Couch Sitters
There was a study done recently that revealed that 20% of women avoided sport because of their breasts. Coincidentally, 100% of men gave the same reason for watching womens’ sport.
I guess we can’t get far this week without the mentioning the elephant in the room, or the boofhead in the dunnies.
Todd Carney 1 vs Common Sense 0
There is a crisis in Iraq. ISIS have proclaimed the establishment of a caliphate across Syria and Iraq, which experts have said “could signal the birth of a new era in transnational jihadism” and “the most significant development in international jihadism since 9/11”. In Australia (or Sydney at least) all the attention is on a brainless man-child trying to wee into his own mouth.
When Carney joined Cronulla in 2012 after his sacking from the Roosters, which came 3 years after his sacking from the Raiders, the Daily Telegraph published a map of all the Sutherland Shire nightspots that could spell the end to Todd Carney’s career. Northies probably had the shortest odds.
It started out well with Carney at the Sharks; enjoying the fact that the Sharks didn’t put restrictions on him and treated him like an adult. It’s just a pity that Carney was unable to behave like one.
As the photo did the rounds, on Twitter on Saturday night/Sunday morning and when it was confirmed that the Sharks had torn up the remainder of his $650k a season contract, it was pundemonium:
- who “leaked” the photo
- it would leave a bad taste in the mouth
- Carney’s career has been “flushed”
- Sharks over-reacted. It was just a piddling matter
- it was either that or Fosters
- Bear Grylls can do it, why not Todd ?
There are those that are claiming that Carney has been harshly dealt with and the punishment doesn’t fit the crime. No laws were broken, other than the law of common decency, and the only person in position to be hurt was Carney himself. But part of being a highly paid employee in an entertainment business being an ambassador for the club and representing the club in a positive light off the field is almost as important as the ability to throw a face ball putting a runner into a gap on the field.
The take home message for the kids, is don’t try to wee into your own mouth. But if you really must, then don’t get photographed attempting it. To me, the saddest thing about the episode is that there is a name (“bubbling”) for this behaviour…
Now that Carney has been given the boot, there are those emerging from the woodwork happy to advise after the fact that they knew Carney’s behaviour had fallen off the rails and this kind of thing was just a matter of time. Perhaps this is what Gallen was alluding to with his comments that players weren’t being professional and thought they could get away with stuff under the substitute teacher (provisional coach).
You can just imagine the cheering and back slapping when the graphics department at the Daily Telegraph found this unfortunate photo of suspended Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan to go in one of their many Carney stories:
Hmm, slightly fruity aroma… sharp on the palate…. is it wee-wee ?
Carney’s Manager has claimed that it was a staged shot, like those constructed at famous landmarks like the Leaning Tower of Pisa etc, that no urine was imbibed (well that makes it ok then!), it was a joke between friends and he didn’t know a photo had been taken, never meant to get into the public arena, but did due to a lost phone.
Perhaps we’ll never know the truth of the matter but Todd certainly needs new friends and the infamous photo must surely now be known as the “Leaning Tower of Piss”.
My final word on the matter – Carney went to spend a penny, and it ended up costing him 3 million dollars.
NRL Round 16 Wrap
Manly 24 vs Easts 16
The Grand Final re-match is always one of the most anticipated games and this matchup is turning into one of the most fiercely contested in recent times and turning into a great rivalry. Easts won all 4 meetings last year including the Grand Final, while Manly have now won both meetings this year and looks like a pretty sure thing that they’ll play again at least one more time if they continue with the same form.
Lack of discipline again haunted the Roosters as they gave away 7 first half penalties, many of which came as Manly were trying to get out of their half.
The bitter and twister Geoff Toovey still couldn’t be happy, having a go at the refs for missing some alleged forward passes in Roosters tries.
Brisbane 22 vs Cronulla Wobbegongs 24
Cronulla have a terrible overall record in Brisbane winning only 3 of 14 against the Broncos North of the border, but they have won the last two. That record seemed unlikely to help them given their recent form.
Jack Gibson said that waiting for Cronulla to win the Premiership was like leaving the porch light on for Harold Holt. Fans this year just want them to score a point.
The sorry stats have been well documented. Cronulla went scoreless for over 5 hours of football and conceded 108 points before they were able to put points on the board themselves.
The commentary bordered on the condescending as Ray Hadley and Wally Lewis suggested refereeing decisions in their favour were made to “give them a chance” and going over the top with praise when they managed to do something right and force a line drop out.
But then when they broke the drought and started to score, they couldn’t stop. 0 points in 320 minutes, then 24 points in 20 minutes as the Broncos slowed not to a canter or even a trot, but to that funny sideways walking they do in dressage.
Even when the Sharks win this year they end up punching themselves in the face, or in this case, urinating into their own face. What should have been a good weekend after a pressure relieving win, turned into a another chapter of woe ending in the Sharks having to cancel training on Monday to cope with the splashback from Carney’s sacking.
Wests 19 vs Canberra 18
All eyes going into this game were on James Tedesco facing the club he turned his back on after signing a reported 800K a season contract.
Back in Round 3 I wrote:
“For those clubs chasing the signature of James Tedesco, let the buyer beware. Following his unfortunate debut, in which he tore up his knee and missed the entire 2012 season, I’ve lost count of the number of times he’s stayed down injured clutching his legs – including this game where he was forced off with an ankle injury.
I hope I am wrong, and we won’t put him in the Lachlan Coote category just yet, but there’s already the expectation that it’s just a matter of time before he suffers another serious injury.”
The football gods’ eyes were certainly on the game and the karmic uppercut arrived swiftly as Tedesco lasted all of 15 seconds after chasing the opening kick off, clashing knees and fracturing his kneecap. He is now out for an extended length of time, possibly the season… Don’t mess with the football gods!
Robbie Farah has never lost to the Raiders and the Tigers have won 9 of the last 10 meetings between the clubs. The Raiders had a great opportunity to break those streaks as the Tigers suffered injury after injury throughout the game and were forced to finish the game with an empty bench and injured players on the field forced to continue.
With the scores level at 18 all, Terry Campese missed a field goal to take the lead from the simplest of positions, 15 metres out in front of the posts, then after Braith Anasta ‘s last grasp at relevance by making a field goal, Jarrod Croker lined up a penalty shot at goal to win the game.
It was a scenario quite similar to one that faced him 4 years ago in a semi final with the Raiders hosting the Tigers where he had a shot at goal to level the scores after the final whistle.
He missed then and he missed here, dropping the Raiders into a tie for last.
North Queensland 20 vs Souths 18
The Cowboys continued their Jekyll and Hyde home and away form, unable to beat anyone all year away from Townsville including cellar dwellers Canberra and Newcastle, yet have beaten the Storm, Broncos, Roosters and now the Rabbits in the safety of 1300 Smiles Stadium.
New Zealand 30 vs Penrith 20
Prior to this round the Warriors had not finished a round inside the Top 8 since Round 18 in 2012, the only team not to enter the Top 8 for the entire 2013 season.
The Warriors broke that streak by breaking the 5 match winning streak of the Panthers and putting one over ex-coach Ivan Cleary and currently in 8th spot.
The Warriors will be hoping their most recent visit to the Top 8 lasts longer than last time. After Round 18 in 2012 the Warriors lost the next 8 games of the season on the trot.
Parramatta 10 vs Newcastle 16
Also breaking streaks this week were the Eels losing their first game at Parramatta Stadium of the year to the Newcastle Knights, wearing those uniforms they stole from the GWS Giants, who managed to win their 2nd game in a row for the first time this season.
The Knights first try came when the Eels Ryan Morgan, trying to defuse a defensive bomb, fumbled the ball directly to Joey Leilua who only had to run 2 metres to score the try. The Knights second try came when the same Ryan Morgan attempted to take an attacking bomb, but fumbled it directly to Darrius Boyd who ran 90 metres to score the try.
St George-Illawarra 24 vs Melbourne 12
Dragons have a terrible record against the Storm, but they have won the last three matches played in Sydney. When these teams met earlier in the season on Monday night in Melbourne, the Storm escaped with the win amidst controversy, scoring after fulltime should have been blown.
No such controversy this time as the Dragons took an early 10-0 lead and managed to hold on despite Billy Slater scoring a now customary try to pass ET on the all-time try scoring.
For Dragons’ fans it’s a toss-up between what is sweeter – beating Melbourne or beating Cronulla, so having done both this year makes it a successful season.
That’s how I saw it from the Couch, let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
Regards
@Armchair_Guru