OzTennis

Thoughts? (other than comments on AFL or never heard of him etc) My position is very clear, I'm with the Sydney Swans chairman. Concentrate on the issue (racism or not) and not the context of footy please. I bet there are some rednecks out there who will claim it isn't.

Blaming Adam Goodes for booing saga akin to victim blaming, Sydney Swans chairman Andrew Pridham says

GarryP

I doubt very much if more than single digit percentages of those booing are racists (which it the narrative they are trying to push). Rather it's people who have taken a dislike to that narrative; and are taking part in that great tradition of pushing the buttons of someone from the opposing team who has demonstrated they can be riled.

And there is only one way it goes away now - stop reacting, stop the press coverage, stop the accusations (which only make it worse), and stop the talking heads wringing hands.

It's the only solution, but I get the feeling that many don't want a solution - they want to use it to advance a cause.

OzTennis

Good comment but all based on your feeling that <10% of it is racially motivated. Aboriginal players have taken a lot of stick in the past and nothing to do with being Australian of the Year or speaking out on the issue. The guy who was ejected from the ground in Perth for shouting 'get back to the zoo' said it was just a bit of light hearted banter and not racially motivated.

The mother of the girl who called Goodes an ape demanded that Goodes apologise to her - it meant nothing and he shouldn't have carried on 'like a pork chop' about it.

Adam Goodes should apologise, says mother of girl who called him an ape | Sport | The Guardian

GarryP

Put it this way. If you were a racist, you were throwing comments, etc. anyway. For there to be a rising crescendo of booing - it has to be people who weren't booing before. Plus much of the disapprobation seems to have grown up since his 'war dance' to say "f**k you" to the crowd.

So I think it a fairly comment to say that most of those not impressed with him now are not racists. They just don't like him - or the statements made by the talking heads trying to spin it.

Beoz

So why do people boo him anyway? Is it because of his race or because he's a toss pot?

If its race then aren't there other indigenous people in the AFL. Do they get booed? I wouldn't know, its a dull sport, so don't watch it, so just asking.

There are all sorts of indigenous people in league and union. They don't get booed. Is it just an AFL thing?

moneypenny20

This pure and simple. Just been reading this comment from Paul Zanetti on his FB page and have to agree:

'RECONCILIATION WITH ADAM GOODES

This morning Eddie McGuire has forecast an impending riot over the Adam Goodes 'racism' row.

Sydney Swans fans are planning to sneak eggs into the next Swans game in which Goodesy is playing, to throw at booing members of the crowd.

McGuire said that will "spark a riot".

This has got way out of control and its past time to rein it in.

The one person who could quickly defuse the ticking time bomb is the man himself. To do so, Adam Goodes needs to rise above the fray and demonstrate he is as big a man as he is an athlete.

While a small part of this furor may be fueled by racist elements, an honest appraisal of the timeline of escalating events will show that Adam Goodes is not simply 'the victim' but the perpetrator of hostilities, whether wittingly or not. He may not have anticipated the consequences of his actions, but consequences there are.

Goodes now has to step up and admit that he has played a central role in inciting and provoking crowds.

Perhaps he feels he has the right or justification in doing so, but that's no excuse. A lot of us feel like lashing out at those who we feel have wronged us, but often it's best to ignore. Water off a duck's back.

If this row is about racism, then why haven't the same howls been directed at other great part aboriginal athletes or sportspeople like Arthur Beetson, Evonne Goolagong/Cawley, Cathy Freeman, The Ella brothers, Jonathan Thurston, Wendell Sailor, Sam Thaiday, Laurie Daley, Jason Gillespie, Scott Prince, Gordon Tallis, Kurtley Beale, Lance Franklin? (I could go on and on).

The truth is that Goodesy's problems started when he singled out a young girl for calling him an 'ape' during an Indigenous rounds game two years ago. Goodes motioned for security, she was removed from her family and interrogated for the next hour or so.

It was traumatising for the girl, the real victim here, particularly in light of the fact that she later spoke to Goodes over the phone and wrote an apology explaining she did not realise the word was racist.

Last year Goodes was awarded Australian Of The Year for his contribution to sport and indigenous youth, including supporting Aboriginal kids in detention centres and promoting education and healthy lifestyles as co-founder of the Go Foundation.

A deserving recognition, but I couldn't help wondering whether lower profiled community heroes who work tirelessly day in, day out, would be even more worthy. They don't make the squeaky noises I suppose.

Goodes used the honour as a platform for 'racism'. By doing so, he marked himself as a lightning rod for those who felt racism - a divisive term - should have nothing to do with an award and a day that should bring all Australians together, to unite us, as one. Many fellow aborigines then felt justified to fan the term 'invasion day' in place of Australia Day. I actually thought most of Goodes speech was terrific, but infused with unnecessary division in parts.

That recurring division has to stop.

Next came the war dance aimed squarely at Carlton fans on May 29 this year. That had nothing to do with aboriginal culture, because it was inappropriate for the time and place. It was all about sticking it up the crowd. If Goodes were honest to himself he'd admit it.

Anyway you look at it, that conduct was aggressive, hostile, inflammatory and intended to incite a reaction.

Goodes succeeded. He got a reaction, being roundly booed whenever he gets near a football.

So now we're about to encounter eggings and riots..

Premiers and media commentators are only adding more fuel to the fire when they accuse angered fans as 'racists'. That's an all too easy, lazy and dishonest misrepresentation. Just insert an 'ism' or an 'ist' or a 'phobe' at the end of a word and try to shut down the debate.

The counter argument is the many hero aboriginals we cheer as greats. We love seeing the disadvantaged make good, as we've cheered Adam Goodes for the past 18 years - until recently.

Only one person can immediately diffuse the escalating anger.

Adam Goodes could start by showing us he is as big a man as he is a footy player and indigenous role model.

A quiet call to the 13 year old girl (now 15) by Goodes would be a great start, followed by a meeting and a public appearance, showing misunderstanding and forgiveness. The girl has already apologised. Goodes may also feel a need to apologise for his actions in the interest of reconciliation. After all, isn't that what most aboriginals want?

By being proactive Goodes could show us all he is indeed the leader we all want him to be - not the aggressive warrior he appears to so many to be.

Humility and wisdom would restore his reputation in the eyes of many or most, and further elevate him as a true leader.

Adam Goodes has demonstrated extraordinary strength and skills in his long journey to the top of his sport, and community.

The next step is to heal the wounds largely opened by his actions.

I just wonder if he's up to it. I think he is.

Knowing the Australian character, I'm confident Goodes would then be cheered, not jeered, next time he steps on the footy field.

Over to you, Adam.'

knockoff nige

I think it's not helping to expect indigenous players to be indigenous role models as it maintains the divide. Adam Goodes is a professional AFL player who gets booed by fans and also gets some racist abuse by a smaller group of fans. He's better off being ignorant to it and doing what he wants to do which is play AFL. He seems like a nice enough guy but maybe being a bit precious right now because of some abuse that doesn't seem to be largely racist. He can't win over fans that are racist but he can make them go home dissapointed if he helps smash their team. He could take a leaf out of David Beckhams book who got abuse every day after his World Cup disaster. Or Cristiano Ronaldo who seems to play his best when he's getting crowd abuse.

This reminds me of Julia Gillard and her misogynist speech against Abbott and the Neanderthals in parliament. There was obvious abuse directed at her because she is a woman but she saw herself as a woman prime minister instead of a prime minister which should have no gender. Adam Goodes is an AFL player when on the pitch. If some fans want to remind him of his race when he's playing, he lets them beat him when he reacts to it. Someone else's ignorance is their problem. The majority don't care about them.

Amazulu

I don't know much about the bloke, but talking to the guys at work who are into footy, they say that he is being booed not because he is Aboriginal but because he is basically an asshole. Lot's of players in different sports get booed but Goodes chooses to play the race card and let's it get under his skin - which prompts more booing

Although a tiny minority of those booing may have a racial motive, for the majority it is not the issue. To suggest otherwise is leftie/PC mumbo jumbo

BadgeIsBack

Racist booing is not on.

As for Goode's role in all this:

Some people say it's not the aborigine in the man but it's the man in the aborigine.

Beoz

Paul Gallen gets booed everytime he goes to Queensland.

Call it discrimination if you think its because he's from NSW. The reality is Queenlanders just don't like Paul Gallen.

Now if Paul Gallen took a week of work because he was booed ............. well .........

OzTennis

People bury their head in the sand if they think Goodes is just being booed. Much of this started when he was awarded Australian of the Year and he used the platform to speak out about his race. It was suggested by some journalists that he was 'biting off the hand that feeds him' by speaking out as though he should just smile and shut up and keep his opinions to himself and by 'stirring' he was being unpatriotic as Australian of the Year.

It's rich coming from McGuire - just do a search on Collingwood FC and racism. There was a famous incident in the past when Nicky Winmar, playing for St Kilda at Victoria Park, stood up to the abuse and pointed proudly to his skin colour. Most of you were probably in Blighty when Winmar, Michael Long and so on were being racially villified week in week out.



It's the easiest thing in the world for a gutless person to merge into a crowd and shout out what would get you arrested for on the street.

Beoz

A 13 year old girl. Ok. Sounds like you are bullying those who haven't been brought up with a broad mind at 13 years of age. Sounds pretty gutless to me.

cresta57

Is it not possible to just dislike the bloke? I dislike several players in the NRL some of whom are booed vigorously whenever they grace the field at Lang Park. I dislike their playing style as do countless others.
Goodes has IMO made a rod for his own back now by taking time out simply because the opposing supporters are booing him. By now every follower of the AFL code will be aware that the booing affects him mentally, that's like a red rag to a bull. If you can help your team by upsetting an opposition player by merely booing him it's open season for one & all, nothing to do with the colour of his skin, everything to do with giving your team the upper hand.
I don't follow AFL & the first time I heard of him [Goodes] was when he had that 13 yr old girl ejected from the ground. Then later he won AOTY & did his little rant. Both times he made front page headlines or I'd never have known who he was.
Beoz is right:
Paul Gallen is booed every time he gets the ball at Origin time, if he took a week off because it hurt his feelings he'd be told to harden up. While he & I both mention Gallen: He was booed consistently at the season opening Indigenous All Stars V NRL All Stars. That doesn't count though because it was [mainly] an Indigenous crowd booing him. Is that not racism? No! it's that indigenous supporters think Gallen is a knob as well.

JoeBloggs80

There are obviously racial undertones to the whole affair. Waleed Aly, as he often does, put it best:

JoeBloggs80

Stupid comparison. Gallen deliberately winds up the QLDers and thrives on the abuse he gets back.