Did we go too far?

[Range Rover 1,935]

This will be merged with the other thread no doubt, but I would like to comment on something that didn't sit comfortably with me at today's Schwab/Bailey/Moloney press conference.

Following his admission of guilt at being out drinking late, Schwab prompted a clearly uncomfortable Moloney to admit to a binge drinking problem live to the cameras, as well as commit in public to attending some sort of AFL sanctioned rehab program.

I don't know about anyone else but that particular interchange made me feel very uncomfortable. Did Schwab really have to push things that far?

I wonder how Brent felt having to disclose his problem in such a public and confronting way. Alcoholism is a delicate issue for any person and I'm wondering whether the club powerbrokers really thought this one through ....

Edited April 11, 2011 by Range Rover

[Allen Jakovich 516]

I don't think Brent has a problem with alcoholism, I think he just gets too smashed when he gets on the [censored]. Doesn't know when to stop.

Therefore I think it's a good idea for him to confront it and get it out there, but I know what you mean, that should really be his decision to make.

Then again, he is bringing the club into disrepute so he owes it to the club to be honest to the football public.

[Sir Why You Little 36,987]

This will be merged with the other thread no doubt, but I would like to comment on something that didn't sit comfortably with me at today's Schwab/Bailey/Moloney press conference.

Following his admission of guilt at being out drinking late, Schwab prompted a clearly uncomfortable Moloney to admit to a binge drinking problem live to the cameras, as well as commit in public to attending some sort of AFL sanctioned rehab program.

I don't know about anyone else but that particular interchange made me feel very uncomfortable. Did Schwab really have to push things that far?

I wonder how Brent felt having to disclose his problem in such a public and confronting way. Alcoholism is a delicate issue for any person and I'm wondering whether the club powerbrokers really thought this one through ....

He is a very well Paid athlete who plays a very public Sport.

If this had got out of hand we could have lost sponsors. Beamer is a very lucky boy.

Millions of $$$ go through this club yearly. I think the club acted very quickly and efficiently.

If it happens again, he will be out.

[Range Rover 1,935]

I don't think Brent has a problem with alcoholism, I think he just gets too smashed when he gets on the [censored]. Doesn't know when to stop.

Therefore I think it's a good idea for him to confront it and get it out there, but I know what you mean, that should really be his decision to make.

Then again, he is bringing the club into disrepute so he owes it to the club to be honest to the football public.

You're right I should make that correction, although some would argue that binge drinking is another form of alcoholism.

I think the point I'm trying to make is that it seemed overkill to push Brent to admit to a problem and disclose that he would seek counselling. I mean, second strike drug offenders don't have to do that. Why should he?

That aspect should have been handled behind closed doors IMO. It was insensitive by the club.

[BangkokDemon 96]

This will be merged with the other thread no doubt, but I would like to comment on something I didn't find comfortable at today's Schwab/Bailey/Moloney press conference.

Following his admission of guilt at being out drinking late, Schwab prompted a clearly uncomfortable Moloney to admit to a binge drinking problem live to the cameras, as well as commit in public to attending some sort of AFL sanctioned rehab program.

I don't know about anyone else but that particular interchange made me feel very uncomfortable. Did Schwab really have to push things that far?

I wonder how Brent felt having to disclose his problem in such a public and confronting way. Alcoholism is a delicate issue for any person and I'm wondering whether the club powerbrokers really thought this one through ....

Who said anything about alcoholism? He admitted to "binge" drinking. How many of us can be accused of that - the answer is, lots of us. That is not the issues. Brent Moloney is a Vice Captain, of the Melbourne Football Club. He's not just another player.

His role carries responsibilities on and off the field. What he did was not responsible for an elite athlete. Binge drinking takes a couple of days - at least, to get over. I couldn't care less about "moral" issue. But as a Vice Captain of the club he has an obligation to everyone to make sure he is in the peak of fitness at all times. All the science which goes into making footballers super fit is effected by binge drinking.

That is why he showed a lack of responsibility for his actions.

[John Crow Batty 8,862]

I yearn for the good old days when we were blissfuly unaware of all the outrages committed by footballers. Now player outrage outage is yet another act for the circus that football has become. Just like the Hawthorn and Adelaide themes songs that are ear worms these stories become soul worms. And in a way the feeding frenzy of self righteousness and pompousness they generate is a moral outrage in itself considering all the genuine misery in this world.

Edited April 11, 2011 by america de cali

[Range Rover 1,935]

I yearn for the good old days when we were blissfuly unaware of all the outrages committed by footballers. Now player outrage outage is yet another act for the circus that football has become. Just like the Hawthorn and Adelaide themes songs that are ear worms these stories become soul worms. And in a way the feeding frenzy of self righteousness and pompousness they generate is a a moral outrage in itself considering all the genuine misery in this world.

I totally agree.

Jack Reiwoldt faced the media bloodhounds today, presumably at Richmond's behest, having to explain why he "flipped the bird" during the game on Friday night.

Lewis Hamilton was right. We live in a nanny state and it's pathetic.

[praha 11,236]

I don't think Brent has a problem with alcoholism, I think he just gets too smashed when he gets on the [censored]. Doesn't know when to stop.

Therefore I think it's a good idea for him to confront it and get it out there, but I know what you mean, that should really be his decision to make.

Then again, he is bringing the club into disrepute so he owes it to the club to be honest to the football public.

Um...so...he has a binge drinking problem then? You just defined it.

The guy [censored] on a bar. Who does that except for thugs and junkies? Punishment is justified imo. Sets an example of behavioral standards.

[Range Rover 1,935]

Um...so...he has a binge drinking problem then? You just defined it.

The guy [censored] on a bar. Who does that except for thugs and junkies? Punishment is justified imo. Sets an example of behavioral standards.

He didn't.

[Rogue 585]

The guy [censored] on a bar. Who does that except for thugs and junkies?

Schwab has denied this. Apparently the bar has gone through CCTV and spoken to people at the time and, according to them, it didn't occur.

[rpfc 28,267]

I don't think Brent has a problem with alcoholism, I think he just gets too smashed when he gets on the [censored].

That sentence is incongruous.

'He doesn't have a problem, he just has a problem.'

[Rogue 585]

That sentence is incongruous.

'He doesn't have a problem, he just has a problem.'

What the poster actually said is 'he doesn't have problem X, he has problem Y'.

(You might think X and Y are the same in this instance, but the sentence makes sense).

[Harry Manback 2]

I totally agree.

Jack Reiwoldt faced the media bloodhounds today, presumably at Richmond's behest, having to explain why he "flipped the bird" during the game on Friday night.

Lewis Hamilton was right. We live in a nanny state and it's pathetic.

Mark Webber said that about the Lewis Hamilton burnout last year...

[Range Rover 1,935]

What the poster actually said is 'he doesn't have problem X, he has problem Y'.

(You might think X and Y are the same in this instance, but the sentence makes sense).

rpfc is right if you read it on the understanding that binge drinking comes under the rubric of alcoholism.

Your assertion is right if you don't feel this is the case.

It's definitely a grey area. The wikipedia entries for "binge drinking" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binge_drinking and "alcoholism" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcoholism make for interesting reading. There is a great deal of overlap between the two terms.

Edited April 11, 2011 by Range Rover

[Range Rover 1,935]

Mark Webber said that about the Lewis Hamilton burnout last year...

Correction noted.

[hardtack 10,517]

Alcoholism is a delicate issue for any person and I'm wondering whether the club powerbrokers really thought this one through ....

Alcoholism and binge drinking are two very different things... this is more of a self-discipline issue and hopefully by rehab, they mean some sort of workshop in self control.

[caddypgt 30]

rpfc is right if you read it on the understanding that binge drinking comes under the rubric of alcoholism.

Your assertion is right if you don't feel this is the case.

It's definitely a grey area. The wikipedia entries for "binge drinking" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binge_drinking and "alcoholism" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcoholism make for interesting reading. There is a great deal of overlap between the two terms.

By my interpretation of the description on the Australian AA website; a binge drinker presenting with the published "facts" of the Moloney case would be a form of alcoholism in my opinion.

[Kento80 83]

I think the point I'm trying to make is that it seemed overkill to push Brent to admit to a problem and disclose that he would seek counselling. I mean, second strike drug offenders don't have to do that. Why should he?

Fair point there RR. I think he got the right punishment, but the (extra) public humiliation was perhaps too much. I feel sorry for him, and angry at him, but hope he learns to pull his head in and start working hard to gain back respect.

[Chicken Deelicious 0]

OK, he has fessed up (or 'forced up!). No pissing on the bar. No criminal or other activity.

Only hurt himself. I hope this spurs him on to get control, and get back into the leadership group. Good luck Beamer. 30+ posessions, you are a champ.

[Guest dieharderdee]

Although I understand why the MFC did what they did, I to believe they have hung a great club man out to dry.

I think all parties have walked away with a bad taste in their mouth. Thanks to eddie and his impeccable sources.

[dee-luded 2,959]

This will be merged with the other thread no doubt, but I would like to comment on something that didn't sit comfortably with me at today's Schwab/Bailey/Moloney press conference.

Following his admission of guilt at being out drinking late, Schwab prompted a clearly uncomfortable Moloney to admit to a binge drinking problem live to the cameras, as well as commit in public to attending some sort of AFL sanctioned rehab program.

I don't know about anyone else but that particular interchange made me feel very uncomfortable. Did Schwab really have to push things that far?

I wonder how Brent felt having to disclose his problem in such a public and confronting way. Alcoholism is a delicate issue for any person and I'm wondering whether the club powerbrokers really thought this one through ....

Oh geez, thats not alcoholism. What are you talking about. But binge drinking, or 'Weekend Binging' can turn into a habit. I used to do the same thing socialising at Chasers nightclub in the '80's. It was not my scene and I wa not comfortable with Disco music and the 'disco people'. So I hid myself in the away corner of the bar where I could see everthing but was out of the way, and drank all night.

It stopped when I found a Rock venue with different type of people that spoke more my language. I continued to drink, but the mojo returned and I didn't hide away, reducing the emotional harm of the drinking.

I don't drink at home at all,,, unless with freinds.

# edit: sorry, range rover, I didn't see you'v realised the difference.

Edited April 11, 2011 by dee-luded

[bing181 9,196]

Oh geez, thats not alcoholism.

If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck ... then it's most probably a duck, or getting close to being one.

This isn't just about whether or not it's morally acceptable - yet alone an acceptable way for a professional athlete to treat their body. When the discussion turns to alcohol use and abuse per se, it becomes about physical and psychological health.

Hope that Beamer can work through it. Hard lesson.

[deejammin' 2,370]

I would like to have thought that Beamer would have agreed to do the press conference, even volunteered rather than being forced. He was supposed to do one that morning to talk about the game and obviously this would have been difficult with a huge hangover.. Anyway, I don't think anyone loves this club more than Brent Moloney and I reckon he would already have decided taht what he did was bad for the club and be furious at himself. I think this will push him to be more responsible and whether its a large problem or a once off issue, control himself in order to get his VC back.

[Guest DeesPower]

I don't think Brent has a problem with alcoholism, I think he just gets too smashed when he gets on the [censored]. Doesn't know when to stop.

Therefore I think it's a good idea for him to confront it and get it out there, but I know what you mean, that should really be his decision to make.

Then again, he is bringing the club into disrepute so he owes it to the club to be honest to the football public.

I think this was about not so much the issue of drinking, more about being out so late the night before training AND heavy drinking. It is appalling example for a leader to set such a young playing group. The Club was right to come down very hard.

In a sense Brent's admission of a binge drinking problem at least makes this behavior explicable from an otherwise exemplary player, and he can now be given all the help he needs to get right.

Remember Ricky Ponting's early career. He had a similar problem, and he resurrected himself. Pity he didn't overcome more important flaws in his character.

Edited April 11, 2011 by DeesPower

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

The bottom line is that Moloney has identified that he has an issue or problem and is taking steps to deal with it. His problem is not uncommon in society. Its a pity a few more people with similar binge habits dont take the same sensible action.