Tag: culture

Nepotism and Old Boys Clubs Dominate Aussie Sport.

The appointment of Graham Arnold was the clear indicator that nepotism rules in Australian sport.

Out of the 4 codes of Football only Rugby appointed a female as CEO while the others are circulating the boys club CEO badge appointments between them..

Why is it we think our way is the best way and deny our athletes and country experience from international professionals?

Are we scared they might do it better or is it these possible imports have more experience than the administration of the sports and they feel challenged, or are we as a nation so paranoid about our secret culture that only we are blessed with..

Yes we have national pride in our veins but that pride does not equal professional knowledge.

No code or sport in Australia can compare themselves with management structures as we see in European Football and granted we do not have the crowds or sponsors equaling that income generated but surely that expertise is something we must capture if we are to keep up with world benchmarks.

Australian sport must stop believing its own press.

We are performing in Womens Football (Matilda’s), 7’s Rugby men and women because international exposure creates totally different mindsets than domestic competitions. The other codes have stagnated playing the same teams year in year out, no promotions or relegation keeping the status quo.

It’s a core responsibility to any Management structure to put the Business ahead of self preservation and that takes character and sporting management is no different, so let’s not insulate our athletes or potential CEO’s from ideas that may not sit well with the Old Boys/Old Girls Clubs.

Double Standard Applies in Barnaby Reports.

I’m struggling trying to get to truth accompanied some logic.

At the start of 2018 our nation was dragged through the ringer with the Gay Marriage referendum with the sanctity of marriage being aspoused buy the religious sector, how vital it was our society and beliefs and the damage that would happen if same sex was permitted wedlock.

Enter this Barnaby balloon and all of a sudden the same people are saying that sanctity is not all that important, as it’s just happens it’s one of their most outspoken supporters have a affair outside the sanctity.

Yes the double standard applies depending on who is playing the power game.

Playing private life vs public life cards have conveniently been played by the same people who attacked Gillards partner, her bathroom , her barrenness, and a royal commission, not discounting the burning the bitch by these great keepers of our moral standards.

Yes it’s all politics, but what about ethics, does that get a shirt.?

Like America we are being dumbed down by constant deceit and spin and transparency and truth are the casualties if we choose not to question or challenge.

That was the job of the media but that too failed as it knew of the Banarby deception months ago and sat on it even through a bi election, so is that corrupt or if it was Gillard would they have been so quiet?

Answer NO.

I live in hope that thing called journalistic ethics apply where truthfulness, accuracy,objectively, and impartiality is reborn or maybe I’m just dreaming.

Shipyard/Yungabar Culture needed Australia Day and Beyond. 

As a starry eyed 15 year old apprentice in the 60’s I learnt how important it was to get on with migrants so we could get the job done.Evens Deakin shipyard was a stones throw from Yungabar hostel, the gateway for the future of thousands worldwide who’s first job was at the Yard as tradesmen, iron workers, dockers all thrown together and supported by the trade unions to ensure they weren’t ripped off.

That culture has stayed with me to this day, accepting and learning from people from all walks, religions, culture, which later was called multiculturalism. 

Today however politicians see gain in divide for self preservation. The media take the easy way report the spiel and not question the motive which in time adds up to toxic battle lines being drawn by extreme groups making their own properganda made easy by social media platforms.

Sadly now the media has now been segregated into factions of right and left so where do the people go to get the unbiased balanced truth to make up our own minds? It should be our ABC but politics again is blackmailing that, in the name of “efficiency” by cutting funding to areas that compete with outlets that support the government. 

The slogan “We will tell you what we think you need to know” is dangerous to democracy and has exasabated the racial debate not necessarily by unbiased journalists but slant required to appease owners. 

With Australia Day pending I hope we see a responsible media, that accepts their are differences of opinion, yet rises above ignorance and hate and does it bit to educate as we did as part of our normal days work with the New Australians from Yungabar. 

Postecoglou’s White Ant Problem.

The uncertainty around Ange Postecoglou’s status with Socceroo campaign has been created by media speculation combined with a concerted effort to white ant his position by commentators who see themselves as lords based on their own self promotion.History of past coaches be it imported or in Ange’s case local the self appointed brains trust are fine when they see themselves in the inner circle of Australian football but when the coach moves to close the dressing room door the friendship sours as it has today. 

Postecoglou’s effort in bringing players worldwide home plus the restructuring the game locally has been outstanding and while the A league has seen marked improvement in his time the simple fact is we do not have the depth to compete at the worlds highest level “yet”. Our game is growing fast and our biggest hurdle is avoiding the nepotistic view and embrace overseas coaches and managers to expand our education across all levels.

We can’t compare or compete with the wealth of club sides like Bayern Munchen or Real Madrid but we can steal their ideas and thinking we have all the answers here doing it our way is ludicrous, so when the CEO Gallops statement of Australia first for coaching replacement when it becomes vacant is less than visionary for the games future. 

I am not advocating European takeover of Australian football but our football culture must reflect that of the top nations if we are to rise to that level. That means the media commentary has some growing up to do and leave the boys club culture of the older we get the better we were off our TV screens

Australian Rugby in self  inflicted Freefall 

I suppose I look at things a little different from the rest but my football career was based on performance. You performed you got payed, you didn’t you got the sack or on the transfer list.Apparently in Rugby Union that policy does not exist, especially in the coaching position.

You can send a nation into free fall down the rankings list and still hold your job, yet the previous coach was dismissed for micro managing a side and maintaining discipline while its world ranking stayed respectable.

Obviously the brains trust was in favour of the opposite, allowed the has beens in and we are all suffering the embarrassment. 

This is not a player issue, this is a cultural issue that needs to be irradicated if we want the Wallabies back on the world stage. 

Yes, as under Mackenzie the Fox Sports commentators should not be part of the selection process, and that in itself will make it hard for any one outside the “club” to get support especially if there is not a Australian coach selected. 

Like Western Australia Force if your not on the Eastern Seaboard below Queensland you are a parasite that has to be endured by the rugby blue bloods. 

Well the blue bloods have sent rugby to its knees, transformed the national anthem singing crowds to a karaoke night out with suits behind the desks in blue suits telling each other how good they were. Sickening stuff to the loyal fan who’s team has been hijacked by a mob that can’t even manage a shave let alone a professional unit fitting national status. 

The players deserve better, the supporters deserve better, so rugby should follow footballs code, advertise for a world class coach who can pick his own managment team and let him go for 3 years minimum. 

What to do with the karaoke team on Fox? Not much really, just appreciate the older they get the better they were and keep the old tunes replaying while they tell jokes and laugh at them themselves. 

  

When will America Stand Up Australians ask? 

Remember Today, it’s a Elvis, John Lennon, JFK, moment.I woke up to hear the President of the United States, the leader of the free world give the Nazi’s a free pass, justification for demanding white America .

I’m bloody Australian,my roots are from all over the world, I grew up post WW2 in Australia, I learnt from a history book of experience working in a shipyard at 15 with immigrants from all over the world living about a mile from the shipyard at Yungabar hostel, their first landing place in our country.

I learnt from the victims of Hitler directly. I saw the hope of a new life, something I took as granted and often shared that hope with them when they left the yard and took up jobs and professions they had done before invasion.

So when I see groups anywhere in the world mimicking the Nazi movement I cringe,even more when I see a world leader treating them as equal to any dissenting group, justifying their actions. 

Trump owes them and other extreme groups for his election and after today is quite clear they called in the debt, and Trump responded in his true colours.

Any we can waffle on with our opinions from a far land but it’s up to Americans to get off their arses and get rid of him or he will drive their country into another Civil War as after today he has justified rasism, bigotry, murder, street violence as a 2way street. 

They call him Mr President. That title should be withdrawn by the media and the people as respect for those who have gone before. 

But do they have the guts to do it or will the procrastination continue?

Someone has to stand up America, is that person you?

The world awaits. 

America’s Train Crash in Progress. 

I’m not American. Probably I should thank someone other than God because I would be hypocritical. In any case we, the rest of the world are watching a America slowly slipping into a self inflicted coma of society decay. 

They said when Trump was elected it was a rebellion against the establishment. 

As time goes on we seeing the social fabric not the establishment being dismantled. 

What’s right, what’s wrong does not seem to matter, it’s the end justifying the means, the business outcome, money, White America first then comes selective vetting of the rest of the population based on social status.

People who have suppressed racial hate have now been encouraged by Trump Talk to act in the name of Nationalism to attack anything that does not meet their criteria of who is really American. 

History reminds us this was the way the Nazi regime commenced with segregation followed by purification of what it was to be German. They had a leader that controlled the media, wrote his own media (properganda), denouncing any people with views outside government as traitors or enemy of the state. 

His followers fanatical, his inner circle hand picked, ruled by a iron fist with the threat of death if they strayed their thinking. 

I cannot help drawing comparisons if you look at Hitler structure to the way Trump is slowly expanding the American social split where if your not right wing or extreme right wing your a socialist which then is regarded as a enemy of the state.

History records Rome went from the world centre to a burning hulk, not overnight but just kept burning internally until it fell. The fire was accelerated when the Trump was elected, and now the world is witnessing the inevitable train crash. 

I hope my country is not on that train. 

Ageless Jukebox just keeps on giving. 

We arrived at the venue not knowing who was invited, nothing about the couples family but certain we were blessed to be invited and the friendship shared.As time passed our circle grew with people we knew and interaction grew as the alcohol kicked in but the pods of the inner circle of family remained in their respective spaces passing fleeting conversation over tables and visits to the hot box for finger food. 

As the jukebox churned out the default music the function was in danger of sliding into a frozen state until one of our rowdy lot at our table hit the menu button then volume button and then the atmosphere cleared.

Initially the crusty old farts faces squirmed and the customary whines of turn it down Erupted across the room but was not endorsed by the majority who seemed to be playing the wait and see approach.

With minor adjustments the volume was maintained as we moved into party games with teams mixing the participants as the table boundaries were broken.

That was the catalyst to change gear as intermingling and banter at and about the young hosts history. Personal exploits and habits exposed made great script as the players shared each other’s experiences with the couple socially and professionally.

As that phase was completed the amalgamation of the audiences was cemented with the return of the volume button cranking out the hits of ages, igniting the memories of the young and old on makeshift dance floors between tables and chairs.

The night was alight, people sang, danced, shouted and laughed loudly with total abandon, like we did when young.

Conditions did apply though, strict conditions, conditions that totally banned Facebook applied. 

How ironical and sad is that request when people’s privacy request needs to be made?

Anyway As expected they poured me down the steps, into the car and off to bed waking this morning decidedly slow with new hip and lung capacity ringing protest but what a night to remember. 

My best mate and me dancing like teenagers at 66 and 70 as the Jukebox pounded, the absolute unconditional devotion the engaged couple radiated. All simple and so important 

So thanks Old Jukebox for just being you.. 

Queen Cow Culture inside the LPGA alive and well. 

When women’s sports are slowly but surely making way in the world of testosterone and stubble beards who on earth the would want to draw attention to themselves and try and regulate the way athletes present themselves on a golf course?The LPGA would. What were they thinking? 

Firstly who complained about it for a start? 

It wasn’t the viewing public Or the people who pay the entry Or the people who buy the merchandise Or support the sponsors that’s for sure. 

Taking them out it, the life blood of the industry, it could only have been that Fashion Police, who I might add has its operatives in every golf club that has ever existed. 

Made up mainly elder elitist gentry, mostly self appointed, ensuring all standards according to them are kept to what it was when they were alive,and young, when they too were beaten around the head by the same police squad. 

When golf clubs all over the world are trying to reinvent themselves to attract youth and their futures this band to cronies decide turn out of the time tunnel and haven’t realised this is 2017 not 1917.

This culture unfortunately is really a power game that exists amongst many women’s sports I have found and sadly based on keeping the youth in their place physically and mentally, and then the same people concede the youth don’t stay!! 

I wonder why? 

And by the way it’s not only youth that gets ticked off, older new players have to learn their place too in this toxic atmosphere. Discovering the Queen Cow and who is who’s faction and who claims you first. 

No it hasn’t changed much and nor will it endless we realise that limited 3 year terms then resignation then a pre designated holiday away from officialdom should apply as power bases become too entrenched. 

Anyway as a old Coach of women’s football all I can say is their dedication to the technique, fitness, and personal discipline far out classed the stubble bearded show ponies and that observation still exists in all women’s sport I watch today. 

Keep it up girls… Your looking great. 

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