Such Is Life

[Dr. Mubutu 824]

To some degree, he'd probably be honoured that a few of the underworld figures wanted to get involved in his life. I'm pretty sure that if a Mick Gatteau wanted to meet me for a coffee I'd go, most in here would be the same.

Jeez, I'd go, but not because I was honoured he'd talk to me!

[ox_5 163]

I know they are trying not to glorify drugs. But I want to know why he did it? What made him keep going? What he felt like before and while getting high. Did he ever think he shouldn't be doing this? None of these answers yet. Just the usual. Drugs are bad, [censored].

I think a couple of your questions were answered last night and will be further answered tonight. The questions you raise about why he did it and what made him keep doing it were definitely answered last night.

[H_T 3,043]

I think a couple of your questions were answered last night and will be further answered tonight. The questions you raise about why he did it and what made him keep doing it were definitely answered last night.

Absolutely.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

For a young guy that had the world at his feet at such a young age, you can see how easy it was for him to get caught up in the circles he did. To some degree, he'd probably be honoured that a few of the underworld figures wanted to get involved in his life. I'm pretty sure that if a Mick Gatteau wanted to meet me for a coffee I'd go, most in here would be the same. No doubt they were offering the playboy lifestyle that a lot of us dreamt about - hot girls, fast cars, pretty much being bullet-proof, endless amounts of cash, etc, unfortuantely that life comes at a cost.

Ask the Morans (that are left) and Chaouks about the cost.

There is little honour amongst thieves.

I thought there was little revealing about Cousins last night that had not been strongly rumoured for years. He was not the only one involved.

I guess the cokeumentary satisfies the viewing public fascination with blokes that go off the rails. Three years ago he was the centre of a circus. Now he is cashing in on it for his retirement. I wonder if there will be a book and sound track.

[H_T 3,043]

I guess the cokeumentary satisfies the viewing public fascination with blokes that go off the rails. Three years ago he was the centre of a circus. Now he is cashing in on it for his retirement. I wonder if there will be a book and sound track.

Underbelly part IV ?

[The Chazz 4,077]

Ask the Morans (that are left) and Chaouks about the cost.

There is little honour amongst thieves.

I thought there was little revealing about Cousins last night that had not been strongly rumoured for years. He was not the only one involved.

I guess the cokeumentary satisfies the viewing public fascination with blokes that go off the rails. Three years ago he was the centre of a circus. Now he is cashing in on it for his retirement. I wonder if there will be a book and sound track.

I probably used an incorrect word when I said "honoured". Maybe a more suitable word would be "intrigued".

That said, Ben looked pretty stoked to be hanging around such figures, so maybe he did feel honured to be involved in that group.

Edit - the last sentence.

Edited August 26, 2010 by billy2803

[Fork 'em 6,981]

I remember a few us talking to some girls at a club, and we asked them what there was to do around Perth and they said straightfaced "Do drugs or have sex. That's about it."

I know it says a bit about how classy they were, but it summed it up for me. Seemed to be the attitude of everyone we bumped into over that week.

Must get over there. B)

[jayceebee31 759]

No more common in WA than anywhere else

That's because only half of it has aired, he still uses in the 2nd half before becoming clean. So I would imagine he was a fair way away from learning anything.

Still would be learning.

Agree- let's watch part 2 before we irrationally state things.

[jayceebee31 759]

Ask the Morans (that are left) and Chaouks about the cost.

There is little honour amongst thieves.

I thought there was little revealing about Cousins last night that had not been strongly rumoured for years. He was not the only one involved.

I guess the cokeumentary satisfies the viewing public fascination with blokes that go off the rails. Three years ago he was the centre of a circus. Now he is cashing in on it for his retirement. I wonder if there will be a book and sound track.

Well he is in the right stable for a sound track or record -Mushroom records...

Edited August 26, 2010 by jayceebee31

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Underbelly part IV ?

Yup. Sort of.

I probably used an incorrect word when I said "honoured". Maybe a more suitable word would be "intrigued".

That said, Ben looked pretty stoked to be hanging around such figures, so maybe he did feel honured to be involved in that group.

Edit - the last sentence.

No worries.

Ben has a habit of hanging around the wrong people. I remember him saying years ago that Chris Mainwaring was a mentor to him. I thought ...oh dear.

[iv'a worn smith 1,979]

Latest News on a Police Raid in Perth:

Police Raid in Rockingham, Western Australia

Police just announced the discovery of an arms cache of 200 semi automatic rifles with 250,000 rounds of ammunition, 10 anti-tank missiles, 4 grenade launchers, 2 tonnes of heroin, $5 million in forged Australian banknotes and 25 trafficked Filipino prostitutes all in a Housing Commission house behind the Public Library.

Local residents were stunned.

A community spokesman said: "We're shocked. We never knew we had a Library!!"

[True GRITs 0]

I guess the cokeumentary satisfies the viewing public fascination with blokes that go off the rails. Three years ago he was the centre of a circus. Now he is cashing in on it for his retirement. I wonder if there will be a book and sound track.

I tend to disagree, Rhino.

I'm not sure Ben really has anything to gain from rehashing his past struggles in the public eye even if there is some financial reward in it.

In fact, it would seem to be an enormous risk at this stage in his recovery given the intense media scrutiny it's attracting. It would be difficult enough for him to deal with his addiction without this added attention, particularly as it could have a destabilising effect and cause him to relapse.

Also, what does he have to gain by bringing the events of his past back to the forefront of everyone's minds? He's come such a long way in the past two years to regain the respect that he lost during the height of his addiction.

I think it's respectable that Ben is putting his drug use out there for all to see if for no other reason than,, he's challenging the stereotypes that have long been associated with drug use. He's shown that, even if you think you're in control of your drug use, you're not - it can come crashing down around you at any minute.

I truly saw him in a different light last night...

[Keyser Söze 0]

I see what Ben Cousins is trying to do... but I think he is failing, sadly.

[flog 20]

Ben has a habit of hanging around the wrong people. I remember him saying years ago that Chris Mainwaring was a mentor to him. I thought ...oh dear.

What do you mean the wrong people? You don’t know Chris, nor do you know Ben. You have made assumptions based on media beat ups, the same media you just criticised for making the so called cokeumentary. Chris may have had his issues but he is not a criminal. We do know he was a sensational footballer and in that respect a great mentor. Not everyone lives a squeaky clean life but this in know way means they should be avoided.

I thought the doco was good but as P-man said earlier it would have been good to see the lows. We sore a lot of Ben high and the bathroom scene was confronting but nothing of Ben two or three days after coming down. Hopefully tonight that side may be further explored.

[Keyser Söze 0]

What do you mean the wrong people? You don’t know Chris, nor do you know Ben. You have made assumptions based on media beat ups, the same media you just criticised for making the so called cokeumentary. Chris may have had his issues but he is not a criminal. We do know he was a sensational footballer and in that respect a great mentor. Not everyone lives a squeaky clean life but this in know way means they should be avoided.

I thought the doco was good but as P-man said earlier it would have been good to see the lows. We sore a lot of Ben high and the bathroom scene was confronting but nothing of Ben two or three days after coming down. Hopefully tonight that side may be further explored.

The wrong people as in the people that enabled his habit, rather than helping him to break it.

I'd say being around guys like Mainwaring was habit forming. The proof, unfortunately for chris, was in the pudding.

It's Ben's fault, but the culture around him exacerbated his problem more than it helped.

The fact CM may have been a "great bloke" aside.

(and if you want to get technical, drug possession is actually a crime, so he was...)

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

I tend to disagree, Rhino.

I'm not sure Ben really has anything to gain from rehashing his past struggles in the public eye even if there is some financial reward in it.

In fact, it would seem to be an enormous risk at this stage in his recovery given the intense media scrutiny it's attracting. It would be difficult enough for him to deal with his addiction without this added attention, particularly as it could have a destabilising effect and cause him to relapse.

Also, what does he have to gain by bringing the events of his past back to the forefront of everyone's minds? He's come such a long way in the past two years to regain the respect that he lost during the height of his addiction.

..........

I truly saw him in a different light last night...

He has been in the spotlight for the last 4 years. This is nothing different. He has battled with his addiction for years now. Given his situation, everyhing is a risk for him. This should have been one of the milder risks given how he has behaved.

I dont think Benny's past will ever escape given he has lived so much of it in the media. His name cant be mentioned without the murmur of "drugs".

He's a media commodity now and he's cashing in. This matter has been in planning for at least 3 years. Good luck to him. He has a lot of financial gain and public sympathy to chase. There is alot of self interest in it for him.

[daisycutter 29,596]

Latest News on a Police Raid in Perth:

Police Raid in Rockingham, Western Australia

Police just announced the discovery of an arms cache of 200 semi automatic rifles with 250,000 rounds of ammunition, 10 anti-tank missiles, 4 grenade launchers, 2 tonnes of heroin, $5 million in forged Australian banknotes and 25 trafficked Filipino prostitutes all in a Housing Commission house behind the Public Library.

Local residents were stunned.

A community spokesman said: "We're shocked. We never knew we had a Library!!"

haha, good one

[dee-luded 2,959]

Outstanding documentary IMO ...... both eye opening and scary. Very much looking forward to Part 2.

Damn, I got distracted last night & completely forgot about it, whilst doing other stuff. But I'll both watch & recored tonight.

[Sir Why You Little 36,892]

Wha

I thought the doco was good but as P-man said earlier it would have been good to see the lows. We sore a lot of Ben high and the bathroom scene was confronting but nothing of Ben two or three days after coming down. Hopefully tonight that side may be further explored.

Many of you are forgetting that the Documentary is only half over-we haven't seen the lows yet because he is still flying. The lows will be seen tonight in a big way.

Ben's journey really starts next monday after he has retired from Football. No longer will he have the training or the daily structure around him.

He has potentially a lot of free time if he is not careful. Having helped a few people detox over the years the journey is never over. Once an addict always an addict, at least BC is now aware of the fact he does have this problem.

Still early days.

[Carlos Danger 380]

I enjoyed it and was surprised at how well they put it all together. Kinda shocked to see him actually sucking away at the crack pipe and doing lines, but I do think it will discourage a whole lot more than it will encourage. Especially with seeing him completely messed up and continually twitching, that was an image worth more than a thousand words.

[Prof 15]

Please don't call this show a documentary. I trust tonight will be more analytical. The show was interesting but undoubtably glamourised the drug culture surrounding Ben Cousins. Ben was young, wealthy, good looking, fit and highly supported. Most of the key sub-plots were not developed. How did Ben's relationship with other WCE players change over the years? Did he influence other players to take drugs? What was the real relationship between BC and Chris Mainwaring? By the way, it's very easy to put your family through absolute hell then 10 or 15 years later state: 'Dad's my best mate.' I really feel sorry for Ben's parents.

[Jaded No More 68,835]

Ending was disappointing. It left us with nothing really.

I've always felt sorry for him, and even more so now. Here is someone who is virtually perfect in every way, but has nearly ruined himself because of his self destructive and compulsive behaviour. Drugs were his vice of choice, but really someone with his genetic makeup will always be at risk of doing things to a dangerous extreme. It helped his football enormously, but it destroyed every other aspect of his life.

Forget all the [censored] about this being an educational tool for kids, because it ain't. Put a kid in a room with a drug addict going through detox and they'll never touch drugs, but don't expect them to watch this perfect specimen parade around topless in his nice apartment with half naked girls, and take it as a warning.

The main thing is for Ben to remain clean and sober now that he no longer has AFL to keep him focused. It would be a tragedy if he was lost to drugs.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

Was it just me, or did it look as though the introduction to part two was filmed today?

For starters, the blue curtains he was standing in front of looked odd, like they were added in digitally and what he was saying seemed almost a direct response to a lot of the criticism part one received.

Just a thought, but I could be wrong.

Also did it cover how he never tested positive?

[Jaded No More 68,835]

Also did it cover how he never tested positive?

No, but I can tell you that myself. The sort of drugs he was taking no longer exist in your urine within 12 hours. That is why they needed him to do a hair test, which he of course proceeded to screw up by removing every inch of body hair he had.

As stupid as he is beautiful, but also extremely lucky. Obviously was never tested within 12 hours of a binge, and never got a proper hair test.

But then, the AFL's drug code and testing system is a complete and utter joke, just like many of the AFL's other systems (MRP, Rules Committee, the draw etc).

Edited August 26, 2010 by Jaded

[e25 5]

The thing that sticks out for me, is that the cocaine was undoubtedly performance enhancing.

Even if he wasn't using during games or training, it provides the confidence that proves more and more to be the key to a player getting the best out of himself.

Case in point: Travis Cloke - his confidence must shot to pieces with all the horrendous goalkicking.

One small line and boom - confidence is sky high again. That arrogance that only coke can supply.

There's no doubt in my mind he wouldn't have been as good a player without the drugs.

The man has a lot of self-belief, but the cocaine would have taken it to another level.