Beginning of the end for the Champ

[GCSkiwi]

If this booing is racist why do players like Cyril get applauded , because he is not a massive flog like Goodes he is just not a very likable player like others players before him they get booed , this has got way out of hand because Goodes the media and the AFL has thrown the word racism in there  :o

One player NOT being racially attacked (and I'll bet dollars to donuts he has been anyway) does not mean that there is not a racial issue here. If the booing is NOT racist (or at least in part racially motivated) then why has it been continuous, and why aren't other players booed to a similar extent? I understand booing when someone throws a cheap shot or milks a free or any other niggly play, but it's booed at the time in that game. Not continuously over multiple games by multiple sets of opponents.

Goodes has made a lot of very strong comments about Australian culture and governance and beliefs which I totally understand puts some people off side (Australia day is invasion day, the contitution is racist etc) and has led people to say he is Un-Australian etc etc. I accept that there are people who will be booing him with no racial motivation. I'm not suggesting that booing him is inherently racist. But the problem is that there are people booing him because of his race and/or his stand against racism, and as a by-product of that ANY booing of him gives that traction. There's plenty of other (and infinitely more productive) ways to express disagreement with his views then booing him on field.

If this booing is racist why do players like Cyril get applauded , because he is not a massive flog like Goodes he is just not a very likable player like others players before him they get booed , this has got way out of hand because Goodes the media and the AFL has thrown the word racism in there  :o

So you've quoted this right after you said yourself:

I've boo'd him ever since he flat out bullied a 14 yr old girl because she called him a gorilla (oh how racist of her!), and I will most likely continue to boo him (in the comfort of my home, I've never been too a Sydney game) for that reason.

So your justification for booing him is that you find him dislikable because in your eyes he bullied a young girl. Which by default suggests he should have just left it alone. So racism should be tolerated up to a certain age? Or is it an age differential, because he's older than her so he should have just worn it? At what point for you does making a racist comment become not acceptable?

[shaker]

If this booing is racist why do players like Cyril get applauded , because he is not a massive flog like Goodes he is just not a very likable player like others players before him they get booed , this has got way out of hand because Goodes the media and the AFL has thrown the word racism in there  :o

mate, how can you not get it? if Cyril was visible, confronting and stood up for his people, he wouldn't be liked... mind-boggling!

we like our Indigenous Australians to act the way we want them to, and if they don't, then look out... "oi, easy mate. know your place, son."

No not mind boggling that's just how you see it I see it different you are pretty handy at putting up photos suggesting I'm a racist I myself try not to insult fellow members ,  it is a overreaction to whats happening IMO but that is just my opinion lets just ban booing in all forms of sport including at umpires who cop it week in week out there whole careers and we will just sit there quietly like nice little politically correct vegies

[Donnie Brasco]

ironic... that's exactly what you expect of Goodes

[Pkbaldy]

I just thought there was 100 different and more effective ways to sort out the situation with the girl who called him a Gorilla. Didn't have to stop and point her out for the entire nation to see. All he had to do was go up to her himself, with a couple of minutes of the game to go (put himself on the bench) and have a chat to her and clearly her mother or whoever she was mimicking about what she had done wrong.

As for hating Goodes because he is defending 'his people', why does everyone respect and love Winmar for what he done? Yet hate Goodes? Maybe because he's a flog.

[Capper]

I just thought there was 100 different and more effective ways to sort out the situation with the girl who called him a Gorilla. Didn't have to stop and point her out for the entire nation to see. All he had to do was go up to her himself, with a couple of minutes of the game to go (put himself on the bench) and have a chat to her and clearly her mother or whoever she was mimicking about what she had done wrong.

As for hating Goodes because he is defending 'his people', why does everyone respect and love Winmar for what he done? Yet hate Goodes? Maybe because he's a flog.

Everyone loves Winmar now but hated him when he played. Its because people have looked back on that situation and said what fools we were.

As for the 13 yo girl, well her mother should take a look at herself for a second. She let security take her child away and she didnt give a shower. I would have thought that she would have got someone to go with her to make sure she was ok.

[Capper]

Let me ask you all this question

Would you boo Thurston or Thaiday??

[Bill Manspeaker]

no one should ever boo Thurston ;D

[Capper]

no one should ever boo Thurston ;D

HE used to play for the Bulldogs and do you know why he doesnt any more??

I will give you a hint, it includes the bulldogs paying hush money to a couple of assaulted females after a trip to Coffs

And yet he can still come out and support Goodes

[GCSkiwi]

I just thought there was 100 different and more effective ways to sort out the situation with the girl who called him a Gorilla. Didn't have to stop and point her out for the entire nation to see. All he had to do was go up to her himself, with a couple of minutes of the game to go (put himself on the bench) and have a chat to her and clearly her mother or whoever she was mimicking about what she had done wrong.

As for hating Goodes because he is defending 'his people', why does everyone respect and love Winmar for what he done? Yet hate Goodes? Maybe because he's a flog.

You do understand that you're victim blaming, right? You can say whatever you like about the age difference or whatever, the girl made a racist remark. Fact. At that point in time, she is the perpetrator, regardless of her age, gender, race, because what she said was racist. And I don't for a second believe that taking 5 minutes at the end of the game to sidle up to them and say "you know that's not on, right?" would have done anything. He made a stand, and people took notice.

Look past the incident itself, at what it says: This was a 13 year old girl, in 2013, who called an Aboriginal player an ape, which she probably learned from 'role models' around her. Which means either a) she didn't realise that there was a racial undertone to that particular insult; or b) she did and she wasn't against saying it anyway, and that c) it was prevalent enough around her for her to use that particular term. In this day and age, none of those are ok, though (a) obviously caries less malice. However if we're trying to say that the continued booing is as a result of that incident, then where was it in the remainder of 2013 and in 2014? Is it just a coincidence that it's hugely picked up since he did a war dance toward the crowd in indigenous round? If he's beeing booed purely because "he's a flog" and it's nothing to do with his race, why aren't players like Stevie J, Joel Selwood, Luke Hodge, Boomer Harvey all booed continuously by every other club in the competition? They're all great players, they're all club champions, and they're all guilty of 'creative' play too. People boo them, sure, but only at the time of the incident. Not rounds after.

Yes, the racists are only a section of the people who boo. They may even be only a minority. But I find that hard to believe given the particular targeting of Goodes over other players, particularly given when it started. But hey, let's imagine that is the case. That still means anyone booing gives the racists a wall to hide behind.

Perhaps my perspective is just drastically different on this. As the username suggests, I'm a New Zealander. I grew up being taught in schools about Maori culture and traditions. I understand that the Maori haka is much more than a war dance. It's a sign of pride, respect, identity, and I think that's awesome. And there's signs of all of this across many different indigenous cultures - the pacific islands all have similar traditions, as do Aboriginal Australians. They're all different in how they do their individual traditions, but they all do them. I just think they're embraced differently. You go to any international Rugby match, heck yes we're doing a haka. And occasionally it's a little bit more intimidating with throat slitting gestures and we get asked to tone it down a notch. Ok, fair enough. But that culture is part of our national identity. I don't believe I've ever seen a proud, regular display of Aboriginal culture at any international events Australia participates in... Then Goodes does a war dance (I'm sure there's a better indigenous term for that too, just as a haka is not just a war dance) DURING INDIGENOUS ROUND, and what's the reaction to it? Says it all really.

[GCSkiwi]

And funnily enough after I mention a few players I see this on my facebook feed:

https://www.facebook.com/thatguywhorants/posts/1114357908592264:0

"Some people say they boo him because of his style of play: he's flamboyant, he "stages" for free kicks, and let's not forget that he celebrates goals in an indigenous manner during rounds specifically set out to celebrate indigenous culture. In Aussie terms, they boo him because "he's a flog". But the game is rife with players who do exactly these things, and those players don't get booed. Hayden Ballantyne of the Fremantle Dockers is one of the most hated football players in the entire AFL, and he doesn't get booed. Joel Selwood, Brent Harvey, Jack Riewoldt, Luke Hodge, Dustin Martin, none of them get booed either despite displaying the same sort of antics on a regular basis. Why do you suppose that is?"

If you read the whole post it's quite interesting. Granted there's some inaccuracies but if you focus on the message...

[PICCOLLO]

And funnily enough after I mention a few players I see this on my facebook feed:

https://www.facebook.com/thatguywhorants/posts/1114357908592264:0

"Some people say they boo him because of his style of play: he's flamboyant, he "stages" for free kicks, and let's not forget that he celebrates goals in an indigenous manner during rounds specifically set out to celebrate indigenous culture. In Aussie terms, they boo him because "he's a flog". But the game is rife with players who do exactly these things, and those players don't get booed. Hayden Ballantyne of the Fremantle Dockers is one of the most hated football players in the entire AFL, and he doesn't get booed. Joel Selwood, Brent Harvey, Jack Riewoldt, Luke Hodge, Dustin Martin, none of them get booed either despite displaying the same sort of antics on a regular basis. Why do you suppose that is?"

If you read the whole post it's quite interesting. Granted there's some inaccuracies but if you focus on the message...

I've read this article and many more.

I believe SOME booers are racially motivated and I can't condemn them enough for that.  However, some Carlton supporters are probably booing because of the spear throwing thing, not for the racial component but because he went over to them and taunted them. A struggling club having the opposing team's success rubbed in their face will incite boos. It's showmanship on Goodes' part; what did he expect? Goodes does stage for free kicks instead of getting on with the game too; a quality lots of us don't like. (We hate watching the soccer players rolling around)

To call all booers booing Goodes racist is small minded and baffling. 

However, the continued booing needs to stop.  We now know it's affecting Goodes mentally and he can't cope.  That makes the booing a form of bullying.  We love this guy for what he's done for the game and what he's done as an Australian.  It's time to restore some faith.

[Donnie Brasco]

Indigenous dance, during Indigenous Round, how dare he...

"jesus, we gave em' their own round and jumper, bloody hell, what more do they want? wish he'd just shut up, like the rest of em'!"

"oi, know ya' place, champ, buddy, sport..."

[Donnie Brasco]

what kind of person boos at a game of footy... immature? uneducated?   

[elephants]

what kind of person boos at a game of footy... immature? uneducated?

Umm, a majority of the population? Have you ever been to a game of footy and heard what the umpires cop?

[Ricochet]

Booing and cheering is apart of the game. There is absolutely no reason to stop it in general.

But for Goodes, we now have to because it's affecting him mentally. And it wouldn't be any different if he was white. We need to show a bit of compassion now