Tag: womens sport

America Fails Female Equality Test. L.F.G.

While biding time pre the Matilda v USA Women match we decided to watch a documentary called L.F.G. On the claim for equal pay for American World Champions.

Let’s be totally upfront here, I’m not a America fan, probably instilled by my forefathers view on their involvement in both world wars and their performances since, BUT after seeing this film my opinion of their culture has sunk to a all time low.

The Matilda’s had to fight hard to achieve parity in and as a former trade unionist I wholly appreciate any battle for equality and in sure the majority of Australian people agree, however I never thought women could be regarded as inferior in not only skills but in their physical and mental makeup and that argument used in American court of law.

For that to happen and tolerated their has to be some flaw in not the female anatomy but the entire system of which these people live by and accepted as “normal and acceptable”.

No doubt it’s a total misogynistic system which only exists is for monetary gain which is the Great American Dream of individual capitalism till you reach a level of corporate capitalism and everything else, ethics and compassion, is collateral damage.

This example of the simple rights of a group of women who have outperformed their male counterparts at every single level of the sport yet get about a third reimbursement if their lucky, while the men are flat out finding their way out of the dressing sheds come the big gig ,World Cup time.

It sickens me and my wife that the men all men who are involved in sport can think this is “normal” in America and not have the guts to stand up.

What a pathetic race! “Big toys and little balls,thats the yanks”, was the saying and nothing has changed since 40’s apparently.

I understand the Law system is peculiar to America, yep I understand that. Where child marriage is still tolerated and practiced and accepted as normal says a lot for that system where you can justify anything as long as you have money to buy the outcome you desire without any boundaries or decency or human rights.

Where a political and human rights system has not evolved since settlement so as not to upset the wealthy and corporate moguls and none on either side of the isle having the guts to change even though their society is burning down around them.

So what chance has these strong women got for what is regarded as normal in any civilised society? My guess little without international pressure.

International pressure that would see their federations sanctioned by FIFA nations, cutting their subsidies, releasing their female players from international restraints on who they represent and USA citizenship no longer a currency in a players right to earn a living and right of recall.

We cannot as a football family allow inequality and when it’s exposed it must be acted on. We cannot allow the current thousands of young girls who are as passionate as us be treated as inferior in that environment and we all can play a part by boycotting the companies that support the managements that fail in their duty and support equality in the Women’s Game all over the world, not only America.

The game is bigger that the men with the small balls,and the fathers who accept their youngster is inferior in any way and do absolutely nothing.

LFG means (Let’s Fucken GO!)

In the Know, You Got the Dough from Scotty from Marketing.

Over my time involved in the Not For Profit (NFP) organisation’s I am well aware of the pains and hoops the members and supporters have to do to get support from either Federal or State governments and no doubt it helps to have support from your elected member but once that process is completed we all expect each and every application to be judged on equal merit because politics and sport should not be mixed.

That was the case until of late when Scotty from Marketing come on the scene with his slogans, but unfortunately like all things they have a expiry date.

You know “Have a Go the Get a Go” now has morphed in this case to “If you in the Know you get the Dough” and I could go on but really my issue is about all the little clubs who need basics like sprinklers, disability handrails, general repairs small ticket items to help the little organisations who are struggling to survive overlooked and funds given to organisations with massive turnovers or high end exclusive paying memberships taking 6 figure sums out of the pool.

I have no doubt those funds will be used legally but those exact funds spread lightly across the entire spectrum would have a better impact.

Sorry if that sounds to some like a Socialist point of view but if I was a elected member I would rather all my constituents had a bit that only the selected got all, but like all political landscapes there are winners and looses, and its always the little people who loose.

To me if their was ever a case for a Federal ICAC this is it. Australians love sport and fair play, and this is not within our code of sporting ethics and to those who repeat consistently the Sandpit Response of “They All Do It” is a cop out if we want our kids regardless of demographic be given a fair go regardless of who is in government.

It’s All about the $$$ in the Falou case.

I’ve watched, listened, and tried to digest this Falou shenanigans go backward and forwards with little or no retreat from whatever side you choose to hang your allegiance.

Not carrying any religious allegiance other than to the human race I choose to look at the facts from the start and ask the questions, however hard they may be.

Firstly, does a person have the right to follow his or hers own beliefs? Answer Yes.

Does a person have the right to impose those beliefs on any other person ? Answer No.

Religion is a choice a individual makes, nothing more as is the choice to not follow a religious tribe, so judging a person by his or hers decision or point of view is dependant of what tribe you follow or don’t is a bias exercise regardless.

Who’s right and who’s wrong is the story of mankind, but religions do not have a mortgage on being human and believing in the rights and wrongs of hurting each other be with words or actions.

Falou hurt people with words, that’s wrong, full stop. I can’t stand outside a place of worship in the public domain and accuse people of wrong doing because of their belief or sexuality I would get arrested for persecution among other things.

The fact he was warned and then breached that warning cannot be covered up by justifying lack of free speech.. He knew exactly what the repercussions would be so he pressed the boundary and then he played the sympathy vote.

It cannot go unsaid that some still will not accept the Yes Vote in the referendum, and that’s their choice, but I cannot see why a millionaire should be publicly funded by a tax free charity with public funds when I thought a non for profit organisation role was to help the less fortunate. Those donations will also be a tax rebate, so is this entire exercise all about money right from the start?

Sporting Costs disqualify Struggle Street.

At a kid in the 60’s in a war service /housing camp area kids had to make their own entertainment but when the word got around the local Football Club ( Wog Ball as it was known then ) were looking for players a few of us fronted up with absolutely nothing and the rest is history.

After reading the costs involved in the QT report I wonder who will look after those kids from real struggle street who’s parents are the living poor. The odds are those kids will be the problems of the future and never given a chance.

We all know sport is better than any lecture to teach the real lessons of life. Respect, humility, integrity and it goes on and it’s not always parents that can be trusted to impart those standards, so are we as a society prepared to accept those who are priced out in childhood will become tomorrow’s problem generations?

Sport and it’s infrastructure particularly in the lower demographic should be critical, and maybe across the board should be regarded as essential service or we can to play the risk management game and hope the pluses outweigh the minuses?

I appreciate all the government grants to existing and emerging organisations but looking at the data in the qt report sport should never be for the have and the have nots, it is the best classroom in the world regardless of how rich or poor your country is and that applies to parents as well.

Referees Blamed for Government Incompetence.

Dannielle Fords “Cutting Umpires Slack” article (See Below) should be read and digested by not only the arm chair warriors but the men behind the microphones and front the cameras and the scribes who present themselves as keepers of all knowledge on sport.

Anyone who has refereed sport experiences critical analysis for decisions that occur within tenths of a second and now we see the media gaggle question the Video Assist because it exposes infringements too well or or takes too long.

The VAR systems is accepted as the normal in European sport and unfortunately we Australians are yet to embrace it as this nations downgraded NBN speeds delays swift decision.

For instance in Bundesliga the centre in Cologne can monitor up to 5 matches at one once and have a decision expectation via 19-21 cameras on each ground within 26 seconds unless a on field intervention is required., Australia one per ground at snail mail speed., so when the squarkers in suits whinge they should be asking the question why do we in Australia are incapable of delivering the technology accepted as the norm overseas.

This is a classic example of when near enough is not good enough and our politicians felt our 55th place in the world in internet speed was acceptable for them I assure them running 55th when our sporting standards is effected just doesn’t cut it with the masses.

Osaka Trumps Williams Stunt.

Cartoonists are supposed to reflect thoughts and reflections of events with a touch of candid humour so sometimes can see a different perspectives so I can understand why some are upset by the Williams imaging particularly in America. I understand comparison with a historical cartooning would make Mark Knights depiction could upset however I do not think it was intentional to be race related but it was, now that angle is spinning worldwide.

After watching the event I believe Williams knew she was in trouble and wanted to cause a incident to take the momentum away from Osaka and when the wick was lit she made a calculated move and it came undone. She lost full stop.

Yes it well known women in tennis are regarded as the inferior side and that’s unjust but rules are rules and you can’t play the gender card during a match unless you know your outclassed and then your point can be made on the world stage.

The real sad thing is Williams stole Osaka’s moment to prove her point, supported by the worlds most ignorant crowds in regards to etiquette and ethics, a habitual occurrence in all international events hosted in America.

I fully support all aspects of Women’s equality be in on and off the sporting field but destroying a persons highest achievement to increase ones profile or cause would not be the way most fair minded Australian people would accept.

Emotion Overrides Player Welfare.

The weight of winning on possible the worlds biggest stage outside the Olympic Games and the World Cup , those of us who watched the UEFA Final witnessed a series of incidents where a professional sportsman just had a bad night and a night that will be career defining in not only in his profession but within his ability to ever reach the mental capacity to regain enough confidence to even set foot back in his goal ever again..

For those who have or had any involvement in Football know the codes expectations, and rewards at the highest level and although it’s a team game each and every person from the kit washer to the goal scorer has a role to play if the club is to be successful., and the fans play a vital part in keeping that dream of success.

Sadly though on the final whistle the keeper was left alone by his teammates and club staff and only when the opposition Real Madrid’s staff attended him did the Liverpool’s staff finally arrive.

In a world where every players health and well-being is paramount this was a lesson of how emotions can override responsibility, that lesson that should ring around every single dressing shed and boardroom in the world at every level the game is played..

The glory of winning as a team is great but last for a short time, but the mark of a great team and club is how it looses together without recriminations.

Southern Stars now carry Australia’s Cricket Benchmark.

In sure every sportsperson in Australia has made its decision on the Australian Men’s Cricket team disgrace but with the tv and sponsorship deals in under way I am very concerned about those repercussions .

The men’s team behaviour has been overlooked and even sanctioned by the Cricket hierarchy and the media for years for the sake of the glory of winning and rewarding them with massive pay increases while our Women’s team has held our nations reputation at the highest level and treated as second class.

When the hammer falls and funds distributed the women’s game share should be considerably increased to a point equal to present men’s and all shortfalls should come from the men’s allocation.

The women’s benchmarks are what we expect in behaviour, dedication, skill, and ethics throughout its inception and if performance based salaries and performance are a factor no one can dispute the Southern Stars should be the Nations cultural cricket benchmark for the game.

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.

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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