I pay football :) Been meaning to post this for a while so enjoy
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Finally people actually doing something about Dodgy Networks
Those who read my blog regularly (I flatter myself to think that such people exist) will know of my disdain for media bias and un-scrupulous dealing by the media organizations. Wayne Bennett has earn my praise in the past for standing up to the media but as a fair number of teams are owned or part owned by various big media groups (not any more Cowboys) it is very much the exception rather than the rule. Years of wrongly (or not wrongly) speculating about player every movement. Whilst I firmly believe in players being role models I also think they need their own PRIVATE lifes. Now finally the AFL players Association is standing up to channel Seven due to their involvement in player medical records being stolen and then portions of being released on national TV. And so the players have stood up.
AFL PLAYERS Association vice-president Brett Burton has announced a nationwide boycott of Channel Seven following the network’s decision to air information obtained from confidential medical documents.
AFL PLAYERS Association vice-president Brett Burton has announced a nationwide boycott of Channel Seven following the network’s decision to air information obtained from confidential medical documents.
Players from each of the 16 clubs, with the exception of those contracted to the Seven Network, will not honour any interview requests from the network until they receive a written apology and the network guarantees not to use the information they obtained.
Burton said it was “up to Channel Seven” as to how long the ban lasted and didn’t rule out a player boycott of the network’s Brownlow Medal coverage.
“As far we’re concerned at the moment and going forward, we won’t be giving Channel Seven anything at all,” he said.
Burton said he was “disgusted” with the breach of patient-doctor confidentiality and hoped the public would back what he described as “a strong statement” from the players.
“We’ve discussed what Channel Seven has done and ethically we think it’s very wrong, not only for footballers, but for anyone to buy private medical documents between a doctor and a patient.
“We’re disgusted by the actions of Channel Seven and we’re not just going to sit here and take it. The whole playing group have decided to make a stand and hopefully we get the result we want.”
Burton politely refused to answer any questions from Adelaide-based Seven Network journalists at the media conference and said the breach of trust ran far deeper than issues related to the AFL’s illicit drugs policy.
“I think ethically, this is very, very wrong for anyone in the community not only to want to put the information between a doctor and a patient in the public domain, but to also pay for it. I think it’s disgraceful.”
Burton said the players were being vindicated for refusing to “bury their heads in the sand” on the issue of drugs.
“We’re trying to get on the front foot here and do something that’s right for the football and wider community, and show the way that we don’t believe drugs are right,” he said.
“The players have every right to say, ‘Look, we’re trying to do the right thing here and all we’re getting is grief. This is the second time the confidentiality has been breached, we’re getting pressure from the public and pressure from the media, so we’ll just scrap it’.
“It’s the drug rehabilitation people who suggested the three-strike policy and until they change their minds, we’ll stick with it.”
In further fallout on the issue on Tuesday:
* KANGAROOS forward and AFLPAssociation club delegate Drew Petrie said he would support a boycott of player interviews and attendance at this year's Brownlow Medal count in retribution against the Seven Network.
“Something does need to happen for the breach of trust that the players had," Petrie said.
"If it's (refusals and a boycott) going to make people sit up and realise how seriously we do take this (illicit drugs) policy, then yes.
"I don't question the policy. It's one of the most stringent policies of any sporting code in the world.
"We've copped criticism from politicians who probably aren't fully aware of what's involved and probably made a few harsh comments when there's other sporting codes in this country that have probably got worse drug problems than what the AFL does.”
* COLLINGWOOD player and AFL Players Association executive member Nick Maxwell told The Age newspaper that he and his teammates were "filthy" at Seven's actions.
Collingwood chief executive Gary Pert supported the players' stance.
“The club will fully support the playing group in whatever action they choose to take against Channel Seven in response to the recent leaking of confidential medical reports," Pert said.
* AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou has branded as "abhorrent" the broadcasting by the Seven Network of the medical records of two AFL players.
Demetriou told Southern Cross Broadcasting that the decision by Seven to run the story went against the ethics of patient-doctor confidentiality, which he said were sacrosanct.
“This has nothing to do with the AFL drugs policy, it's got to do with the moral and ethical issues which surround private medical records which everyone would agree that patient and doctor confidentiality is sacrosanct," he said.
He said that over the past two years the AFL has had 28 positive drug tests of players who have been referred to rehabilitation centres for private treatment.
He said stealing medical records "goes to the absolute bottom of the obscene pool".
"We are tackling the drugs issue - we find the use of illicit drugs abhorrent - but what is more abhorrent by a multiple of 50 is that private medical records (are published)."
* Sydney Swans player Tadhg Kennelly said confidentiality was the most important issue for any player.
“I think we’re (the players) doing the right thing. We need to stick together over the issue,” he said.
“It’s obviously our private lives and it’s a big issue. No one has the right to dig into your personal life.
“It’s very disappointing to know that the media, or people in the media, are quite willing to pay money to get into someone’s private life. It’s very irritating from a players’ perspective but it’s not acceptable either.
“At the end of the day, we’re just the same as anyone else. Just because we’ve got a high profile it doesn’t give people the right to delve into your private life.” (www.afl.com.au)
There was great footage as Burton refused to answer a Channel 7 journalist and then answered the exact same question from another journalist. There is nothing better to change your actions whether you be a player, journalist or even a Christian than realizing our actions have consequences.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Return of the Dead Man At Unforgiven Second Sign 8/17/07
Thought I might keep going :D just because I can- I think only leah and nathan are watching but oh well :)
BTW Unforgiven is one of the big events, the Pay per views which they build to.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
The Undertaker's comeback campaing start (10.08.07)
Sorry I haven't posted for so long but with everything going on i wasn't inspired. However once i saw this I got excited again. Long live the Dead man.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
The Lord Builds
Psalm 127
A song of ascents. Of Solomon.
1 Unless the LORD builds the house,
its builders labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
the watchmen stand guard in vain.
2 In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat—
for he grants sleep to those he loves.
3 Sons are a heritage from the LORD,
children a reward from him.
4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are sons born in one's youth.
5 Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their enemies in the gate.
Often we look at various ministries and think God must be blessing this or often we ask God to bless our ministries. I think what Psalm 127 is saying is the exact opposite. God Builds the ministry and that is where true fruit lie and what we should seek to be involved in. This isn't governed by numbers but rather a faithful adhering and instruction to God's word.
This Psalm was one written to commemorate the temple being built but yet the focus is not placed on the magnificent temple but rather on the continuation of God's chosen people and even then God is given the credit (verse 3). So despite the attractiveness of anything we are tempted to focus on- the great singing, our powerful prayer time, the great cricket games our focus should be the building up and multiplying of God's kingdom and our ministry's should reflect that.
On a side note Dave told me that some people interpret vs 5 the quiver being full- apparently as an Warrior Your arrow quiver was always marked as empty until you had 8 arrows in it- then it was full. Less than that was useless. wow 8 Kids :) a challenge there to all young marrieds :P
A song of ascents. Of Solomon.
1 Unless the LORD builds the house,
its builders labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
the watchmen stand guard in vain.
2 In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat—
for he grants sleep to those he loves.
3 Sons are a heritage from the LORD,
children a reward from him.
4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are sons born in one's youth.
5 Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their enemies in the gate.
Often we look at various ministries and think God must be blessing this or often we ask God to bless our ministries. I think what Psalm 127 is saying is the exact opposite. God Builds the ministry and that is where true fruit lie and what we should seek to be involved in. This isn't governed by numbers but rather a faithful adhering and instruction to God's word.
This Psalm was one written to commemorate the temple being built but yet the focus is not placed on the magnificent temple but rather on the continuation of God's chosen people and even then God is given the credit (verse 3). So despite the attractiveness of anything we are tempted to focus on- the great singing, our powerful prayer time, the great cricket games our focus should be the building up and multiplying of God's kingdom and our ministry's should reflect that.
On a side note Dave told me that some people interpret vs 5 the quiver being full- apparently as an Warrior Your arrow quiver was always marked as empty until you had 8 arrows in it- then it was full. Less than that was useless. wow 8 Kids :) a challenge there to all young marrieds :P
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Drugs in Sport
I also couldn't resist posting this- some of you would have seen this in the chaser's war on everything but its still funny. Which leads me onto another issue : Drugs in Sport.
Why is it that we see some sport athletes and immediately think drugs. It might be a pro wrestler or any German athlete with a Gold medal and immediately we convict them as drug takers. The problem is that some drugs are so common place that people can fail drug tests without realise it (or People's mum's not realising). However as role models recreational drugs must be stamped out and I believe the AFL's drug policy is too soft- sure we all make mistakes but these are ILLEGAL drugs here. would be the same as me robbing a bank and the police saying well we didn't catch you but figured out who you are from security video but we'll give you 3 strikes. Wow that means i can get caught twice more before I get in trouble.Sure one chance but name and shame them. They are being paid the big bucks for a reason.Whilst I don't want to pick on the West coast eagles for their Drug problem I read this article that really burred me up. For those who don't know The West Coast Eagles based out of Perth are one of the most successful clubs in the modern era (current premiers) and have had a few drug issues of late the ICE kind. West Coast are trying to get salary cap allowances for the treatment for ben cousins. click here to see the article. To put this into context He is one of the highest paid players in the AFL, brownlow medal winner- his endorsements alone are worth more than the North Melbourne Kangaroos Training facilities. And they want salary cap allowances... I think their CEO also might have a drug problem.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Unhappy Clappy
Lawyers have canned a tell-all book on life inside Australia's most powerful evangelical church, writes Jennifer Sexton.
The publishing house that gave Chris Masters' book detailing the sexuality of talkback host Alan Jones a run after ABC Books pulled out has lost its nerve. It has dumped an exposé about the happy-clapping church Hillsong.
Allen & Unwin was to next week print ex-evangelical Tanya Levin's inside story of life within the nation's fastest growing and spunkiest congregation.
Allen & Unwin pulled the plug just a week after promoting on its website that People in Glass Houses tells how "a small Assemblies of God church in a suburban school hall became a multimillion-dollar tax-free enterprise, a cult and a powerful force in Australia".
Pastor Brian Houston and his perky wife Bobbie preside over Hillsong, which attracts about 19,000 Pentecostals a week to its two Sydney campuses and has been visited by the likes of John Howard, Peter Costello and Bob Carr.
Here is a taste from the manuscript of Levin's view of the all-singing, all-swaying convention centre where she spent her teenage years: "The music is useful for getting you to the building, and keeping you there long enough for recruitment purposes."
When Levin's publisher called last Thursday she expected to get the hurry-up on returning the last few page proofs before the 300 pages were committed to print. Instead she was told publishing director Patrick Gallagher had decided Hillsong represented too high a risk of suing for defamation. Gallagher declined to comment.
As far as Levin knows, the defamation laws haven't changed since Allen & Unwin's own lawyers gave her manuscript the tick of approval before Christmas. Then she had been advised to target the church as a whole, rather than individuals, because corporations can't sue.
Further legal advice has revealed a not-for-profit organisation can sue. The cruel irony for Levin is that while Hillsong is not-for-profit in the sense that it doesn't pay tax, it has annual revenues of about $50m, a good slice of which comes from song royalties and CD sales and is enough to keep a for-profit company in the black.
The back cover blurb was promising: "Tanya Levin uncovers the truths and untruths about the country's most ambitious, entrepreneurial and influential religious corporation."
For the record, Hillsong spokeswoman Maria Ieroianni said the church didn't lobby the publishers. Hillsong's general manager George Aghajanian did, however, write to Levin saying she was to refrain from attending any church events or entering the grounds. (http://bulletin.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=229556)
Hehehehe I'd love to comment on this...... but.... ok- When did hillsong become evangelical?
And now for something completely different go to http://www.myspace.com/alistairgriffinonline to hear a great aussie immortalised in Song.
The publishing house that gave Chris Masters' book detailing the sexuality of talkback host Alan Jones a run after ABC Books pulled out has lost its nerve. It has dumped an exposé about the happy-clapping church Hillsong.
Allen & Unwin was to next week print ex-evangelical Tanya Levin's inside story of life within the nation's fastest growing and spunkiest congregation.
Allen & Unwin pulled the plug just a week after promoting on its website that People in Glass Houses tells how "a small Assemblies of God church in a suburban school hall became a multimillion-dollar tax-free enterprise, a cult and a powerful force in Australia".
Pastor Brian Houston and his perky wife Bobbie preside over Hillsong, which attracts about 19,000 Pentecostals a week to its two Sydney campuses and has been visited by the likes of John Howard, Peter Costello and Bob Carr.
Here is a taste from the manuscript of Levin's view of the all-singing, all-swaying convention centre where she spent her teenage years: "The music is useful for getting you to the building, and keeping you there long enough for recruitment purposes."
When Levin's publisher called last Thursday she expected to get the hurry-up on returning the last few page proofs before the 300 pages were committed to print. Instead she was told publishing director Patrick Gallagher had decided Hillsong represented too high a risk of suing for defamation. Gallagher declined to comment.
As far as Levin knows, the defamation laws haven't changed since Allen & Unwin's own lawyers gave her manuscript the tick of approval before Christmas. Then she had been advised to target the church as a whole, rather than individuals, because corporations can't sue.
Further legal advice has revealed a not-for-profit organisation can sue. The cruel irony for Levin is that while Hillsong is not-for-profit in the sense that it doesn't pay tax, it has annual revenues of about $50m, a good slice of which comes from song royalties and CD sales and is enough to keep a for-profit company in the black.
The back cover blurb was promising: "Tanya Levin uncovers the truths and untruths about the country's most ambitious, entrepreneurial and influential religious corporation."
For the record, Hillsong spokeswoman Maria Ieroianni said the church didn't lobby the publishers. Hillsong's general manager George Aghajanian did, however, write to Levin saying she was to refrain from attending any church events or entering the grounds. (http://bulletin.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=229556)
Hehehehe I'd love to comment on this...... but.... ok- When did hillsong become evangelical?
And now for something completely different go to http://www.myspace.com/alistairgriffinonline to hear a great aussie immortalised in Song.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Nothing exciting
Well I thought it was time to write a general update just to make ppl happy if they check my blog and nothing has happened. Well Christmas came and went and so is january: I went down to Melbourne to visit mum and dad for nine days which was good. Got to go see the tennis which is always good (no there is no implied hint that visiting family isn't always good). Now I'm settled back in townsville with my little brother mark moving here in order to start uni. Mark is doing a B of New Media arts. Unfortunently he didn't get into John Flynn but is on the waiting list so hopefully something comes up- we are starting to look for places. This year shapes to be an unusual one I'll possibly be taking on an MTS role in church as well as working part time. MTS (Ministry training scheme) is designed to give people a taste of ministry in various fields. Well thats about all my new except we nearly won the Trivia contest at the riverview tavern- we led from start to finish but were caught in a draw on the very last section. It then went down to a drinking contest which our designated member lost- kinda a good thing though- would sound bad if it got out that we won a drinking contest :D.
Monday, December 25, 2006
(In)effective ministry
Every now and again those who read my blog know that I come out and rant - this is going to be one of them- so buckle your seat belts and come along for the ride.
Firstly I would like insert a disclaimer that I am not having a go at anyone involved in this ministry- I respect them for seeing what needs to be done and jumping in. Also i am not having a go sitting at my desk- I also have helped out with this event in past years in every level from acting to picking up rubbish to ushering to Painting children's faces (badly). And God of course works though all our feeble efforts and does the work not us.
Now to THE RANT:
During the week here in townsville an event was run called "Stable on the Strand." (Our Esplanade) This has multiple areas namely: Stable tent, Stage show, youth area and Children's tent (sorry if i missed any areas) Tonight I'm mainly going to concentrate on point 1 and 2 with a little bit on 3 and 4 if your taking notes. (Sorry NTE joke)
In the lead up to the stable we were feeling the buzz from the various organisers about 'this wonderful evangelistic event'. Apparently 'every year the council lets us put more and more of the gospel in.' I allowed myself to be sucked in looking forward to seeing a refreshing presentation that can be shown to the 1000s of people who come in- many unchurched and often having no contact with the gospel at all and them hear a clear gospel message. Boy was I wrong...
The main focus was the stable tent which started well, there was the guide who announced that Christmas was all about hope and the three wise men/women who set the scene well- introducing Bethlehem. then we saw King Herod, Simeon and Anna, Pregnant Mary, dancing shepherds, baby Jesus and the people handing out bibles and the people blessing people and the prayer wall. The only problem was it was all rush and there was no clear message just a haphazard play on what it might have seen like in play form. but with no meat- I've done primary school plays with more meat. Sure its a great line 'Hope is born today' but what is the hope- there might be a fuzzy connection to Jesus in there somewhere, so he was born to give me hope: Great. I hope I finish uni one day is that the hope? I hope I get a girlfriend one day too- that must be what Jesus came for. NO Jesus came to save the world from their sins and to restore the relationship with God. But instead I was left with a wishy washy picture of Hope and no thrust of where it goes to next. As i read on the Prayer wall some one had thoughtfully put, obviously missing the whole point of blessing, "Lord please bless my telstra shares".
2ndly there was too many difficult things in the plays- I know my biblical accounts well but even i was confused with the interaction between Simeon and Anna followed by the starving family and Gabriel (Did Jesus come to give physical bread?).
3rdly why have people at the end blessing people- I thought it was great that they were handing about bibles and a decent version for ppl to understand. But then after that- hey you stood in line for an 1hr followed by crammed in small sections standing watching plays, have sore feet and probably kids needing to use the loos- Can I give you a blessing? WHY????????... And what is this prayer wall- do you think a base relationship with God might be the last thing people should be dwelling over as they leave the tent.
4thly I couldn't help but laugh as I left the tent and saw a cross outside. Yes finally an indication Christ came to die for our sins. oh no its actually a collection box. But wait there is more you put money and it lights up plays music and says Jesus was born today. hmmm maybe that's the Gospel you put money in and get a bit of gratification/humour and a flashy light show. At least I got a free wristband with hope on it.
Having said that I really enjoyed the stage show and the youth area was quite good. but when it came down to it the whole thing was very much it. All show or rather entertainment. There were some very good gospel snippets but in the end they seemed to be afterthoughts not the main point of the event. And when it comes down to it how is that different from a show put on entirely by non-Christians. If that is the way the organisers are planning I have no problem with it there as a Christmas show and it does give a christian side to the overly secularised event that is Christmas. But stop hoodwinking us by telling us it is 'THE evangelistic event of the year for townsville' unless you put some gospel and some decent evangelism in there.
Firstly I would like insert a disclaimer that I am not having a go at anyone involved in this ministry- I respect them for seeing what needs to be done and jumping in. Also i am not having a go sitting at my desk- I also have helped out with this event in past years in every level from acting to picking up rubbish to ushering to Painting children's faces (badly). And God of course works though all our feeble efforts and does the work not us.
Now to THE RANT:
During the week here in townsville an event was run called "Stable on the Strand." (Our Esplanade) This has multiple areas namely: Stable tent, Stage show, youth area and Children's tent (sorry if i missed any areas) Tonight I'm mainly going to concentrate on point 1 and 2 with a little bit on 3 and 4 if your taking notes. (Sorry NTE joke)
In the lead up to the stable we were feeling the buzz from the various organisers about 'this wonderful evangelistic event'. Apparently 'every year the council lets us put more and more of the gospel in.' I allowed myself to be sucked in looking forward to seeing a refreshing presentation that can be shown to the 1000s of people who come in- many unchurched and often having no contact with the gospel at all and them hear a clear gospel message. Boy was I wrong...
The main focus was the stable tent which started well, there was the guide who announced that Christmas was all about hope and the three wise men/women who set the scene well- introducing Bethlehem. then we saw King Herod, Simeon and Anna, Pregnant Mary, dancing shepherds, baby Jesus and the people handing out bibles and the people blessing people and the prayer wall. The only problem was it was all rush and there was no clear message just a haphazard play on what it might have seen like in play form. but with no meat- I've done primary school plays with more meat. Sure its a great line 'Hope is born today' but what is the hope- there might be a fuzzy connection to Jesus in there somewhere, so he was born to give me hope: Great. I hope I finish uni one day is that the hope? I hope I get a girlfriend one day too- that must be what Jesus came for. NO Jesus came to save the world from their sins and to restore the relationship with God. But instead I was left with a wishy washy picture of Hope and no thrust of where it goes to next. As i read on the Prayer wall some one had thoughtfully put, obviously missing the whole point of blessing, "Lord please bless my telstra shares".
2ndly there was too many difficult things in the plays- I know my biblical accounts well but even i was confused with the interaction between Simeon and Anna followed by the starving family and Gabriel (Did Jesus come to give physical bread?).
3rdly why have people at the end blessing people- I thought it was great that they were handing about bibles and a decent version for ppl to understand. But then after that- hey you stood in line for an 1hr followed by crammed in small sections standing watching plays, have sore feet and probably kids needing to use the loos- Can I give you a blessing? WHY????????... And what is this prayer wall- do you think a base relationship with God might be the last thing people should be dwelling over as they leave the tent.
4thly I couldn't help but laugh as I left the tent and saw a cross outside. Yes finally an indication Christ came to die for our sins. oh no its actually a collection box. But wait there is more you put money and it lights up plays music and says Jesus was born today. hmmm maybe that's the Gospel you put money in and get a bit of gratification/humour and a flashy light show. At least I got a free wristband with hope on it.
Having said that I really enjoyed the stage show and the youth area was quite good. but when it came down to it the whole thing was very much it. All show or rather entertainment. There were some very good gospel snippets but in the end they seemed to be afterthoughts not the main point of the event. And when it comes down to it how is that different from a show put on entirely by non-Christians. If that is the way the organisers are planning I have no problem with it there as a Christmas show and it does give a christian side to the overly secularised event that is Christmas. But stop hoodwinking us by telling us it is 'THE evangelistic event of the year for townsville' unless you put some gospel and some decent evangelism in there.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Where's the Light?
'"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." -Matt 5:14-16
*A Car with a bumper sticker that reads, 'Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven," speeds down the highway cutting someone off. As the other Driver scrambles for control of her car, she sees the bumper sticker and yells in frustration, "Does being forgiven give you licence to run me off the road?"
* Two teenagers meet for lunch. One wears a shirt that announces "Jesus is the reason for the season," and the other a jacket with the words "Jesus Rules." Their lunch conversation centres on the latest church gossip. A husband and wife seated nearby and exchange glances. The wife says "If that's the way they talk about each other, I certainly wouldn't want to go to their church."
* A busy executive spends many hours leading the men's ministry at his church and teaching a bible study, but he never seems to have time for his family and constantly loses his temper when he is at home. Each week his children sit in the back of the room where the bible study meets, listening to him teach the scriptures and thinking 'Hypocrite.'
*A demonstrator stands at the fresh grave of a murdered homosexual, holding a sign saying 'He's burning in hell.' Relatives and friends, who have come to mourn their loved one, stare in shock. "If that's the way God really feels," the victim's mother says, "I hate him."
The Driver, the teenagers, the busy executive and the demonstrator all have something in common. They believe they're shining the light of Christ to the world.
If you had encountered these people while you were unsaved, what would you have learned from them? Would you have found their words and actions attractive- or would you have been repulsed by them?
If some one was to give a description of the Gospel based on observing your life, what do you think that person would say? What message is your life proclaiming?
(Taken from 'Shine' by the newsboys)
*A Car with a bumper sticker that reads, 'Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven," speeds down the highway cutting someone off. As the other Driver scrambles for control of her car, she sees the bumper sticker and yells in frustration, "Does being forgiven give you licence to run me off the road?"
* Two teenagers meet for lunch. One wears a shirt that announces "Jesus is the reason for the season," and the other a jacket with the words "Jesus Rules." Their lunch conversation centres on the latest church gossip. A husband and wife seated nearby and exchange glances. The wife says "If that's the way they talk about each other, I certainly wouldn't want to go to their church."
* A busy executive spends many hours leading the men's ministry at his church and teaching a bible study, but he never seems to have time for his family and constantly loses his temper when he is at home. Each week his children sit in the back of the room where the bible study meets, listening to him teach the scriptures and thinking 'Hypocrite.'
*A demonstrator stands at the fresh grave of a murdered homosexual, holding a sign saying 'He's burning in hell.' Relatives and friends, who have come to mourn their loved one, stare in shock. "If that's the way God really feels," the victim's mother says, "I hate him."
The Driver, the teenagers, the busy executive and the demonstrator all have something in common. They believe they're shining the light of Christ to the world.
If you had encountered these people while you were unsaved, what would you have learned from them? Would you have found their words and actions attractive- or would you have been repulsed by them?
If some one was to give a description of the Gospel based on observing your life, what do you think that person would say? What message is your life proclaiming?
(Taken from 'Shine' by the newsboys)
Monday, November 27, 2006
Rush on aircons for the Eskimos????
Here are signs that global warming is real. Inuit people are better known for building igloos during hunts on the polar ice. With global warming speeding up, Inuit in the village of Kuujjuaq in Quebec, Canada, are installing 10 air conditioners for about 25 office workers. Temperatures in Kuujjuaq have hit 31 degree Celsius in late July.
Friday, November 17, 2006
What's important
I was browsing my way thought the important backstage news of the wrestling world when i think i came across my perfect job. Have a look at this:WWE is now looking to hire a Video Blurring Editor. The WWE Career website states "main responsibility is to apply a blur effect over portions of video which the WWE does not want viewers to see. The effect is applied using Apple computer software, specifically Final Cut Pro combined with Motion. The blurrer will also be responsible for inputting video from tape into the edit stations as well as printing finished work back to tape." Such a mundane sounding job but only in the eyes of our always looking for excitement mentality. I mean it seems like a small stupid job but has the potential with one minor omission to cost the company thousands or even put them off the air. Who can forget the 'nipplegate' affair in the Superbowl where an 'accident' cost millions, MTV lost the right to host the half time show ever and wide sweeping changes rang out through the television world. Therefore this job is a very important one in the scheme of things. As Christians we seem to forget our importance to God or to the church. There are numerous verses in the bible telling us how important we (each and everyone of us) are to God but when was the last time you sat down and thought that 'my best friend is the creator of the universe'.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Do you like stuff?
The sound of waves crashing on the beach, the roar of V8 engines, the delighted squeals of kids falling out of tubes, the gritty feeling as you roll over and find you have brought most of the beach into bed with you. Some people pay good money for holidays such as these. However when you are on camps with a total of 110 kids it suddenly stops being a holiday and becomes suffering for the sake of the gospel.
So besides figuring out if I was in the designated flirting area or if the canteen was open I made some decisions or rather insights into camping ministry.
1. The Cooks are just as crucial as most of the leaders especially if you have a younger leadership team. Often especially on larger camps the cooks are the first to pick up on kids who aren't fitting in and have an ability to get along side the kids and get them to open up to them. Maybe because they are parents themselves (In most cases) or rather because they are giving something to the kids (food) with out asking in return but a good set of cooks can make a camp go from a good camp to an excellent camp. That's excluding the food itself which often sets the mood of the camp.
2. Some times we try too hard to cater the camp to what we think the kids want to hear. This leads to camps that are all games/ small devotions. We tend to think that as the kids are 'trouble' kids we try to cater the camp to subtly introduce Christ. However since they have signed up for a Scripture union camp or Willows Presbyterian camp they know they are going to get God stuff and so often are ready or at least willing to talk about God. And even if they aren't who are we to limit the Spirits work in the guys and girls.
3. 'Preach Christ all times. When necessary use words.' - There are 2 types of leaders respected by kids. The ones who are respected as an authoritive figure (usually a bit older or have regular contact with kids (Youth Pastor or Chaplin). Or the 2nd is some one the kids respect because the person has earned their respect. The first can't be earned on camp but the second can be. But it takes hard work especially on the first couple of days. This isn't earned by ordering the guys and girls around but rather getting in there and getting your hands dirty. If its a camping camp don't just tell them to set their tents, get up get in and help them. But don't do it for them- teach them. If you are trusted to teach small things you will be trusted to teach big things.
There are of course many other essential parts to a camp and I would interested in hearing what you think needs to be added to my list. Maybe then we can publish a book.
So besides figuring out if I was in the designated flirting area or if the canteen was open I made some decisions or rather insights into camping ministry.
1. The Cooks are just as crucial as most of the leaders especially if you have a younger leadership team. Often especially on larger camps the cooks are the first to pick up on kids who aren't fitting in and have an ability to get along side the kids and get them to open up to them. Maybe because they are parents themselves (In most cases) or rather because they are giving something to the kids (food) with out asking in return but a good set of cooks can make a camp go from a good camp to an excellent camp. That's excluding the food itself which often sets the mood of the camp.
2. Some times we try too hard to cater the camp to what we think the kids want to hear. This leads to camps that are all games/ small devotions. We tend to think that as the kids are 'trouble' kids we try to cater the camp to subtly introduce Christ. However since they have signed up for a Scripture union camp or Willows Presbyterian camp they know they are going to get God stuff and so often are ready or at least willing to talk about God. And even if they aren't who are we to limit the Spirits work in the guys and girls.
3. 'Preach Christ all times. When necessary use words.' - There are 2 types of leaders respected by kids. The ones who are respected as an authoritive figure (usually a bit older or have regular contact with kids (Youth Pastor or Chaplin). Or the 2nd is some one the kids respect because the person has earned their respect. The first can't be earned on camp but the second can be. But it takes hard work especially on the first couple of days. This isn't earned by ordering the guys and girls around but rather getting in there and getting your hands dirty. If its a camping camp don't just tell them to set their tents, get up get in and help them. But don't do it for them- teach them. If you are trusted to teach small things you will be trusted to teach big things.
There are of course many other essential parts to a camp and I would interested in hearing what you think needs to be added to my list. Maybe then we can publish a book.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Violence in Sport
Sport is described as some as Testosterone driven violence and I'm not just talking about women's track and field. In many occasions we see someone snap and go beserk and most of the time we shrug and say ' Its a contact sport'. But every now and again there is one that sticks in the back of our throats that is just too much. Who can ever forget Catona kicking a fan, Tallis punching a rookie, Hoppergate (crouching tiger, hidden finger) or matty bury crunching little steve 10 mins before winning best and fairest for the season. Today I read about another one that just left a bad taste in my mouth. This clearly is just not cricket.
Top Sumo wrestler retires after punch-up
Japan's longest-serving active sumo wrestler has retired in shame after punching an opponent in the face, Japanese media has reported.
A disgruntled Kotokanyu saw red after losing a bout to 19-year-old Ikioi in Tokyo at the weekend, storming into the locker room and punching him.
The highly respected Sadogatake, who runs the sumo stable Kotokanyu belonged to, submitted the wrestler's retirement papers to the Japan Sumo Association (JSA) on Tuesday.
"He did something you just cannot do in sumo," Sadogatake told reporters. "It was right to draw the line there and then."
His outburst was just the latest incident of violence to shatter the serene image of the ancient Japanese sport.
Russian wrestler Roho was banned for three days after smashing a bathroom window and slapping two photographers in a post-bout tantrum in July.
Roho's meltdown was reminiscent of the infamous 'battle of the bathtub' involving firebrand Mongolian Asashoryu three years ago.
Grand champion Asashoryu squared off with another towel-clad Mongolian as tempers flared during a post-bout soak at the Nagoya tournament three years ago.
There are many disturbing things in that story but there are just somethings you just can't do in sumo. However the most disturbing is the thought of 2 sumos in towels...
On a cheerier note I'll be away for 2 weeks on camps so don't start calling me scooter due to my lack of postage. When I'll get back brace yourselves for an riveting analyses of camp ministry. Spelled wrong of course.
Top Sumo wrestler retires after punch-up
Japan's longest-serving active sumo wrestler has retired in shame after punching an opponent in the face, Japanese media has reported.
A disgruntled Kotokanyu saw red after losing a bout to 19-year-old Ikioi in Tokyo at the weekend, storming into the locker room and punching him.
The highly respected Sadogatake, who runs the sumo stable Kotokanyu belonged to, submitted the wrestler's retirement papers to the Japan Sumo Association (JSA) on Tuesday.
"He did something you just cannot do in sumo," Sadogatake told reporters. "It was right to draw the line there and then."
His outburst was just the latest incident of violence to shatter the serene image of the ancient Japanese sport.
Russian wrestler Roho was banned for three days after smashing a bathroom window and slapping two photographers in a post-bout tantrum in July.
Roho's meltdown was reminiscent of the infamous 'battle of the bathtub' involving firebrand Mongolian Asashoryu three years ago.
Grand champion Asashoryu squared off with another towel-clad Mongolian as tempers flared during a post-bout soak at the Nagoya tournament three years ago.
There are many disturbing things in that story but there are just somethings you just can't do in sumo. However the most disturbing is the thought of 2 sumos in towels...
On a cheerier note I'll be away for 2 weeks on camps so don't start calling me scooter due to my lack of postage. When I'll get back brace yourselves for an riveting analyses of camp ministry. Spelled wrong of course.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Science deafens us to God.
Article in the Sydney Morning Herald:Science deafens us to God, Pope tells his people . I was all fired up to deliver a fire and brimstone blog on this but then i actually realized that it was another case of media talking out of context. So that cut my legs out from under me. What the pope is actually saying is that Europe needs to wake up to God. He then follows it up with 'Europe should not let science and reason make it "deaf" to God' He isn't of course saying that they are bad but due to the current (media) culture "What is said about God strikes us as pre-scientific, no longer suited for our age." The more I hear from the pope the more encouraged i am that there is still hope for the Roman Catholics. But now i need some to blog about and I don't have the energy to launch into a tirade about the media.
So instead I believe that Us scientists (and possibly Medical ppl) Have an advantage over many of you in that our occupations strengthen our faith. The more i get down on a cellular level the more I am convinced of a designer: The more I get out into nature The more I'm convinced of a loving creator. (It is for this I think we should all be at least mildly conservationist at heart- No one I know was converted by chopped down trees- but I do know people who have been converted by Wonder of creation) The More Fishing I do the more I'm convinced God has a sense of humour. http://www.lafishmag.com/CrucifixFish.html
So instead I believe that Us scientists (and possibly Medical ppl) Have an advantage over many of you in that our occupations strengthen our faith. The more i get down on a cellular level the more I am convinced of a designer: The more I get out into nature The more I'm convinced of a loving creator. (It is for this I think we should all be at least mildly conservationist at heart- No one I know was converted by chopped down trees- but I do know people who have been converted by Wonder of creation) The More Fishing I do the more I'm convinced God has a sense of humour. http://www.lafishmag.com/CrucifixFish.html
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
What Type of blogger are you?
I couldn' resist this quiz and am trying to set the record for best time in subsiquent blogs. Wilst we about some different types of people style of blogging (e.g. Nathan: ego-centric, scooter- lazy, Ben ma- competetive, lazy,andlazy) Do you know your own? Apparently I am
| You Are a Snarky Blogger! |
 |
A Stinging reminder.
Well as the oceanic expert in this blog i thought it best to post a remark on the passing of Steve Irwan. ... Well i couldn't come up with one. It goes to show though what happens when you start to stray outside your give area of speciality. Here are 10 facts about stingrays :).
1. Stingrays are fish! They are close relatives of the shark.
2. Stingrays live at the bottom of the sea. They can bury their flat bodies in the sand on the sea floor if danger approaches.
3. StingraysÂ’ tails have sharp spines that sting like a scorpion. They use these to defend themselves from attacks by enemies.
4. Stingrays have mouths on their bellies so they can suck up food they find on the sea floor, but because their eyes are on the top of their heads they canÂ’t see what they are eating!
5. Like most sharks, stingrays give birth to live young. They have between three and five in a litter.
6. Stingrays like to visit cleaning stations where other fish eat the parasites stuck on their skins.
7. The worldÂ’s smallest ray is the short-nose electric ray that is only 10cm across. The biggest is the manta ray that is over 6.7 metres wide. Rays are among the largest fish in the sea.
8. There are about 500 different species of ray.
9. Stingrays eat fish, crustaceans, molluscs and worms.
10. Rays are said to be cleverer than sharks!
I can't help thinking of the out cry if it had of been a croc or a shark- people would be mounting campains to destroy this menace to humanity. Currently it is only the people who make that seafood flake stuff calling for singrays deaths to get cheaper stock in. It is a reminder that things don't always turn out how you expect. and here is a video clip that shows that
http://www.lotophage.net/2006/07/07/species-showdown-1-shark-vs-octopus/
And Now for something complete different
Every wonder which muppet you were most like? Apparenently I am most like... Have a go yourself.
1. Stingrays are fish! They are close relatives of the shark.
2. Stingrays live at the bottom of the sea. They can bury their flat bodies in the sand on the sea floor if danger approaches.
3. StingraysÂ’ tails have sharp spines that sting like a scorpion. They use these to defend themselves from attacks by enemies.
4. Stingrays have mouths on their bellies so they can suck up food they find on the sea floor, but because their eyes are on the top of their heads they canÂ’t see what they are eating!
5. Like most sharks, stingrays give birth to live young. They have between three and five in a litter.
6. Stingrays like to visit cleaning stations where other fish eat the parasites stuck on their skins.
7. The worldÂ’s smallest ray is the short-nose electric ray that is only 10cm across. The biggest is the manta ray that is over 6.7 metres wide. Rays are among the largest fish in the sea.
8. There are about 500 different species of ray.
9. Stingrays eat fish, crustaceans, molluscs and worms.
10. Rays are said to be cleverer than sharks!
I can't help thinking of the out cry if it had of been a croc or a shark- people would be mounting campains to destroy this menace to humanity. Currently it is only the people who make that seafood flake stuff calling for singrays deaths to get cheaper stock in. It is a reminder that things don't always turn out how you expect. and here is a video clip that shows that
http://www.lotophage.net/2006/07/07/species-showdown-1-shark-vs-octopus/
And Now for something complete different
Every wonder which muppet you were most like? Apparenently I am most like... Have a go yourself.
| You Are Dr. Bunsen Honeydew |
 You take the title "mad scientist" to the extreme -with very scary things coming out of your lab. And you've invented some pretty cool things, from a banana sharpener to a robot politician. But while you're busy turning gold into cottage cheese, you need to watch out for poor little Beaker! "Oh, that's very naughty, Beaker! Now you eat these paper clips this minute." |
Saturday, September 02, 2006
She sells sea-shells by the seashore
I thought I'd answer a question posed by Barbie's Ex (Ken???) That was a really good question but it is really 2 questions so I'll answer them both and ask a trivia one too.
For those who are too lazy to look up the question here it is 'hey Mr c how are shells made? Like the big ones you put your ear on to hear the wind whistling through your ears?'
Well firstly you start off with an organism which is about the size of a pin head- (some are bigger most are that small) Its blood has a very high concentration of Calcium and Carbonate. At the mantle of the animal it secretes it which depending on the mantle's shape a protective layer. I'll use the conch shell as the example. So it surrounds itself with the mantle or Lip as the only exposed area. The calcium calbonate keeps getting deposited as the animal gets bigger. We aren't really sure if this is a excretetion over time or if the animal can control it. All we know is that it is such a example of a higher system that must have delevoped over millions of years :) Just thought I'd give an example of what the mantle is- if you look at a snail the mantle is the part of the snail you can see when it is in its shell. Clam shells the mantle is the coloured section- different shape mantle different shell design. So the shells keep exanding as the animal's size does.
Now Seashells do not really make any sound of their own. Inside they have many hard curved surfaces, which are good reflectors for sound. So any sound waves that get inside are jumbled up by all kinds of echoes. When you hold the shell up to your ear, you hear the noise of all those jumbled-up echoes. That does sound much like the noise of ocean waves beating against a shore.
If you have a seashell with a big cavity inside, try it out again at home next to your ear. Unless you get in a very, very quiet place, it will keep roaring as if it had brought some of the ocean with it. But you will hear nothing in space :) because you will be dead.
There is a fascinating shell that I thought i might point out. Spirula has a chambered shell of Nautilus. Each chamber is connected to the body by a tube called the siphumcle. The chambers are filed with a special liquid and gas mixture. Spirula can float or sink by changing the pressure on this mixture. So this thing literally controls its depth by pressure in the chambers in the shell.
Trivia Question:
What shell based/derived product/food sold the most in the year 2004? (yes the thing is a food.
Any other sea questions you'd like me to answer?
For those who are too lazy to look up the question here it is 'hey Mr c how are shells made? Like the big ones you put your ear on to hear the wind whistling through your ears?'
Well firstly you start off with an organism which is about the size of a pin head- (some are bigger most are that small) Its blood has a very high concentration of Calcium and Carbonate. At the mantle of the animal it secretes it which depending on the mantle's shape a protective layer. I'll use the conch shell as the example. So it surrounds itself with the mantle or Lip as the only exposed area. The calcium calbonate keeps getting deposited as the animal gets bigger. We aren't really sure if this is a excretetion over time or if the animal can control it. All we know is that it is such a example of a higher system that must have delevoped over millions of years :) Just thought I'd give an example of what the mantle is- if you look at a snail the mantle is the part of the snail you can see when it is in its shell. Clam shells the mantle is the coloured section- different shape mantle different shell design. So the shells keep exanding as the animal's size does.
Now Seashells do not really make any sound of their own. Inside they have many hard curved surfaces, which are good reflectors for sound. So any sound waves that get inside are jumbled up by all kinds of echoes. When you hold the shell up to your ear, you hear the noise of all those jumbled-up echoes. That does sound much like the noise of ocean waves beating against a shore.
If you have a seashell with a big cavity inside, try it out again at home next to your ear. Unless you get in a very, very quiet place, it will keep roaring as if it had brought some of the ocean with it. But you will hear nothing in space :) because you will be dead.
There is a fascinating shell that I thought i might point out. Spirula has a chambered shell of Nautilus. Each chamber is connected to the body by a tube called the siphumcle. The chambers are filed with a special liquid and gas mixture. Spirula can float or sink by changing the pressure on this mixture. So this thing literally controls its depth by pressure in the chambers in the shell.
Trivia Question:
What shell based/derived product/food sold the most in the year 2004? (yes the thing is a food.
Any other sea questions you'd like me to answer?
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Quick Quiz- everyone should learn one new thing every day
OK which is the shark responible for the most fatal attacks on humans?
a)Tiger
b)Port Jackson
c)Great White
d)Reef blacktip
e)Oceanic whitetip
f)Whale
g)blue
h)Mako
i)Pool shark
I'll try just adding this down the bottom so these are continually linked. The answer is....
e) The Oceanic Whitetip shark. (not to confused with common reef whitetip sharks which are smaller and thinner and have smaller fins)
The oceanic whitetip shark, Carcharhinus longimanus, is a large pelagic shark of tropical and warm temperate seas. It is named after its oceanic habitat (living in deep waters), and the white tips of its fins. It is a stocky shark, most notable for its long, rounded fins.
This aggressive but slow-moving fish dominates feeding frenzies, and has attacked more humans than all other shark species combined — it is a notable danger to survivors of oceanic ship wrecks and downed aircraft. Recent studies have shown that its numbers are in steep decline — its large fins are highly valued as the chief ingredient of shark-fin soup and, as with other shark species, the oceanic whitetip faces mounting pressure from fishing throughout its range (Wikipedia)
Famed oceanographic researcher Jacques Cousteau described the oceanic whitetip as "the most dangerous of all sharks". Despite the greater notoriety of the great white shark and other sharks habitually found nearer the shore, the oceanic whitetip is considered responsible for more fatal attacks on humans than all other species combined, as a result of predation on those shipwrecked or from aircraft downed in the open ocean. These incidents are not included in common shark-attack indices for the 20th and 21st centuries, but would appear to total in the thousands worldwide, with one incident alone, the torpedoing of the USS Indianapolis on July 30, 1945, giving a minimal figure of 60–80 killed by sharks. Also during World War II, the Nova Scotia, a steamship carrying approximately 1000 people near South Africa was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine. There were only 192 survivors, and many deaths were attributed to the oceanic whitetip shark.
Even though the oceanic whitetip is highly opportunistic and aggressive; and has been known to attack humans for food, divers have swum with this shark repeatedly without being harmed (it is a popular draw for dive tourism because of its size and the perceived danger). However, divers are advised to approach the shark only with extreme caution, not spear fish near this shark and if the shark comes too close or gets too inquisitive to get out of the water as soon as possible. It is generally suggested that if a shark starts to push the diver, then to hit it on the snout, gills or eyes, but anecdotal evidence suggests that this may be less effective in deterring whitetips than with other species of sharks.
So there you go. Even a spearfishing friend was suprised by this so i hope everyone has learned something.
a)Tiger
b)Port Jackson
c)Great White
d)Reef blacktip
e)Oceanic whitetip
f)Whale
g)blue
h)Mako
i)Pool shark
I'll try just adding this down the bottom so these are continually linked. The answer is....
e) The Oceanic Whitetip shark. (not to confused with common reef whitetip sharks which are smaller and thinner and have smaller fins)
The oceanic whitetip shark, Carcharhinus longimanus, is a large pelagic shark of tropical and warm temperate seas. It is named after its oceanic habitat (living in deep waters), and the white tips of its fins. It is a stocky shark, most notable for its long, rounded fins.
This aggressive but slow-moving fish dominates feeding frenzies, and has attacked more humans than all other shark species combined — it is a notable danger to survivors of oceanic ship wrecks and downed aircraft. Recent studies have shown that its numbers are in steep decline — its large fins are highly valued as the chief ingredient of shark-fin soup and, as with other shark species, the oceanic whitetip faces mounting pressure from fishing throughout its range (Wikipedia)
Famed oceanographic researcher Jacques Cousteau described the oceanic whitetip as "the most dangerous of all sharks". Despite the greater notoriety of the great white shark and other sharks habitually found nearer the shore, the oceanic whitetip is considered responsible for more fatal attacks on humans than all other species combined, as a result of predation on those shipwrecked or from aircraft downed in the open ocean. These incidents are not included in common shark-attack indices for the 20th and 21st centuries, but would appear to total in the thousands worldwide, with one incident alone, the torpedoing of the USS Indianapolis on July 30, 1945, giving a minimal figure of 60–80 killed by sharks. Also during World War II, the Nova Scotia, a steamship carrying approximately 1000 people near South Africa was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine. There were only 192 survivors, and many deaths were attributed to the oceanic whitetip shark.
Even though the oceanic whitetip is highly opportunistic and aggressive; and has been known to attack humans for food, divers have swum with this shark repeatedly without being harmed (it is a popular draw for dive tourism because of its size and the perceived danger). However, divers are advised to approach the shark only with extreme caution, not spear fish near this shark and if the shark comes too close or gets too inquisitive to get out of the water as soon as possible. It is generally suggested that if a shark starts to push the diver, then to hit it on the snout, gills or eyes, but anecdotal evidence suggests that this may be less effective in deterring whitetips than with other species of sharks.
So there you go. Even a spearfishing friend was suprised by this so i hope everyone has learned something.
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Respect the Official, Sport
Well people have been complaining that I need to update my blog as they need something to read at work. Lacking inspiration I turned to a certain housemate of mine who did journalism and he suggested I write on Couples who when they hook up spend all their time with each other and never see their other friends. Had a thought about it and thought yeah- I haven't seen Stevo since he got engaged really. But then i thought about the irate responses i might get from a certain house in riverside gardens (I'm not talking about scooter's house) and chickened out. Besides there are far bigger issues at the moment.
THE ISSUE of course is that lack of respect for anyone shown by Andrew Johns. While I'll acknowledge he is a very good player over the years he has consistently failed in his duty to rugby league. That's right duty to rugby league. In any sport if you make it You have a responsibility to promote the sport. This was shown by the socceroos. After probably the most intense playing schedule of any sport in the world and following the world cup how did some of the biggest names spend their month off? They came back to Oz and did promotional work. Not only that but they are investing their own money back into Australian Soccer developing young talent at the grass roots level.
As a person involved in sport I understand that some times in the heat of the battle you can loose it but twice in two weeks? The NRL had to draw a line somewhere and I believe has errored in reducing the sentence give to him. Especially given the circumstances surrounding it. Far enough it was a big call but to follow the Touch judge sarting straight at him and swear at him like that. And what was his first statement: I wasn't swearing at the touch judge I was just swearing, A tune he changed pretty quickly when he saw footage of him deviating his path to make sure the touchie had to run around him.
Andrew Johns over the years has been the poster boy of rugby league and how has he repaid it- Well there was the time when he was involved in a Punch-up with a forward who is now at manly over certain impropieties at the forward's wife. (This one was easily covered up because it was at the same time as Wayne Carey). And a few years ago who he was having an early end to the season because of neck problems- some one in the rugby league world and confirmed by another claimed it was for testing positive to Cocaine but the NRL wanted to protect its image and that of its star. An upstanding citizen I'm sure.
We could excuse him for sounding off once- but it was the 3rd time in 3 months. No other sport tolerates any sort of umpire abuse. Greg Williams in Carlton was suspended for 8 weeks for umpire abuse. Any soccer player who abuses a ref is red carded. Are these sports anymore intense than rugby league? No
However I don't think that the lack of respect given officials is limited to one player you only have to listen to Phil Gould with his consistent umpire criticism in his commentary. I believe the NRL should also hand out fines for his comments or better yet get him removed.
The thing we are all forgetting though is umpires are real people too. No body should be talked to like that in any circumstance. Walk up to any authority figure eg. a policeman and say the same words to him and see if you don't locked up in the slammer. I am an umpire for social soccer and in the time i have worked there I have been verbally abuse- people have swung punches at me and some days have been scared to walk around in my shopping centre because I've reconised people and even in one case had a guy whom I had red carded came at me. And where do you think these people are watching every Friday night? I rest my case.
THE ISSUE of course is that lack of respect for anyone shown by Andrew Johns. While I'll acknowledge he is a very good player over the years he has consistently failed in his duty to rugby league. That's right duty to rugby league. In any sport if you make it You have a responsibility to promote the sport. This was shown by the socceroos. After probably the most intense playing schedule of any sport in the world and following the world cup how did some of the biggest names spend their month off? They came back to Oz and did promotional work. Not only that but they are investing their own money back into Australian Soccer developing young talent at the grass roots level.
As a person involved in sport I understand that some times in the heat of the battle you can loose it but twice in two weeks? The NRL had to draw a line somewhere and I believe has errored in reducing the sentence give to him. Especially given the circumstances surrounding it. Far enough it was a big call but to follow the Touch judge sarting straight at him and swear at him like that. And what was his first statement: I wasn't swearing at the touch judge I was just swearing, A tune he changed pretty quickly when he saw footage of him deviating his path to make sure the touchie had to run around him.
Andrew Johns over the years has been the poster boy of rugby league and how has he repaid it- Well there was the time when he was involved in a Punch-up with a forward who is now at manly over certain impropieties at the forward's wife. (This one was easily covered up because it was at the same time as Wayne Carey). And a few years ago who he was having an early end to the season because of neck problems- some one in the rugby league world and confirmed by another claimed it was for testing positive to Cocaine but the NRL wanted to protect its image and that of its star. An upstanding citizen I'm sure.
We could excuse him for sounding off once- but it was the 3rd time in 3 months. No other sport tolerates any sort of umpire abuse. Greg Williams in Carlton was suspended for 8 weeks for umpire abuse. Any soccer player who abuses a ref is red carded. Are these sports anymore intense than rugby league? No
However I don't think that the lack of respect given officials is limited to one player you only have to listen to Phil Gould with his consistent umpire criticism in his commentary. I believe the NRL should also hand out fines for his comments or better yet get him removed.
The thing we are all forgetting though is umpires are real people too. No body should be talked to like that in any circumstance. Walk up to any authority figure eg. a policeman and say the same words to him and see if you don't locked up in the slammer. I am an umpire for social soccer and in the time i have worked there I have been verbally abuse- people have swung punches at me and some days have been scared to walk around in my shopping centre because I've reconised people and even in one case had a guy whom I had red carded came at me. And where do you think these people are watching every Friday night? I rest my case.
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