RUGBY LEAGUE NEWS:
| A letter to the 60% | ||
| Written by: Everlovin' Antichrist (Bluebags) | ||
| February 4th 2010 01:27 AM | ||
“An alarming 75 per cent of players declared they worried about going to clubs and pubs because they could end up on the front page, while 60 per cent admitted they were embarrassed to be NRL players because of all the negative headlines in recent times.” Dear The 60%, Gentlemen, you have got to be joking. In all my years following the NRL and prior to that the NSWRL, nothing I have ever read has annoyed me more than that one paragraph. You’re embarrassed to be an NRL player because of negative headlines? The headlines prompted by the actions of your peers? Are you ashamed to be Australian because Martin Bryant and Ivan Milat are Australian? Should a Doctor be embarrassed to be a Doctor because a couple of Doctors have taken liberties with their patients? You insulted the intelligence of the fans of the NRL when you clicked the “yes” box on that one. We think you lads have the best job on the planet bar none. Most of us would give a kidney to have run onto the field just once in the jersey of our NRL side but you’re embarrassed to be an NRL player when one out of the 500 odd of you takes a pee on a wall somewhere? Give me a break, that’s utter nonsense. You play the greatest game of all at the highest club level for nine months of each year and get paid to do so. We, the mere mortals who pay your salaries, work 40-45 hours a week in jobs that most of us do because we have to in order to put food on the table and spend money going to games and on merchandise. Do you really understand how lucky you are? I think the vast majority of you 60% don’t and I also believe that the majority of the 40% left do know how lucky they are. You need to spend more time with the 40%. If you really are embarrassed to be a part of the NRL then leave. Feel free to try your hand at Union or maybe duck over to England and play in the ESL. But be careful, there are players in Union and the ESL who do stupid things too and your delicate sensibilities might be offended there too. If you really, honestly think that the stupid actions of a couple of your peers are enough to make you feel embarrassed to be a part of the NRL or any sport/competition that may garner headlines that offend you, then leave, get a real job, become a plebeian just like us. Oh wait, most of you mollycoddled mummy’s boys have never had a real job; and that’s the problem. You take everything you have for granted and have a slanted view of your own worth. Ok, that’s a bit harsh but that's the way it appears when I read that paragraph from the WWOS article. Remember that no one is bigger than the game. SBW and Gasnier both left, yet it has been hardly noticeable. Do you think you will be missed if you go or do you think a younger, hungrier version of you will take your place in an instant? Here’s a thought, instead of being embarrassed, take the initiative and take some ownership of the problems. Take some responsibility for the actions of your peers. When a fellow player is drunk, make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid and make sure he gets home safely. When you see a fellow Footballer about to do something that will be an embarrassment to him, the game and apparently yourself, take control of the situation and you make sure it doesn’t get to that point. Talk to other players about their responsibility to their club, the game and the fans. We don’t want to see stories about players defecating and urinating in public places just as much as you don’t. But we don’t have the opportunity to stop it happening whereas you do. Take the bull by the horns and do something about it. If it embarrasses you then take it upon yourself to make a difference. Get your pride back. Regards, EA 715 words. References; http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=831854 Posted in the F7s Matches forum in July 2009 The F7s is an article writing competition hosted on The Front Row forums here on LeagueUnlimited.com To join a team, click on the banner below  FOR ALL F7s MATCHES, CLICK HERE |
