The President Eddie McGuire Debate v2.0

[K]

afl.com.au (Mar 22, 2018) on "Footy's movers and shapers": "The survey took place towards the end of last year and those who voted were drawn from the ranks of the AFL, the clubs, the media, player management, stadia and state leagues." The Collingwood president came in at number 4.

Ashley Browne writes:

"McGuire still has the loudest voice in the game. As president of Collingwood he carries plenty of clout; as the longest serving president in the game, there's not much about the AFL and not many people, he doesn't know. He is very much at the centre of all the key decisions made in the game.

Then there's McGuire wearing his media hat, which comprises hosting the breakfast show for Triple M, hosting Fox Footy's Friday night coverage and commentating selected weekend games, and his "back to the future" role as host of The Footy Show. His company, McGuire Media, now produces that show, in addition to significant AFL content on both the Seven and Nine networks. If McGuire wants to make a noise about any issue in footy, he has any number of vehicles in which to do so.

'Eddie Everywhere' indeed.

But McGuire is facing enormous challenges this year. The Pies have missed the finals for four straight years but have backed coach Nathan Buckley for two more seasons despite the growing restlessness of the supporters. And they're no good things to make the finals this year either.

And ratings for The Footy Show continue to decline, with McGuire's rescue mission late last season doing little to arrest the slide. All sorts of bells and whistles are in store for 2018, but if he and his original producer Harvey Silver, also now back in the fold, can't restore the show to its former glory, who knows how much longer the Channel Nine bean-counters will continue to support it."

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-03-22/footys-movers-and-shapers-101

[K]

The Plugger crutch-throwing incident:

http://www.afl.com.au/video/2018-06-20/the-day-plugger-tried-to-spear-eddie

[I didn't recall it was Eddie involved, but I suppose one could have guessed...]

[K]

Time to eradicate on-field 'bullying': McGuire

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/time-to-eradicate-on-field-bullying-mcguire-20180727-p4zu0p.html

"Collingwood president Eddie McGuire revealed the committee had discussed the issue at its meeting this week, declaring the unnecessary bumping before play, general niggling and tactics such as physically challenging an opponent after he has missed a shot at goal had to go.

There was general support for the change at the meeting, but it remains unclear how it would be policed."


[Comment: I agree with them on this one. The nonsense after goals are kicked or missed is like send-offs in cricket.]

[Jezza]

Is Eddie for real?

Sledging and physically intimidating an opponent is a part of the game.

[Mugwump]

[Piethagoras' Theorem]

^ Yep, makes me cringe every time I see it. Pull your head in, behave like sportsmen and let your footy do the talking. Great move

[Raw Hammer]

Bumping and shoving opponents after they’re out marked or after they miss a shot is embarrassing and the weakest faux tough guy shit around.

I hate it when players do it, I hate it when our players do it.

It’s only acceptable if there has been an incident beforehand to warrant it (e.g. a player ducking to get the free, or mouthing off beforehand, or decking our player earlier). Otherwise, it’s weak as piss.

[K]

[K]

And here's Bob Murphy's view ('The kids are watching'):

"The public conversation has morphed into other discussions, one of which has centred around on-field ethics. Do a lot of little punches lead to one big punch?

Garry Lyon asked the playing fraternity this week to sign up to a code “one punch equals one week” code. Forget the level of contact or the power behind it. It’s out. No more. We can wait for stricter penalties from the AFL or the players themselves can make cultural change by making a stand.

I was a part of the old culture. I recall a night with Angus Monfries where we took turns punching each other in the chest, arms and stomach all game long. Was it tough? No. Was it embarrassing? It is now.

I don’t expect junior footballers to imitate what they saw on the outer wing in last Sunday’s derby. But I’m not so sure about the hundreds of cowardly little punches and elbows we see each year from our footballing heroes. Kids need to know – and footballers too – that it’s not tough.

When players lay a tackle worthy of a free kick, and then take it upon themselves repeatedly to push that defenceless player in the back to belittle them, that’s not tough either. That is not the “competitive spirit” we hang so many ugly hats on. It’s petulant and it’s ugly.

I was part of that generation, and it’s time for this group of players to rid the game of it. This is one part of footy where we don’t need the DeLorean’s blue lightning flash, because we don’t want to go there.

The week started with everyone pointing the finger at one man. It might end with many of us looking in the mirror and realizing that the kids are watching."

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/the-kids-are-watching-20180808-p4zwa7.html

[K]

Eddie's Gaff Gaffe?

McGuire on Kyrios: “It’s unbelievable, isn’t it? Not that we promote violence but if Andrew Gaff had one left in him …”


According to NewsCorp,
"McGuire’s comments prompted uneasy laughter from the audience after a week in which the West Coast Eagles midfielder dominated headlines after breaking the jaw of Fremantle’s Andrew Brayshaw with a left-handed punch."

https://www.news.com.au/sport/sports-life/eddie-mcguire-sam-newman-target-nick-kyrgios-after-latest-act-of-petulance/news-story/d5368275ceca6004a8a073e5b3c99849

[Skids]

[David]

Dumb, but that’s The Footy Show for you. Imagine if he’d been talking about a female athlete...