^ Yeah it is ridiculous the adds. I would understand if it was just self-promotion, maybe a few clips of upcoming shows after shows, but...
Anyway, I am currently applying for work experience at the Herald Sun. Part of the process was write an article. I want to be a sport journo, so I wrote one on sport. I'll probalby post plenty of these, so if you want to take the time to read them and dish some feedback, positive and negative, that'd be swell.
Thanks!
The Role Model Cliché
Comment by Daniel Paproth
THE recent misbehaviour of certain Carlton players brings back questions about footballers being role models and media figures.
Prospective captain Lance Whitnall was alleged to be involved – although the Blues were satisfied he played an insignificant role in the incident. He was fined about $1000 under the AFL’s code of conduct for breaking curfew. Heath Scotland was fined “considerably more” than Whitnall and the others involved.
Scotland now has an increasingly bad record, although he avoided conviction last year after allegedly slapping a woman in a club. He was charged with recklessly causing injury and unlawful assault, and went into a diversion program, and is likely to be ordered to undergo counselling by the club.
The six players who have come under disciplinary action – Kade Simpson, Brad Fisher, Shaun Grigg, Michael Jamison, Heath Scotland and Lance Whitnall – have been fined under the AFL’s code of conduct. Also blemishing the players was the fact that the two players interviewed by police were too inebriated to be interviewed. This is where that cliché “role model” comes into play.
But this latest news of AFL players being getting themselves in trouble after dark is hardly a surprise. It was revealed in early January that the mercurial Geelong forward Steve Johnson had been banished from the club. He was arrested for being drunk in a public place, not for the first time. He failed to notify his club for another nine days, which although was wrong, raises questions as to why he did not tell Geelong.
Perhaps the reason was because he was aware of the negative publicity and criticism he was destined to achieve in doing so, which once again understates the pressure and scrutiny the footballers come under through the media. As it turned out, he was banished by his football club to the reserves until at least round six. The banishment by the Cats sent a strong message to other clubs about the handling of public incidents such as Johnson’s, and only time will tell if it will be of any benefit.
There were also numerous incidents revolving public drunkenness and general off-field misconduct last year. Dean Brogan allegedly punched an Adelaide Crows fan in an airport. Months later, he allegedly assaulted a doctor. Chris Tarrant and Ben Johnson were both involved in a fight. These are amongst an abundance of other misdemeanours, so the problem is not being curbed or dealt with sufficiently.
Some ask, aren’t they humans too? And to some extent this is true. The number of incidents in which ordinary people get into fights or are arrested for public drunkenness – yet don’t make the news – would be a very large and daunting number. The slightest blunder these players make is chewed up, exaggerated, and then spat out. There is no escaping the media condemnation.
But when a footballer is drafted by a club, they immediately become public property. Ultimately everything they do and say finds its way back to the news. Despite the fact footballers just starting out are informed of the dangers of becoming public property these incidents continue to happen. There is invisible fine print on player contracts; not only are they becoming a footballer for a certain club, but that concurrently turns them into a media figure. A foot put wrong could see blood spilt.
Role model may seem nothing but a cliché nowadays, but footballers are role models, whether they like it or not, and the sooner this is accepted and understood the better for everyone involved.
- I would NOT be happy with a delayed telecast of Crow's games if they happen to be on a friday night
really i always thought channel 10 showed the AFL and channel 9 showed NRL and the Union on 7 
