The meat market reopens... part 3

The meat narket Re open



In my very first blogs some months ago I reported the meat market that was occurring in sport. Players such as Sonny Bill, Mark O’meley and Lote Tuqiri where negotiating contracts before the season had even started and looking at other clubs. O’meley in fact by round five had turned his back on the Bulldogs and signed with rival club the Sydney Rooster for 2008. Into round 14 of the Telstra premiership and there have been over ten player movements effective immediately that have taken place in the NRL.

Currently amongst NRL coaches and media personalities there is an argument occurring over rugby league becoming more like soccer with regards to players diving and faking injuries. It seems now that league is becoming more and more like soccer in another regard. Soccer for years has had players sign and change with clubs mid season every year since 1992. In the premier league competition if a player is unhappy with his club he simply asks for a transfer and come transfer window he is off at a rival club or applying his trade in another country. The word loyalty no longer exists in world soccer the only thing that you can guarantee is that a player will change clubs at a drop of a hat. Every year an Australian paper will review the upcoming premier league soccer country in England. Each year under player comings and goings there would be a list of fifteen players leaving and seventeen coming. When looking at these clubs and transfers it becomes easy to understand you’d be hard pressed to find a player that has played his hole career at one club. A fan of the world game I can only think of three players that have been loyal to the one club such as Ryan Giggs, Pablo Maldni and Paul Scoles.

It now seems that this fate is now reserved for the NRL with so many players changing clubs mid season. Clint Newton a Newcastle hero after walking out on the club because he was disillusioned with it was suiting up for the Melbourne Storm two weeks later. Jamie Soward and Josh Lewis two player makers at the Roosters un happy at there lack of opportunity in first grade this season both in succession left the club and both had debut for another NRL club a few days later. In Sowards case he had played an integral part in the Roosters Saturday night victory and then come Friday night was stirring the Dragons to a win over the Broncos.

The argument for this….

Many have noted that these transfers may be hard to swallow to the clubs supporters but for the football fans it allows them to watch quality footballers apply their trade. Many pointing to the fact that those that love the game can now see talented players like Soward and Lewis applying their trade in the top league. They also argue why should a player show loyalty to a club who at the end of the day will not only throw them aside once they’ve played beyond their used by date but not give them loyalty later in life either. As a fan of rugby league and respect talented players this argument does make me think twice about whether or not players should show loyalty to a club. Myself who has changed clubs a number of times in pursuit of trophies, better opportunities and more enjoyment can understand why players are hard to show some loyalty to clubs. What I’m interested to know is will there ever be a one club one player ever in the future in the NRL or how do we stop this trend????

The rage at my place... I mean myspace

Here is a link to my myspace page to get the real low down on this sports junkie and see me in all my glory with sporting sensations such as the new england patriots football team and wendell sailor

The Race Card

Nathan Merritt a South Sydney Football player and an aboriginal was recently not picked in the city country origin game. He has been the leading try scorer in the past two years and his defense has improved greatly this season under Coach Jason Taylor.

However once he was not picked into the side the media circled and asked the young football star his feelings on why he wasn’t picked in the city country squad. At first he was reluctant to answer the question, but then he stated it was his aboriginal background that prevented him from being picked in the representative squad.

Anthony Mundine the South Sydney Aboriginal officer and friend of Merritt came out and backed the star footballer’s claims. Believing that there could not be any other explanation to as why the young winger was not picked in the squad. Mundine then went on to state a recent press conference that he has been telling young and promising football players to apply their trade in Queensland because they aren’t racist up there giving aboriginals more of a chance.

So are the NSW selectors racist? Even though we are living in modern day society are we still racist?

Looking at the facts and claims one would have to say no that NSW selectors are racist. The two players that were picked over Merrit where of Pacific Islander decent while the other player is of Lebanese origin. So that dismisses that theory, next should young players go to Queensland to get a better chance of playing representative football. Once again the answer is no, Mundine only has to look at his nephew Matthew to see that the selectors are not racist. Matthew Mundine nephew of Anthony has been the NSW under 16 captain for the last two years so surely the selectors cant be racist.

For Anthony Mundine it has been along running feud with the NRL over his representative career in the NRL. Anthony Mundine has often claimed that during his playing career in the NRL he was not given his proper chance at playing representative honors. Just like in the case of Merritt, Mundine believes he was never picked because of his heritage. However the player that was often picked ahead of him during his career was Laurie Daley who is also Aboriginal.

The NRL has often been noted as one of the sports in Australia that have knocked down the racism barriers in this country. Currently in the NRL there is the highest participation rate of Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islanders and Pacific Islanders playing. Merritt you should feel a little disappointed you weren’t picked in country city origin but race does not play apart in selection. Hazem El Marsi who was picked ahead of you was born in Lebanon and has been playing great football for a number of years and deserves his chance.

Show me the money…..

Gone are the days where professional athletes had to work to support themselves. Recently a Canterbury Bulldogs player who is currently injured for the season and yet to make his first grade debut has signed a contract with a rival club for reportedly two hundred thousand dollars a season. He is only twenty years old and will earn 600 hundred thousand dollars over the next three seasons, and yet he has not played first grade. Many years ago Parramatta Eels signed a 11 year old to a five year deal, he was meant to be the next big thing in league. He never made first grade and can be found applying his trade in the Jim Beam Cup for Seven Hills.

Recently Willie Mason called for the NRL to make the minimum wage for fringe players a lot higher. Currently in the NRL the minimum wage is around 45 thousand a season, in the NBL forty thousand and in the AFL it is around 80 thousand. In America, athletes in many different sports are paid millions and millions of dollars. LeBron James was paid 148 million dollars straight out of high school in the NBA to apply his trade.

In the world of soccer and the meat market that was written about in early postings players are sold and given millions of dollars to kick a ball. Chelsea over the last three years has spent over 300 million dollars in securing the best soccer talent around such as Michael Ballack, Ashley Cole and John Terry.

So do these athletes deserve these huge amounts of money? David Beckham recently signed 320 million dollar deal with a USA soccer club for five years. Beckham who was dropped from the English team and for many months was on the bench for Real Madrid worth 320 million dollars.

Many claim that money is the reason that sport has become as corrupt and as negative as it is in today’s world. Do athletes deserve these amounts of money? Teachers, police officers and doctors who provide a greater service to mankind will not receive this type of money in their life times so how do we justify athletes wages??

Why is it that in today’s world Tom Brady is able to earn millions and millions of dollars because he is able to throw a pig skin ball further and better then somebody else. More importantly should teenagers been paid huge amounts before they have played in the top leagues.

Many simply have to look at Mark Bosnich former Socceroos and Manchester United goal keeper was found taking cocaine. He blamed it on the huge amounts of time and money he had on his hands. He stated what was a person to do after buying the house, car television, just about everything a person could want do with all the money that he had. So should we limit the amount of money that these athletes are paid. Should we go back to the days when athletes had to be work another job to earn a living.

The Good, the bad, and the ugly nature of sport.

Sport like movies and a good drama are able to bring out every human emotion possible. The night the Socceroos played Uruguay in the World Cup Qualifier it had every Australians heart racing a million miles an hour. When Captain Mark Viduka missed his spot kick in the penalty shoot out, Australian hearts sunk but when John Aloisio scored that final penalty there was nothing but pure joy and excitement from Australians every where.

It is the amazing ability to bring out so many emotions in the human race that have led to many different faces and incidents in the sporting world. Having been involved in the sporting world since I was four years old I have been witnessed to many foul events and amazing events. Far from being the model good sport I witnessed on the weekend at two different fields and games good, the very bad and the ugly nature of sport. During the game that I was involved in one opposition player abused both his own team mates and mine. He verbally abused players during the course of the game for no apparent reason. Later on I attended a friend’s soccer game to witness a spectator who was over the age of 50 abusing a ground official. Although this spectators team was winning the man proceed to taunt and abuse a ground official threatening to take care of the gentlemen in the car pack. During the abuse tirade kids as young as four years old heard the colorful language this gentlemen let fly at the poor ground official.

So why does sport, which at the end of the day is just a GAME lead a man of his age and many others to this ugly monster?

What is it in the hearts and minds of so many Australian people that leads them into a doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde situation. What is it about sport that is able to bring the worst out of humans?

I wonder whether this phenomenon is only isolated to Australia or whether or not this Doctor Jekyll or Mr Hyde syndrome is a worldly occurrence. Currently in sporting magazines, television ads and during sporting events messages and ads are being run to encourage positive talk and behavior at sporting games. Why does sport have the ability to bring out so many good and bad emotions in human beings?

What drives parents to verbally abuse their children, other people’s kids? Is it winning at any cost what drives parents and people to do this? What is embedded in sporting culture that leads to such bad behavior. Is winning held in such a regard these days that it leads educated people to act like cavemen. Answering this question may be able to explain why so many athletes will take banned performance enhancing drugs. Using methods to enhance the chance of winning and the ideal of winning at all costs is not something new. In the very first days of the Olympics athletes in Ancient Greece used magic mushrooms and other methods to win. Has this ugly mentality and culture embedded in our make up?
If this mindset has been embedded into our system for a very long time how do we lose the ugly nature of winning at all costs and sport. What do governments, sporting bodies and ourselves must do to lose the ugly culture of sport??

should i stay or should i go now-part 2 of the sports meat market

The sporting meat market saga continues in the world of rugby league and union. Since my last blog the young super star Sonny Bill Williams agreed to terms with the Canterbury bulldogs for a five-year deal. However Tuqiri and O'meley the other players that I have mentioned are still looking for a deal. But who cares if these athletes are looking at other clubs it doesn’t hamper their performance...WRONG!!!!! 
Lote Tuqiri regarded as Australians most destructive back and try scorer has not crossed the line for the waratahs this season. Tuqiri has also been displaying the worst form of his career and has seen him lose control and verbally and physically abuse one of his own teammates. 

Sonny Bill on Friday explained that he looked forward to sleeping after all the headaches and sleep less nights he has had since contract talks began. 

"I haven't been sleeping too well the last couple of weeks. I've been getting headaches. I pretty much came to a decision [on Thursday night], just talking to my old man” Sonny Bill Williams said. 

As the Clashes famous song went-O'meley must decide whether or not he should stay or go now before the bulldogs season begins so that he is able to get his mind on football and the bulldogs...

It seems though that the NRL are more then happy to let the meat market saga continue so that will be it for me on this subject, but look forward to next weeks blog with the footy season starting this Friday and four days of football action as big kev would say im excited...

Friday night lights not so different...

Watching television the other day I was amazed at how similar this program was to my own schooling life. The show was set in America and the most popular guys in School were the “jocks” footballers. In this show each footballer was deemed the most popular guys in school and had only the prettiest and most popular girls in school as their girl friend. For a moment there I felt that they had captured my schools hole social status and world in one. Then it dawned on me and made me think about my schooling years with the jocks.

The school I attended which was a rugby league crazed school had many talented teenagers in rugby league attend our school. Many are currently starring in the NRL and others are still trying to break into the league. At school they were kings they where worshipped by many. All the guys wanted to be an A grader and all the girls wanted to be with an A grader. Because these teenagers where exceptional athletes they experienced many comforts that others did not get-to say the least they where given star treatment. When the football team got training bags, socks, shirts, jerseys and singlet etc the other sporting teams like soccer would get none. The best way to describe my school was like the movie Friday night lights with Billy Bob Thorton in it. If a footballer did something wrong it wasn’t a major deal however if you weren’t on the football team you’d be in a lot of trouble. Back then I thought that maybe it was only reserved for our school and that once we where all in the real world they wouldn’t get away with it so easy.

Yet fast forward into the real world and nothing has changed and it seems that it applies all over the world. Having known how footballers where treated like at school it comes as no surprise why so many act the way they do with loads of money and fame. It seems that this culture that exists amongst footballers could easily be stemmed if intervention occurred amongst players at the roots level. It explains why so many believe that they are above the law and society. I wonder if this culture of scandals would occur had the footballers been treated the same way as the soccer team or the netball team.

I wonder what is in the human mind that makes us worship the football team of our local high school and put them on a pedal stool all over the world???

Illustrated Men

In days gone by, tattoos, tough men stickers were reserved for bickers, rock stars and prisoners. However in today’s society a new trend has emerged and one and seven people have a marking on their skins.

In today’s modern world celebrities, sportsmen right through to every day people have caught on to the trend and have gone under the needle for some reason. David Beckham England’s soccer captain and viewed almost as English royalty has a sleeve tattoo, with his neck and back all sporting various artworks and meanings.

Nicole Ritche, Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears the Hollywood “it” girls have one or more tattoos on their bodies. Most sporting stars currently have more then one tattoo whether they are native tribal bands to religious artworks. Even the blue Wiggle has tattoos on his arms.

So what has happened to the days when only rock stars, prisoners and bikie members were only allowed to get tattoos??

What has changed in the thinking of everyday people to spend money to feel pain??

Is it because tattoo parlors are now clean and safe environments compared to what they once were? Is it that society want to be deep down underneath their ties and business suits want a be tough men with their tough men stickers? Has society thinking changed greatly from the eighties and nineties to accept tattoos as the common norm?

Having spent a bit of time in tattoo parlous around Sydney either supporting my friends or deciding what my next artwork would be I have been amazed at the people I see coming in or out of these parlous.

On one occasion I saw an elderly lady have a paw print tattooed on her back due to some connection with her former husband, a sixteen year old girl have a star tattooed on her foot with her mum by her side, I have seen a group of soldiers on leave all have their blood types tattooed on their arms and some very dark artworks of skeletons and killings on their arms.

My friends and I included all have various artworks and designs engraved on us some which are good and others not so good. From birthdates in roman numerals, to last names, Jesus on the cross or the southern cross or Ta Moloko or Islander tribal tattoos.

Is it because our sporting hero’s like Benji Marshall or Sonny Bill Williams have tattoos, or Lohan or Beckham that have tattoos have become a common thing amongst today’s society?

Boys playing a mans game..

Benji Marshall has once again suffered what could possibly be a season ending or worse a career ending shoulder injury. It is the sixth shoulder injury Benji has suffered in four years. Benji Marshall is only twenty one years old and has spent more time on the sidelines then tearing the field up with that giant left foot step.

Then there’s Sonny Bill Williams another Kiwi super star who has also spent the better half of his four year career in the NRL being operated by Doctor Hugh Hazard. Sonny Bill Has had major surgery on his shoulders, knees, ankle and feet and he too is only twenty one years of age.

In the NRL there have already been 247 injuries and the competition is only into the seventh round. So why are these athletes who train five days are week and are in peak physical form end up in the casualty ward.

There are many views and theories about why athletes such as Benji and Sonny are spending more time on the sidelines rather then the field.

Looking back at the history of league, the game was invented and played by people who never trained, had never stepped into a gym and at a very different intensity then today’s players. Quite simply the game was not invented nor designed to put that much pressure on peoples body. In 1908 many that played the game would have weighed between 65 to 80 kilos maximum. In today’s game the lightest players in the competition weigh around 85 kilos, with the heaviest players weighing over 130 kilos.

Want to be a role model? Sportsmen apply

For some time now there has been a lot of debate whether or not sportsmen and women should be held as role models. Are sportsmen adequate enough to be held by today’s youth as role models. What makes athletes different compared to the every day people is that they are blessed with a magical left foot, a stronger right arm, quicker muscles or are fast. Aside from these attributes, sportsmen do not display many other attributes that make them greatly different from any other person. So why do we hold sportsmen in such a regard that they are deemed in today’s society as role models. Many of the NRL’s stars today are younger then 21 years old. Sonny Bill, Benji Marshall, Greg Inglis none of which are older then 21 years old are deemed by many young Australians and New Zealanders as role models. So because these guys are able to pull out an amazing left foot step, shoulder charge or beat their opposition every time that warrants the tag role model.

Sonny Bill has been caught drink driving and recently caught in a cubicle with a girl not his girlfriend engaged in acts captured on camera. When these incidents came out many people damned Sonny Bill because of his role model status to many young children. Doctors, police are rarely mentioned as role models but sportsmen are constantly being named as role models. When a star athlete makes a mistake such as drink driving or bad behavior off field during his public apology they acknowledge that they are role models and how they have let down many youngsters.

Having a younger brother who idolizes Benji Marshall who is often found trying to emulate Benji famous side step it becomes obvious that these athletes are role models but why?? Understandably it is these athletes that get younger players into sport. After watching Terry Lamb and many other athletes take the field, score the winning try score the winning goal or taking that vital wicket was what got me interested in sport. I too like many youngsters idolized athletes wanting to be like them. One of my friends had his last name tattooed on his back like his idol Sonny Bill Williams and Roy Asotsi.

I wonder whether we place too much emphasis on these young athletes? Should these people who are not to much older then many teenagers role model status? Because they are able to reach great heights on the sporting field should we make them role models. Willie Mason who is one of the most talked about players in the NRL and has always seemed to have caused trouble off the field. Recently he has changed his attitude citing that he understands he is a role model to young people all over this country. Two years ago a Newcastle Knights player was fired from the team after a night on the drink with fellow team mates involving a university. The activities that he and his team mates where involved in where no different to what many students at many university do on a regular basis. But because that these players are role models they where fined and punished heavily.

So what constitutes role model status? How many NRL games or AFL games does an athlete have to take part in before they are deemed role models?? Are all athletes role models? Or just the popular ones that play for the big teams and the popular sports. Is it because these athletes are able to make the big time that so many of us aspire to that they are given role model status? Why is Willie Mason deemed a role model but Robert Relf is not? Do athletes only get role model status because they appear on television??

The sport that i hate....

As a fan of most sports the one sport that I find myself disliking is Motor racing. This includes Formula 1, V8 Super cars, touring cars and Super Bikes. There are many reasons why I hate motor racing such as it is extremely boring, no skill compared to soccer, inspires others to do 200 km an hour on normal roads, predictable, causes’ pollution and it dominates free air television. Here are my ten reasons why…

1. Motor racing I feel is thee most boring sport in the world and hence why I hate it. Unlike other sports motor sport or car racing is the equivalent of setting up a deck chair on the side of the Great Western High way. NASCAR and the V8 Super cars simply go around in circles trying to over take each other over one hundred and sixty laps. The Daytona 500 is a bigger and faster version of car enthusiasts racing around a round a bout. Another huge factor as to why I hate car racing and motor sport is the fact that the only times that I get enjoyment out of watching cars zoom past the television screen is when they crash into walls or each other and have a confrontation over it. Hoping to see someone smash into a wall or another car to be entertained surely says something of how boring the sport is.


2. Another key factor as to why I hate motor sport is because there is no skill involved rather a heavy foot and no fear. The sport is simply an extension of teenage boys on their P plates racing around a track and for once not being hounded by the police. A huge and “exciting” part of the sport is the pit stop which once again in essence is filling up at your local Shell service station. In rugby league or soccer the half time break cameras do not focus on Craig Gower filling up on water. However because there is not much else that goes on in motor racing the viewers and crowds are subjected to an intense showing of pit lane for all the dramas of filling up a car. Another aspect of the pit lane excitement is how fast the crew can refill the car and let it go, once again another factor as to why I hate the sport. I witness people all the time filling their cars up at service station and do not find myself entertained or timing them to see how quickly they are so why have people turned this everyday event into a sport.


3. After living in Bathurst and residing close to Eastern Creek Race way motor racing also gives many car enthusiasts and “red necks” the opportunity to descend onto the town that I live in. Generally the car enthusiasts and re neck car lovers are a minority however thanks to these motor races both towns multiply by three times and the car enthusiast becomes the majority. Couches, rubbish, beer cans, skid marks and burn outs are carried out on the streets and many are taunted if there alliances are not for Holden or Ford. The “hill” on Mount Panorama is noted for its notoriety and crazy antics. I witnessed the antics of car enthusiasts stuck on a hill top waiting for that thirty second window when the car will swing past their bend with a female friend who received constant calls to “show us ya tits...c’mon”


4. Another key factor as to why I hate the sport of motor racing is it inspires car enthusiasts to do up their cars up illegally and break the speed limit. It has no other purpose other then to promote dangerous driving and speeding. How many people when upon visiting Bathurst decide to go for a lap around the famous Mount Panorama. After completing the S bends they then decide to flog their SS Ute or Falcon XR8s down the straight at blistering pace. In an attempt to emulate their hero Brocky or Lowdnes many motor sport lovers will break the sixty kilometre speed limit in an attempt to break the Bathurst 1000 lap record.


5. Unlike league or soccer where the fan of the game can go down to the local park or front yard to play a game of soccer or touch. Motor racing fans must resort to street racing and participating in an event in my area called “the runs”. Due to no tracks or places for motor sports lovers to relieve off the field many must participate in Illegal Street racing which in dangers many lives and is breaking the law. Car racing for this matter should then change its race speeds to the legal limit of the road.


6. Another reason as to why I hate motor sports and car racing is because they cause unnecessary pollution. No other sport helps contribute to global warming and helping in the expansion of the Ozone layer as much as motor sports and car racing. If the sport of motor racing no longer existed carbon omissions would be greatly halved. According to the Formula 1 website they proudly parade that “one thousand two hundred litres of petrol” is used by each race team on average during a race weekend. Petrol would not be as scarce nor the price be so high if the sport was halted and ceased. If all motor racing events where ceased all over the world huge changes globally would be seen and the threat of oil stores drying up would not come into consideration for a long time in the Middle East because most Western Nations would have plenty of petrol in reserve because none was needed to fuel a race car.


7. Motor racing or car racing is too predictable as well and a key factor as to why I hate the sport. Not just in V8 super cars but Formula 1 it is always the same car or team winning the championship. It doesn’t take a fanatic nor a fan of motor racing to tell you that Ferrari have dominated the last decade of Formula 1 with Michael Schumacher winning almost every race. In V8 super cars it is the same equation Holden winning every car championship in the last decade with a HSV driver such as Mark Skaife or Greg Murphy winning the drivers championship. Unlike rugby league where each game will be uniquely different, many people can predict that Alonso will win, Webber will fail to finish because his car has once again broken down and three cars colliding into each other after the first turn.


8. Motor racing is programmed to be broadcasted on three out of the five free to air channels during Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon. SBS will show some form of lowly ranked touring car championship race championship in Australia, Channel Ten “the home of motor racing” will devote an entire day to the discussion and programming to motor sports whether bikes, utes, F1s or commodores and Channel Seven the new home of V8 Super cars also now dedicate time to repetition of twenty four cars zooming around the course. As a fan of all sports I’d prefer that the networks look to stop producing and giving coverage to motor sports. If networks stopped giving copious amounts of air time to motor sports which bore me to death an gave other sports such as netball or beach volleyball coverage I’d be a lot happier and we’d find more representation of female athletes in the media.


9. These days cars such as the ones used in the V8 Super Cars use the same engine. There is no difference amongst the V8 Super cars. In regards to formula 1 where there is considerable difference amongst the race cars, most of them are either not quick enough or have to many technical issues to finish the race. As mentioned earlier not being a race car fan I’m still able to predict that Mark Webber will not be able to finish the race because of in car troubles. No other sport relies so heavily on technology or has the outcome affected by technology. This is why I hate motor racing as a sport because the driver can be the “best” skilled driver in the world but if his machine isn’t up to the test he will never win anything. In sports such as Rugby League the best players do not find themselves in Premier League they are able to compete at the highest level. In 2002 debate raged amongst fans from Holden and Ford over how good of a driver Marcus Ambrose was. Many Ford fans noted that if Ambrose had a better car he’d have won the championship and dominated the races that year. However because he did have a great car he was left lamenting in the back fields of the races.


10. Kevin Pieterson noted in his autobiography that sportsmen and women at the end of the day are entertainers. Motor racing does not entertain me and therefore another factor as to why I hate it. In my first year of university I was delighted to be attending the Bathurst 1000 hoping to see all the spills and thrills of the races. I positioned myself in area by many experienced race goers as the place to sit for an experience. After an hour it became apparent that my enjoyment and glimpse of the fast cars would be just that fast and short. Even though I was at the race where all the action and excitement was if you are to believe Bill Woods. The crowds to the right of me would roar I would look up and see a pack of cars speed past me and that would be in for another couple of minutes until it came around again. My hole time at the races was spent waiting for cars to speed past for thirty seconds. This was a major reason as to why my hatred for motor racing grew. It is not entertaining either watching it from your television or being at the track. Many note that you have to be at the track to fully appreciate the races, the only difference however is it is louder. Another key reason I dislike motor racing is it is the only sport where animals can be killed in the event i.e. when the kangaroo was hit by the car during the Bathurst 1000.