richmond who were involved,their supporters would be coming at us just the same as they are being received right now.
They used too back when we were shit.

The more we wish the worst for them,the karma bus will arrive later on.

Still have a hate for them but I feel if we rub their noses in it too much,that club will bite back and hit us first.

The Karma bus started it's run at windy Hill the moment hird kept saying he wasn't going to coach and then Matty Knights was sacked and hird took his place.

 

[JAKLAUGHING]

399 big footy forum pages on the bummers board about the ASADA/WADA circus...makes for sweet reading...
And your next Demetriou...cos it all happened on your watch...lets see you earn your big dollars now...

 

[smasha]

399 big footy forum pages on the bummers board about the ASADA/WADA circus...makes for sweet reading...
And your next Demetriou...cos it all happened on your watch...lets see you earn your big dollars now...

he's sneaked out of the country.

 

[nobulltiger]

**** em

 

[Calcium Man]

I have zero sympathy for those in charge, Hird, Evans, Robinson, Dank, Bomber, Ried and all the assistants like goodwin. This was systematic and you only have to look at the physical improvements of the bombers over one preseason to be sure it wasn't natural. Every club seemed aware of the unnaturalness of the improvements and it made its way along every grape vine. Carlton went as far as secretly recording Essendons chemist to work out what happened. These guys should be banned for life.

As for the club once again its hard to have sympathy. Yes it's bad for a 10 year old bomber fan but some team has to be bad and cop it so there will always be an unlucky 10 year old somewhere. But most Essendon fan's have this entitled sense of superiority that Man U fans have, and it seems to have permeated through the club. Its why instead of properly rebuilding slowly like us they went and doped up their players so they could run through brick walls after a 10km jog. No points this year and probably next year, Huge fine in the vicinity of a couple of million (but this is the least important as it doesn't hurt Essendon, and the AFL end up paying the fine usually anyway) 3 years without 1st and 2nd round draft pick. You might think thats too much but we need an example to be made and it wouldnt matter to me which club was in Essendon's position as long as we tried to maintain the integrity of sport.

I always liked this quote by a US supreme court judge "I always turn to the sports section first. The sports section records man’s accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man’s failures." and its the way i see sport, yes i know there are a lot of drugs in sport but I honestly hope we try everything we can to clean up what should be some of the greatest triumphs.


As for the players i have some sympathy for but do not believe they should escape bans because of naivety and stupidity, at some point they need to take responsibility for the fact they were receiving an unusually large amount of injections and their performance was increasing at an unnatural rate. Not to mention it is unfair for guys who havent cheated to play against them, and don't believe the crap about the effects not being permanent . If we allow them to escape on a technicality of they were misinformed/duped by doctors and club officials it allows to much chance for other cheats around the world to escape. I do believe WADA should rewrite the code or have a new code specifically for team sports as i believe the code is to much aimed at individual sports and individuals within a team. Minimum 6 months in seasons bans (out of season is pointless) for those found to have been injected.

Overall i think any club anywhere in the world should be smashed for such a blatant regime of systematic team doping. That its Essendon only makes it more enjoyable for me as i really hate the smugness and arrogance of their fans. But the punishment is not about essendon its about whats best for sport.

 

[telsor]

One more thing..any players suspended get deregistered (ess needs to pay out their contracts) They can reenter via the draft once their ban is up.

 

[CQTiger]

Regardless of what ASADA and WADA do to Essendon the AFL has to F*EM ADA They have brought the game into disrepute by pushing the sports science passed the acceptable boundaries. I feel some sympathy for the players but anyone with half a brain would have to question why so many injections.
The players will get off because of the legal ramifications if they are penalised but Essendon has to be stripped of their 2013 points(god knows how the AFL will do that fairly), draft picks and fined big time.

 

[TigermanM2]

And your next Demetriou...cos it all happened on your watch...lets see you earn your big dollars now...

Pretty silly to blame Demetriou for the Essendon fiasco. You can be critical of they way the AFL deal with it after the event but clubs will always try and push the boundaries.