The Chazz

Here you go again. Thin skinned? You blatantly lied in your post that was directed personally at me. And stones I'm throwing in other people's direction? I voiced my opinion, and as the minority, I'm the one getting stones thrown at me! I am not trying to get people to agree. Is it against the CoC to post my views? If people then respond, especially questioning my view, I will reply. Just as I will reply when someone like yourself posts totally inaccurate comments personally directed at me. And I find your last paragraph quite ironic. Yes, I'm not inside the club every day, so have no idea what went on. Just like the "majority" weren't in the meetings/negotiations between the MFC and AFL when it was determined CC would be made "the fall guy". Do me a favour, don't reply unless you either apologise for that carp you have posted about me, or, if you are going to back up this "hatred" I have for "so many people" that is apparently obvious in a "majority" of my posts. You will need to do better than using my views of CC in this thread.

We would be best closing Demonland down between September and March then RP! Bring on Round 1!

I wasn't going to comment again on this thread, but I can't let this go. Your comment above is totally incorrect, and you should apologise. I don't mind people not agreeing with my views, I don't disagree with people just to cause sh!t, and in general, I'm quite the sheep on here. But to make a comment like that, and let's not forget, you initially said I had "hatred" for many people, is totally unacceptable. I will challenge you to back it up with facts, but I know you would be wasting your time.

Perhaps the best course of action would be not to say anything then? I voiced my view, it is in the minority, you chose to reply with a nothing post. I'm not dwelling on it, CC is out for 12 months, so the immediate future of the MFC is already looking brighter through my eyes. He will be reinstated at the end of the suspension, I will shake my head and roll my eyes, and that's all the energy it will get from me. It will be a far different reaction when some of you read our profit/loss statement over the next 2 years and whinge about the $250k per annum that is being redirected to the AFL. We will see who dwells on it for longer...

Not sure why you are directing this at me? Hatred? So many people? I trust any player, coach or official that is involved with my Club. If someone does anything to abuse that trust, then I will be firm in my views/opinions. I think you're getting a bit carried away by calling that "hatred" though. But, why not try and sensationalise it just to try and prove your point. If members of Demonland had control, CC would've been let off. Probably what my comment means when I say "people on here".

Well thought out reply RP. Given the fact that this thread was created 2 days ago, perhaps those that still feel sorry for Cuddles should be the ones that need to "move on".

What else would they have focused on? They had nothing else. The AFL knew it, the MFC knew it. This case should've been closed in a month. Instead, it turned in to a typical MFC 4 to 6 week injury, just never got better.

DC, I am fully aware that there are grey areas in this case, and you would find that in most of my posts since this saga started, I have often used inverted commas around words that definitely have grey areas (ie "evidence"). But I refuse to let CC off scot-free like most on here appear to have done, and moreso, I refuse to treat him like a hero for "taking the fall for the club". Reality is, he made a mistake. He made comments, regardless of the intent, that he shouldn't have. A man in his position, which requires a certain level of professionalism, made comments about our intentions not to win games of football. Now, the frequent argument I get when I write these sort of words was that "it was a joke". Was it? If you really think about it, was it really? Sure, the threat of people getting sacked may have been, but the reality is, there is no way known that CC was joking when he said we can't win more than "x" amount of games. Everyone knew what was at stake, so it isn't possible that the root of his comments were said in jest, it would've been said with great honesty, just as nearly every Melbourne supporter felt the same way. Ask the Demon "fans" at that Richmond game why they sang the RFC theme song after the game, most would say that it was sang with tounge-in-cheek, but you know damn well that deep down, they knew that there was a serious element to what was happening (ie the reward for our losses). People asked a number of times on here why ex-employees felt the need to knife the club, and implying that they should've kept their mouth shut. I asked the same question, but looking for reasons that they felt the need to open their mouth. Sure, if you get sacked (or moved on) from your place of employment there is always going to be bitterness toward your ex-employer, but why did so many feel that way? What did they personally have to gain out of doing this? Most of them are currently employed by other clubs/organisations, so it's not like they have lost considerable income. I have no doubt the reason why they felt the need to speak up was because of how disgusting their treatment was by certain sections of the MFC. If it was only one person speaking up, you'd brush it under the carpet, but multiple? C'mon. Yes, the AFL were always going to give someone a whack for their own incompetence, and in this case, CC, DB and the MFC were the ones that got hit. But I will never forgive CC for his own incompetence that played a part in this investigation.

Isn't that what I'm saying? In other words, if CC didn't make the comment, the AFL had nothing and we would've been cleared?

If you want to get logical DC, it would be argued that DB got a 1/4 of the penalty CC recevied, so you could make that $375k that he is responsible for. And I'm not sure where you get this theory that if DB hadn't taken CC's advice, there would be no fine. Who said? I'm quietly confident that even if CC were to be the only one charged, we would receive a fine to some degree, in the '000s thousands I'm tipping. Your last paragraph makes you sound like you work for the Commonwealth Bank. "Sorry sir, I'm increasing your interest rates, but don't worry, due to the increase in our profits, we will be giving sharehlders a record dividend". A bullet that he actually loaded in the chamber and pulled the trigger in the first place.

It's comforting to know that CC is such a nice, likeable man. However, he was basically 3rd in charge of the organisation that is the Melbourne Football Club, and through his error, cost the organisation $500,000. I know I will get the "he's the fall guy" excuse, but the fact is, he has to take some responsibility for this. I'll put it another way, if he hadn't been so loose-lipped, there is no way the investigation would've gone for as long as it did. The fact that he said what he said, and had people that were willing to testify, meant it gave the AFL a reason to drag it out as long as they did, becuase they knew it was the only "evidence" that they would ever unearth. Sure, everyone makes mistakes, but this was a $500,000 mistake that left a black cloud hanging over the Club for 6 months longer that what it should've. But if it makes you feel better thinking that he did the team thing, then do what ever makes you happy. In my mind, CC fcuked up big time and cost my Club, and I will never forget that. I don't care if some don't like that!

Would Workplace Bullying in the form of a manager saying "do this or you're sacked" count as a potential fine for an employer as well as sanctions for said manager?

Sue, I will give your post the respect and respond, but probably won't answer your initial question, and apologies in advance. From memory, Geelong did the "Freo" thing when they played Brisbane at Brisbane a few seasons back. The only solution I can offer is that the AFL look at the end result of such actions, and no doubt believe aiming to win better draft picks is far worse than aiming to "win" a home final. Not a great response, but I don't work for the AFL, so that's all you're getting! In regards to the fine, the McDonald's food poisoning example was far btter than the "employee murdering someone" example. But, you can come up with any examples like that for the sake of your argument.

Disappointing to say the least WYL. We left him alone at his final presser, and we've left him alone again, even after saying that we're all in it together.

Hopefully it brings in more than $500k a year.

And I questioned if it would say anything other than that. Don't think it was that silly was it? I didn't suggest that he was going to be sacked (I'm not letting that get in the way of my personal opinion). But feel free to make it something that I didn't.

B59 - you feel for Bails? He's obviously the one that put CC in the most sh!t. He obviously said that he picked a team that would not win because CC told him his job wasn't safe if they won. Bailey is obviously the one that took the "joke" the wrong way. I will never agree with what you say on this matter, as you are using arguments that can not be backed up with any facts at all. The fact is, the AFL have decided the outcome, and we accepted it. Anything you say different to that is irrelevant and will never be proved.

Please Bossog, explain to me how this was silly?

And regardless of what we think should've happened, or what we think the AFL has done, this ^^ covers the whole situation. We did it, others have done it, but such was the disaster and politics going on behind the scenes for a period at the MFC, we deserved a whack.

Probably won't come out and say that his employment will be terminated at the end of his suspension...

No mention of Bailey. What happened to the one in all in? And the comment about Connolly returning to the Club at the end of his suspension, surely we have learnt not to make stupid jokes like this.

Thanks Rod, I appreciate your input. Might have got this one wrong, but the rest I'm spot on if you'd care to read my other posts.

Perhaps McLardy got advice from our legal team that we wouldn't win, regardless of how high we took it? Nah, that wouldn't be the case would it? I'm too "dim" to come up with that sort of solution.

Very valid point Deeluded. Can I ask you to call Mark Harvey and get him to call the Herald Sun and explain what was discussed at the selection table that night?

Speaking out of school? I tell you what, I have worked for a number of bosses, some I would still protect to this day. On the other hand, there are some that I would have no hesitation opening up if I was invovled in an investigation. Perhaps we should look at why these people felt that spilling the beans was the best option over keeping your mouth shut.