Crows get serious

I'm just glad to see the Crows hand out a good penalty to Tony Armstrong for his drink-driving misdemeanour - $5000 fine and 4 game suspension on top of the $800 and 18 month disqualification handed down to him by the courts. It should teach our athletes that they are never above the law.

I don't follow the cows, but they do come across as being one of the clubs in the AFL that set a very high standard of discipline amongst there players.

I am just not quite so inclined to hand out these sorts of "extra" penalties.
Just not overly warmed to handing out 2 penalties for the same crime.

I don't know when he did this, but if it was in the off-season there is something about it that rankles me with a club jumping on the prosecution band-wagon.

Sure there is a fine line in this and sometimes clubs do have to act.
Particularly when the immediate team performance is affected.

But just how clear cut is that these days?

Eg So Fev gets effectively cleared for his supposed "exposure" misdemeanor. Not sure if the club suspended him for that?
And now he is in trouble again for allegedly running amok in public. Sometimes you cannot complain about sanctions when you repeatedly flaunt such frailties in the public eye, but sometimes too I think clubs jump on the high moral ground far too quickly.

Take Aker for instance. He is a self-opinionated footy player who says the things that clubs and the afl don't want to hear, but can play more than just a bit. He is entitled to his opinions and voice them if he so wishes, payment or not, especially if the club has sanctioned such voice in the media. What he said, if taken in context, is not an unreasonable point of view. It may not be the view that even the majority might take. But are we that dumbed down that we cannot understand where he is coming from, palatable or not? The penalty did not fit the "supposed" crime.

The AFL is a multi-million dollar business, run as a business, promoted as one and require everyone involved (players especially), to fall behind the party line. The Akers of this world don't fit into the corporate image, nor their version of you are supposed to be.

For mine his penalty was a disgrace and I doubt would stand any court jurisdiction, should he wish to pursue such recourse.

Why not come out and say you will offer the Armstrongs, Akers etc counselling in these areas if you feel they have problems that need corrected? That could be done with dignity and out of the spotlight.

Nope, let's just take the easy road (and the high moral ground) to keep the corporate world happy. Let's just publicly rebuke these guys because they haven't lived up to the version of citizens that the afl require.

Style over substance, that's all it is.

Easy to do with young players or those who are too "out there" to keep along the party line.

But what if it were Judd or Ablett? Golden haired chaps who are the poster boys of the AFL.

Maybe they would fall on their sword for the betterment of the team (supposedly), but should they?

There are far too many instances of additional afl public shaming of these guys where it just isn't right.

Nope, it is just a far too easy out for the club boffins and the afl and I don't like it.

howthewestwaswon wrote:I'm just glad to see the Crows hand out a good penalty to Tony Armstrong for his drink-driving misdemeanour - $5000 fine and 4 game suspension on top of the $800 and 18 month disqualification handed down to him by the courts. It should teach our athletes that they are never above the law.

HE BLEW 4 X THE LIMIT!! THAT'S .2??

$800 FINE + $400 TO GET HIS CAR BACK + 18 MONTH DISQUALIFICATION IS F.A. FOR THAT READING. BET THE COPS ARE SPEWING.

IT PAYS TO BE A FOOTY PLAYER 'CAUSE I RECKON YOU OR ME WOULD GET A MUCH BIGGER FINE AND LOSS OF LICENCE FOR THAT.



X 9

Thats the justice system here in SA Matt. you can basically get away with murder over here.

The bike rider hit and killed by a lawyer near Kapunda a few years ago who didn't even bother to stop, never served one day in jail for that--all because of his legal background, the low life is still free today.

Could have walked away a free man but IMO you make a good point Matt.