hardtack

I heard Petterd was a victim of general soreness.

To tell the truth, I'm not sure... I assume it has not been worn due to LJ being injured andotherwise indisposed, but they are, I believe, signed.

Well, I think I may have just won the #24 Irish Guernsey, but the auction site is such a fail that it is hard to find any information.

I'll drink to that :-) (on your post prior to that, I think you are right... but I suppose being a legal drug means that the alchohol problem is on a much larger scale.)

Yes, it's the opposite of "flattered" (on the rest of your comments, I agree)

Hey OD, I have no problem with it... I like a good robust discussion as long as it doesn't get abusive, which this hasn't ;-) But yes, I do look forward to the footy... which actually starts tonight by the way; a game I am interested in purely because I want to see just where both of those teams now sit... I want them both to fail, but unfortunately one will have to prevail.

DC... I was responding to Robbie's comments and in particular the line "swallowing something that could potentially ruin their lives". This discussion is NOT about a particular drug (yes he was busted with speed, but speed is not central to the discussion), it is about a couple of things... one being Benny's problem and whether or not compassion is appropriate, and the other is the issue of addiction in general. Mine was a valid response as, whether you accept it or not, alchohol when abused IS a drug of addiction and when swallowed too often or in too large quantities, like any drug, can ruin lives - and as it is freely available, it has far wider reaching consequences. I think Nutbean is correct in his perceptions, but that is one thing that makes alchohol worse in some ways... despite the fact that the dangers of both illegal drugs and alchohol are taught in schools from a very early age, there is still this perception that alchohol is not dangerous... I enjoy a drink, but I would love to see advertising abolished in much the same way as advertisements for tobacco products were removed as I think that is part of the problem. And DemonWA argues correctly that drugs are against the law and so society should make more of a big deal about them... well, so is alchohol consumption by minors, yet parents will often encourage the behaviour by giving their children a "taste" of beer and advertisers will make it look "cool" to carry on like an idiot while drinking. And when it comes to broken homes, I can guarantee you that alchohol is probably a much bigger factor than illegal drug addiction will ever be. Anyway, that is my take on things and my argument was not intended to be a "tu quoque" argument - maybe you just wanted to throw that in there? I know I'd want to if I had that word hanging around in my head ;-)

And I could point you to many social drug users who lead perfectly normal lives and do not have the problems that the likes of Ben Cousins experience... the risks with many social drugs are no different to those of alchohol... it is just a matter of knowing when to stop. That comment of mine you are responding to was not directly related to Ben Cousins, it was a reference to people who denounce drug use while using drugs themselves.

Well, I'm an unabashed fan of the Bridie version... but really, as was discussed in the U2 thread, I would love to hear a Pogues version as I think it's a song that would suit Shane MacGowan down to the ground (on which he is more often than not, prostrate).

I don't disagree with that... but are you telling me that every person who used a drug or drunk a glass of alchohol, made such a choice believing that they could end up addicted with their lives in ruin (and despite the fact that it is legal, alchohol does ruin more lives than any other drug, both directly and indirectly. Some people know when to stop and are physically/mentally capable of doing so... unfortunately there are others who don't realise they don't have that capacity until they have passed the point of no return.

He will be either on the bench or sub (either Dunn or Bennell)... a definite I would have thought.

Good, so at least you are consistent in your argument; I really cannot tolerate people who decry drug addicts yet quite happily consume the most destructive drug known on the planet.

Injecting I agree with you on... but are you telling me that you never indulge in a beer or a glass of wine or spirits?

Really? I hadn't realised that "educated" and "footy show" could be used in the same sentence.

Yes, it's like alchoholism... how many of us enjoy a drink and how many of us choose to become an alchoholic? As I understand it, some are more prone to addiction than others as much through a biological disposition as through a lack of willpower.

Bring back Uncle Doug, Capt Blood, Louie the Lip, Huttons Footy Frangers and everything else that was good in the world of Sunday's post footy entertainment.

Phil Carmen and Mark Jackson were pretty exciting, but probably for all the wrong reasons :-) From earlier days, I would say John Townsend and Barry Bourke have stuck in my memory and in the 70's a couple that spring to mind are Henry Coles (but again, probably for all the wrong reasons) and a guy I used to work with at the time at Veterans' Affairs, Colin Graham - a winger with some pace and good skills but a bad attitude; he would occasionally go missing (literally)

Will be signing my soon to be 10 year old as part of his birthday present.

So, you're a drummer? ;-)

Apparently he has signed a 4 year extension with the Pies... reported on AFL360.

Yes, but having Clark who is familiar with their game plan and style of play, will hopefully negate that to some extent.

I understand what you are saying OD, but by the same token, I don't think much is to be gained by putting the boot into a person when they are down and almost out.

Speed has that affect, yes... but as they say, once an addict, always an addict... the hard part is staying clean regardless of what your celebrity status may be. But I do have a problem with the sell/supply part if proven true.

Yes, but teams like New York Yankees, Real Madrid, Manchester United etc etc are known all over the globe... unfortunately, I don't think the Melbourne Demons can make that boast just yet.

No we are not surprised, but he is definitely not "dumb", but rather messed up as are most people with drug related issues. A little compassion wouldn't go astray (although if the sell and supply charges stick, I might reassess that).