WELCOME TO THE MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB - HERITIER LUMUMBA

[Ethan Tremblay 30,966]

I heard he had a decaf soy latte with a lemon twist followed by colonic irrigation. Roosy held the hose.

I find it hard to get over your photo however that gave me a laugh.

[Ethan Tremblay 30,966]

Personally I'm all for bringing in characters with slightly left of centre personalities.

Surely you remember Jacko, Jakovich, Pyke, Schwartz etc..

We never complained then.

The group we have are too sanitised they are too predictable.

I just can't see the players you mentioned being offended by a comment regarding the Mardi Gras.

[mauriesy 7,353]

yes theres work to do - but the high and mighty's of this world like the character this thread is all about, are more interested in self promotion than the actual issue and will act to blow it way out of proportion to what it really warrants.

So HL, who actually acts on some of the 'work to do', therefore becomes a 'high and mighty', 'blows it way out of proportion' and only acts from 'self-promotion'?

Is there 'work to do' or not?

If the sort of crap we see weekly on The Footy Show is any indication of the blokey culture in a footy club, then I'm with Heritier.

[Fitz Fitzpatrick 886]

So HL, who actually acts on some of the 'work to do', therefore becomes a 'high and mighty', 'blows it way out of proportion' and only acts from 'self-promotion'?Is there 'work to do' or not?If the sort of crap we see weekly on The Footy Show is any indication of the blokey culture in a footy club, then I'm with Heritier.

You really think HL's reaction to all this "work to do" is a measured and mature response?! Wow

[Pates 9,660]

First obvious question regarding football ability, would he make us better? IMO yes. We have very little speed across half back and he has what it takes to break the lines.

Second tougher question, will his issues create problems for the club? No simple answer. The difference between him and say Mitch Robinson is that HL's sensitive to social issues, I would almost say over sensitive. But at least it comes from a good place.

What was interesting was hearing responses on SEN when the incident came to to light and some people from the gay community were saying him making a big deal of this wasn't helping the situation. One of the other problems appears to be that the Collingwood players don't take his issues to heart, and someone writing the mardi gras line on the photo tells me they can't be stuffed trying anymore.

Dawes would surely be a good one to speak to on whether he's worth the effort.

Roos meeting him tells me we're very keen, the next important question is what will we give up?

Edited September 6, 2014 by Pates

[Fitz Fitzpatrick 886]

You really think HL's reaction to all this "work to do" is a measured and mature response?! Wow

Are you debating for debating 's sake or do you really believe his reaction is the way we need people to be responding to this?

I tend to think it must be the former, however the drama queen approach does seem to be in vogue.

[Wiseblood 24,637]

I just can't see the players you mentioned being offended by a comment regarding the Mardi Gras.

True, but I see his point. Jako was off centre to the point of training for 10 minutes, then saying he needed a [censored], only to never return to the training track. But we loved him all the same.

HL might be a little precious but we shouldn't let that stand in the way of what he still brings to the table. As Jon Ralph said in his article he is still in the prime of his career and is well known for training hard and looking out for the younger players. I'll take that at our club any day and he is an instant upgrade on the runners we have already.

[Demonsterative 3,020]

Australia has a long history of bigotry and racism (sometimes) masquerading as "humour" and then blaming the victim for being a sook and not being able to take it. It's ok to say others should laugh it off but it's easy to say when you're not on the end of it. I'm sure people dont always take offence it depends on the context and nature of it but at the end of the day this stuff wouldn't be tolerated in any other modern workplace and if someone takes offence and has raised it as an issue then it is inappropriate to continue with that behaviour whether you think they are being a sook or not.

Time to get off your Soap Box Dr! Not sure why HL seems to think that the gay community needs his assistance? Maybe he is pink suede himself.

As a out and very proud gay man I'm offended by HL's behaviour. Lighten up FFS. Gone are the days that the Gay Community need to fight every battle to get acceptance in mainstream society. We have moved past that school boy banter and have moved onto more pressing issues such as rights for Civil Union, rights to parenthood etc etc.

Me and my community use this kind of humour on a daily basis. Why? Coz it's funny.

[chook fowler 19,533]

Dr Gonzo did say we have a long history of racism - my point is so does every other country, often much worse.

Lumumbas approach to making his views known is heavy handed and it seems not in the right time or place - team tactic meetings.

Wouldn't be surprised if the poster graffiti was designed to wind him up rather than an homophobic slur..

Doubt he is very popular at the club. To imply that he is in an unsafe work place is ridiculous and should ring alarm bells for our club.

Seems he has an overblown sense of entitlement.

Still maintain that Brock McLean will end up a far more effective change agent than Heretia.

[chook fowler 19,533]

Time to get off your Soap Box Dr! Not sure why HL seems to think that the gay community needs his assistance? Maybe he is pink suede himself.

As a out and very proud gay man I'm offended by HL's behaviour. Lighten up FFS. Gone are the days that the Gay Community need to fight every battle to get acceptance in mainstream society. We have moved past that school boy banter and have moved onto more pressing issues such as rights for Civil Union, rights to parenthood etc etc.

Me and my community use this kind of humour on a daily basis. Why? Coz it's funny.

Thankyou Demonsterative, you have said it all. Well done.

[beelzebub 23,383]

As they say... Lumumba seems a very balanced type...chips on both shoulders !!

[Elusive Tunbridge 795]

HL plays for a club with a long, dishonourable tradition of racism - Nicky Winmar, Damien Monkhorst, Adam Goodes, Alan McAllister and on. His reaction to the graffiti is hypersensitive, but we don't know his experience at the club, nor what he's had to negotiate in reclaiming his identity as the son of his father. I'd welcome him to MFC, and anyone who wants to microwave their membership over it is welcome to.

[Dr. Gonzo 24,296]

Dr Gonzo did say we have a long history of racism - my point is so does every other country, often much worse.

Lumumbas approach to making his views known is heavy handed and it seems not in the right time or place - team tactic meetings.

Wouldn't be surprised if the poster graffiti was designed to wind him up rather than an homophobic slur..

Doubt he is very popular at the club. To imply that he is in an unsafe work place is ridiculous and should ring alarm bells for our club.

Seems he has an overblown sense of entitlement.

Still maintain that Brock McLean will end up a far more effective change agent than Heretia.

Try it on in your workplace and see how it goes down - you'll have EEO coming after you quicksmart and will be lucky to still have a job by the end of it.

[Arrow 1,257]

Time to get off your Soap Box Dr! Not sure why HL seems to think that the gay community needs his assistance? Maybe he is pink suede himself.

As a out and very proud gay man I'm offended by HL's behaviour. Lighten up FFS. Gone are the days that the Gay Community need to fight every battle to get acceptance in mainstream society. We have moved past that school boy banter and have moved onto more pressing issues such as rights for Civil Union, rights to parenthood etc etc.

Me and my community use this kind of humour on a daily basis. Why? Coz it's funny.

Brilliantly put.

Interestingly, I found an article involving him and Stephen Milne where he was called a homo. In the first paragraph he goes on to mention that he has used all those words before too.

http://m.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/milne-slur-no-issue-for-obrien-20120810-23zu5.html

I think he's enjoying the notoriety that comes with being this high and mighty AFL player and frankly I can't stand him.

[Fitz Fitzpatrick 886]

Try it on in your workplace and see how it goes down - you'll have EEO coming after you quicksmart and will be lucky to still have a job by the end of it.

Which is an indictment on the world we live in and unfortunately we have people like yourself to thank for it.

[chook fowler 19,533]

If you live cheek to cheek with45 testosterone driven males things will be said that you don't like. Sometimes it makes sense to pick your battles.

I hate racism, homophobia and sexism but I also dislike self righteous dogmatists that try to force change with a sledge hammer. athey only seem to entrench people in their positions as is happening here.

[Demonsterative 3,020]

In fact, my sexuality has been on the end of some very inappropriate jokes in the workplace, and I have used inappropriate comments about heterosexuality. It's all part of the fun at laughing at and with myself and others. No one is getting hurt. No one is fearful, nor are they angry.

I work with a Muslim lady, who has very strong homophobic views. We don't talk about them but we know they are there. We get along really well and through just being me, she is learning a lot about the gay community. She now realises that gay men are normal and harmless. On the flip side, I don't flaunt any overt gay behaviour or discussion her way. I respect her faith and culture to much to do that.

If I went down the HL pathway of defending gay rights, I would just reinforce any fixed and uneducated views my Muslim colleague has or had. The best way to break down social stigmas is via engaging people. Not putting them off side.

[beelzebub 23,383]

There are varying and different views and stands but as far as im really concerned if he were to come, at what cost and would his focus be on footy and adding to the equation by hard work and 100% effort or will he be all too easily distracted by whatever is his pet peeve of the week ?

I need to be convinced.

[Grapeviney 9,799]

I heard this as well and it is exactly my point. No doubt BT has good oil at the maggies but who is to say that what he has reported actually happened, or at least happened the way BT described it. The way you have written it you imply what he has said is accurate. It is at the best hearsay. At worst it is Collingwood propaganda trying to spin it so they look great and HL looks a disruptive [censored]. Who do you think gave BT the version of events? Not HL or his manager i assume,

I reiterate, i have yet to hear from HL and i see an amazing contradiction in many posts given how critical DL posters are usually of journos, their sources and their accuracy.

Is it not possible there is an alternative version of events or should we simply uncritically swallow BT's version?

At no stage did I say BT's account was gospel. In fact, I qualified it with this rider: "Make of it what you will."

You're right in that we all have different opinions about journos and the reliability and accuracy of their stories. I'm inclined to believe that the info that's out there on this one - including BT's - is close to bang on.

Let's face it, it doesn't paint H in a particularly good light. If it was largely untrue, or there was an alternative version of events, either H or his manager would have moved to set the record straight by now.

[DemonOX 8,800]

I respect her faith and culture to much to do that.

Demonstrative, if everyone did this there would be a hell of a lot less problems in the world.

[DemonOX 8,800]

I need to be convinced.

bb I think Roos is the one who needs to be convinced.

U along with all of us are not important enough for the club to concern themselves with convincing us.

[Redleg 41,428]

Ralph just said that the Dees are not one of the clubs talking to Malceski and that Lumumba might just be testing the waters with us.

I can see a direct swap coming up. HL gets out of melbourne and Malceski provides experience to the Pies after Maxwell's retirement.

Maybe I am reading the tea leaves the wrong way.

[chook fowler 19,533]

From Tony Shaws comments it looks like HL has burnt his bridges at the Pies

[Cards13 9,117]

Ralph just said that the Dees are not one of the clubs talking to Malceski and that Lumumba might just be testing the waters with us.

I can see a direct swap coming up. HL gets out of melbourne and Malceski provides experience to the Pies after Maxwell's retirement.

Maybe I am reading the tea leaves the wrong way.

I would be amazed if we have not spoken to Malceski, he is the player off half back we are desperate for, HL would be a good complement to that.

[chook fowler 19,533]

Who said we are worse? Stop making excuses and justifications for discrimination. "Yeah we massacred the indigenous people but at least we didn't send them to the gas chambers"

You are a creep. How dare you infer that from what I said. No wonder you support Lamumbas school of hyperbole and over reaction.