nutbean

Interesting when we talk of skills - watched a bit of the NAB cup this weekend - common theme was all the teams consistently coughed up the ball. You have to think - what the hell have they spent the preseason doing but I guess we can expect rustiness when it comes to contests and skills this early in the year.

What is it with West Coast and cash ?

You know how you make allowances for bands as they get older ( aka - Mick Jaggers voice is not what it used to be). No allowances needed for Chain - they were phenomenal. Matt Taylor's voice was the same as the back in the 70's. You are also right about Phil Manning - he was on fire. I did go up o the stage during the break in sets and noticed that he had nothing on the floor in terms of pedals and switches . Compare that to Mike Einziger of Incubus that had two acres of stuff on the floor around him. This Saturday night I am seeing my favourite of all live bands - The Cat Empire. It is impossible not to come out of a Cat Empire gig smiling from ear to ear,

he just makes me laugh A guide to stay out of trouble for professional athletes Being a professional athlete is hard and it’s only getting harder in the days of social media and the 24-hour media cycle. You can get crucified for even the most trivial transaction. But how do you avoid making a mistake that could derail your career? After all, many of things that trip up athletes in the public eye are so hard to identify in advance. So here are some helpful generic tips to help avoid a troublesome episode. Most of them seem relatively benign but weirdly, the public, legal profession and the media react poorly to them: Never run a dog fighting ring Don’t bet on a game you’re involved in and especially don’t get a mate to put the bet on for you. Don’t bet is a good idea actually Under no circumstances try to blame your flat mate when you’ve done something illegal Never supply cocaine or any other illicit drugs. Stick to licit drugs Don’t have sexual relations with teammate’s partners Never get in a car with a group of bikies who then fire shots out of the car as you speed across a bridge Violence against spouses or women in general is best avoided. Treating others with a high level of respect is a good rule of thumb If you’re implicated in an ASADA investigation, don’t challenge the investigation in the Federal Court and whatever you do, don’t appeal the decision Try not to get written off at your sport’s awards night and make a fool of yourself while it’s all being broadcast on national television Probably a good idea to not bite an opponent. Biting of their ear is a particularly bad look Be careful to not crash your car and have it reveal that you’ve been having affairs with dozens of women for a long time Never try to flee police when they pull you over by running, then swimming, then running some more Don’t shoot African elephants, or any elephants for that matter. Probably best to err on the side of caution and refrain from shooting anything If you’re running a long-term doping program, don’t attack those exposing you, ruining their lives or it will look bad when it all comes out Under no circumstances, start a music career Don’t urinate in your mouth while a mate takes a photo If you crash into another car, don’t have everyone lie to say you weren’t driving. Especially if it’s your teammates or girlfriend Avoid smuggling a loaded handgun into a nightclub and end up shooting yourself in the leg Remember to not post pictures of your nights out gambling and drinking while you’re about to be launched as the face of the sport Avoid urinating on a police car on your honeymoon While tempting, don’t blame your mum if you get caught using a banned substance Best not to assault a bartender in Ireland when they cut off service. In fact, don’t assault bartenders in any country. They are heroes who give us alcohol. In fact, don’t assault anyone While not a comprehensive lists, these are some of the borderline things you can do that will get you in trouble. Avoid these and you should be fine

I like this. My criticism of Watts has always been the same - when he attacks the contest with desire ( and doesn't go to ground) he does well. To me, he doesn't get to enough contests. McCartney is 100% right.

With no insight at all I was thinking that Stretch was more a project player and out of ANB, Petracca and Brayshaw would be 4th in line for a senior game this year behind the three mentioned but he seems to be doing more than everything right. TDI, BB - would you guys think he is in contention for round one ?

If he can get a full preseason in I still think he'll....never mind...

I am far from an expert on subject and base my thinking on my readings which admittedly are from mainstream media. I do like to read the likes of Andrew Bolt as it challenges my thinking. My frustration in this debate is from what I will ill advisedly call the "skeptics" side, is honing on in isolated discrepancies in predictions and modelling, or grabbing at the more extreme comments as a catalyst to completely debunking climate change. Wrecker pointed to the discussion on Ocean warming and pointed to one article which discussed the deep ocean not warming as rapidly as modeled. In the same article the same scientist noted that the top half of the ocean warming at an abated rate pointing unequivocally to the planet warming. Even DC, who argues articulately and logically, debated with me on the consensus within the scientific community. I understand the dislike of throwaway lines and stats and I agree we do need more considered reporting and less headline grabbers but whichever way you cut it , the vast majority of scientists in the field agree that the planet is warming and the main contributor is man. I believe that you can argue the quantum - but the basic premise does not change.

Never a truer word spoken....

an old chinese proverb - hope for the best but prepare for the worst ( that is how I view supporting the MFC and unfortunately the worst has come repeatedly in round one and hasn't gotten any better from there)

I think it is probably guessing as up until a week before the draft most thinking was McCartin and Brayshaw to us. To me it was no brainer that given a choice of Brayshaw or McCartin we would have taken Brayshaw. Not so sure it is obvious who we would have taken out Brayshaw or Petracca . Happily we don't have to have that discussion.

happy to be proven incorrect but I recall GAJ being exactly the opposite and saying nothing - never committed to the cats - never said he was staying - continually touted the " will discuss at the end of the season - just want to play footy".

We should have bypassed the VFL and gone straight to the amo's - E division.

You mean he was opening the bowling for Sri Lanka when he was meant to be playing footy for us ?

I'm the Rod Grinter of the Global warming debate....

And that is where a well seasoned manager comes in. It is no great surprise to anyone that if you are prepared to let your contract negotiations go into the last season or you put them on hold that the club will put pressure on you to re-sign and it will be played out in the media. A manager worth half his salt would advise his client that this will happen and instruct him that he should not address the contract situation except with a simple response " " I won't discuss my contract. I will address this at seasons end, I just want to concentrate on my footy". If we believe , as many do that Scully signed well in advance of the press conference - what the hell was the thinking behind his managers decision to allow him to do that presser ?????? What the hell was he thinking when he allowed his client to say " there have been no approaches". What the hell was his thinking allowing Scully to say " i want to be one club player and anticipate that this will be the case" if in fact he already signed elsewhere. I don't give a rat's behind about players coming and going and taking great offers. Good for them I say. I don't like being misled so you can imagine my thoughts on outright lies. Especially when it is not necessary.

Re-read Scully's first presser when he went in front of the camera's - I want to be a one club player and anticipate this will be the case - look at how he responded when asked how can he resist a huge money overture...Read Jimmy's book and see what he said to him I have no problem with him talking the deal of the lifetime - but I disagree with he had no other choice- he didn't need to lie. GAJ to me is the model I would take where you don't lie GAJ steadfastly refused to buy in and for this I admired him. He continually refused to answer any questions whatsoever except to say I will make my decision at the end of the season. It drove Bomber Thompson mad and I am sure the cat supporters were apoplectic as we on Demonland would have been. If you want to explore free agency or a put contract talks on hold, keep schtum....say nothing.. "I will make my decision at seasons end" - good enough for me. You don't need to lie.

really ?

absolutely happy with that approach.

nope - not judicious editing at all. - you have actually picked one line out of what is otherwise a fully blunt criticism of the player. I suggest the line you have quoted is a throwaway statement to let supporters know that a decision will be made with full facts in tow. however.... Saty - read the entire statement again - If the additional information exonerates Gartlett in any way then I will retract my opinions on Gartlett and instead call the club idiots for releasing a statement that is straightforward and blunt in its criticism of the players actions without full details. To suggest that Jeff is embarrassed by his actions would suggest that he has not done the right thing and that indeed he hasn't told the club about the charge and missed his court date. Again - understand where I am coming from - I am not calling for any punishment or action against him that would not be appropriate for you or me or anyone else. And it may be that the appropriate punishment is the court's decision and the club sitting him down and reiterating in the strongest possible terms what the expectations are and nothing more than that.

it may be my failed eyesight and shot hearing that makes them sound good.

you need my mirror - Brad Pitt resides in mine - although my squeeze tells me that I am in desperate need of a new prescription for my glasses.

I have been accused in the general forum of being a "rabid lefty" and my views are there for all to see - I would like to see a more compassionate forgiving society and for me it is all about appropriate consequences for one's actions taking into account special or extraordinary circumstances. Being a footballer is not special or extraordinary circumstances and I won't suggest turning a blind eye purely because we need a small crumbing forward.

You were put in a cell for a being a drunken idiot when you were younger? Had you been a valuable footballer, do you think you should have received different treatment ?

No problem with compassion - but comparing missing a court date and driving on suspended licence and comparing it to forgetting to pay your rego - is exactly trivialising the issue. To me it is about the appropriateness of the consequences for his actions. I am certainly not advocating firing him - by the same token I don't accept that he has clean slate with us as his first offense occurred under Carlton's watch. He compounded his first mistake by making two further mistakes. As to not hearing Jeff's side of the story - the clubs statement " However, his failure to inform the Club of this incident and him being unaware of his scheduled court appearance is extremely disappointing. " carries no weight with you ?