Recently I found myself at a cross-road. For years I have made a mockery of the ‘entitlement’ sports fans believed they had over teams and players, only for myself to start believing the same thing…
I found three distinct groups when it comes to sport. Those who play the game, those who write or comment about the game, and those who support the game.
At the best of times this is an uncomfortable marriage, but also a very necessary one. All three groups believe they have certain ‘rights’, a right to privacy and the odd bad performance or dip in form (teams and players), a right to comment critically (media), and a right of entitlement and ownership (supporters).
All parties believe these rights have been earned, or deserved, but more importantly, that the other group needs to respect and acknowledge these rights over and above their own!
Inevitably, these groups or rather, mobs, gang up on one another, all believing they are entitled to answers or explanations especially when their rights have been violated.
A couple of recent examples highlighted this yet again for me.
Because of simple logistics, I am closer to the Stormers and Western Province rugby than any other rugby team in South Africa. Through this I am privileged to receive information first-hand, or from the horse’s mouth so-to-speak.
I realised however over the weekend after the Stormers crushed the Western Force, followed by an article where Coetzee had the last laugh, that over the last 4 years just about every single article or column I wrote about this team was negative, and critical, or even overly-critical and unfair.
Wearing my media hat, I felt I had a right to criticise or report to the readers on matters which I believed they had a right to know. But herein lies the problem. These negative issues were issues perceived by one individual, or the media mob that attends every game and press conference at Newlands, and then literally force these views onto the public.
Never underestimate the power of the written word… Unlike a conversation between individuals, what has been written does not have a tone, or a mannerism that can be associated to a feeling or interpretation. It gets read, re-read, discussed, dissected, analysed and is effectively burnt into minds of those who choose to read it.
Another instance is Dewald Potgieter’s latest column on SuperRugby. In his last 2 or 3 columns he has continually mentioned how the last couple of weeks has been the most difficult of his life. How the expectation of the public is weighing heavily on his shoulders and how difficult he finds this, or provide answers to the fans and supporters.
In his latest edition, he tells a story of a man that walked up to him at a shop, the man told him that he thinks he is the most overrated player he has ever seen. He explains his emotions in how he wanted to bang this guy’s head in, and the frustration he felt as a player, and how this man (who probably represented the U/19 F team) has no understanding for his position, and no respect for his ‘rights’.
Then at the same shop on a different day, a girl in the car-park screamed at him how he is her dad’s favourite player.
You can almost feel when reading his column the utter amazement, confusion and frustration the player had to go through or is going through. You also almost feel sorry for him, as you would for Greame Smith who fled to Ireland after the Cricket World Cup quarter final loss recently – but then you remember those losses…
This leads to my third example, Greame Smith and the Proteas.
The media is in an absolute state of hysteria because Greame Smith decided to take a break and head straight from India to Ireland to spent time with a loved one, and not come back to South Africa first to ‘answer to them’?
Entitlement anyone?
I can understand how the public (read media) is pissed off at the poor result against New Zealand, same as I am seemingly continually pissed off at WP Rugby for some unknown reason and the same reason that guy in the shop was pissed off at Dewald Potgieter.
We are frustrated, even hurt by the failures of people who essentially are, our heroes. But since when are we entitled to answers? Especially when there isn’t even a question to be asked?
I have sat in enough press conferences to tell you exactly what ‘questions’ Smith would have had to answer to;
“So Greame, in your opinion what went wrong?”
We lost that’s what went wrong.
“Do you believe the chokers tag is justified?”
I have never seen a professional sports team go out with the intention to lose, but in sport, there is always a loser and this time it happened to be the Proteas. You lose because you make mistakes, either individually or as a team, and more often than not in critical moments or more than the opposition. That is the reality of sport, so in effect, every team that loses on any day, chokes.
Then there will be the usual questions about the team selections on the day, tactics used, etc., all very easy to criticise in hindsight.
So exactly what purpose would a Greame Smith press conference have served? Stroke the ego’s of the media perhaps? Satisfy those millions out there who will suddenly say; ‘I told you so’? All of whom were silent when the Proteas crushed India.
Fact is, everyone of the individuals discussed above need to realise that the job they chose, or the group they fall under, each comes with its own challenges and responsibilities. Moreover, none of us are entitled to anything.
Each group needs the other, and the failures of one does not result in some form of victory for the other. Understanding and respect will go a long way in getting the ‘answers’ we are all looking for when times are tough, perhaps that is worth remembering when your favourite player, or even least favourite player knock’s a ball in a critical moment, or spoons a catch to a fielder when it’s the last thing the team needed.
A sense of self-importance, often leads to delusions of grandeur.
To quote an advertisement currently on television; “Before you question the heart of a player, ask him what he wouldn’t give to have a second chance”.
The Shimlas and Cheetahs would 2nd, 3rd and 4th chances to make up for their woeful results.
Hey Morne!!
I think Smith made an excellent choice in going to relax with his latest hot girlfriend rather than come back and get attacked by people who have no idea about cricket.
As for players being insulted and abused, well the real world is full of idiots and as we all know there is nobody more sure of his game knowledge than the guy who actually knows fokkol!!
@ tight head:
The truth that
@ tight head:2 – Good post TH.
Put this on the Saders/Sharks thread.
Can you tell us what went wrong with the Sharks scrum on Saturday. Everyone that practically knows nothing about the scrum is putting the blame squarely on John. What I saw was Jannie popping up. Thought the problem was coming from JdP side and not Johns. Would Jannie popping up not be putting pressure on the whole scrum?
Would really like your opinion on the scrum. Cause most of us only take a guess at what happens there. You know better than most.
Just hate to see the negative posts on all blogs pulling John down for this. If he is at fault would rather hear from someone like you that knows.
Thanks.
Morné,
Yeah we have to do some introspection from time to time, and say what is just and fair.
But there’s also the question of having an opinion as a supporter or media person and the Teams and Players find themselves in the public domain and as such will be subject to performance evaluation and critisism… sometimes very fairly and sometimes unjust.
Players and teams need to harden up to these realities, just like I (we) all have to in the real world where we are open to scrutiny from a business perspective and otherwise.
One needs to be fair in comment though and NOT commit Character Assassination, like we often see… here on the Blogs as well.
@ Puma:
Howzit Puma.
The crazy thing is that John Smit has looked better at loose head lately than he has looked for a long time.
He battled a little technically with his first scrum back after injury, but very impressively rectified that in his next scrum.
Since then I think he has done a good job at loose head.
Jannie got done on Saturday, but we must remember that he has a very difficult job at tight head and once the loose head got underneath him it is impossible to fix.
Jannie has improved and I expect him to learn from Saturday.
Having said that the whole scrum needs to be able to give 100% in effort and concentration for every scrum.
I expect the Sharks to outscrum the Stormers on Saturday.
nee fok morné
nou’s ek deurmekaar
…
😯 choke die all blacks of choke hulle nie?? 😯
😀
tighthead @ 2
“As for players being insulted and abused, well the real world is full of idiots and as we all know there is nobody more sure of his game knowledge than the guy who actually knows fokkol!!”
..
😀 i think i’m gonna keep this comment somewhere safe …. just in case i need it later on in the season!! 😉
o, and gooooood afternoon everyone (yep, that includes tighthead also) 😆
Hi Morne, interesting one, feel the same on many points, in fact just last week one of my posts discussing the John Mitchell incident where he ended the press conference aftre being asked a question he couldn’t have like mentioned that I sometimes questioned these conferences and that I felt the journalists had responsibilities as well in that the coaches take the time to come out and talk so soon after a game when they may be feeling quite high or low depending on the result and the journalists don’t have a ‘right’ to stir. It could be argued that the coach needs to be professional but they are humans too.
Its quite horrible to read what happened to Dewald Potgieter, he’s quite correct it is his right to go about his business in his personal time without being hassled like that. I think one thing that many fans want to see from their team is that whatever the result they are trying hard and Potgieter seems to be one of those players that gives his all. I guess part of the problem has been players themselves being more accessible by using social media things like twitter etc, as well as cashing in on their reputation gained from rugby to earn outside the game at a time when rugby is a full time profession, so this leads many to feel ‘their’ players are not committed enough BUT still does not excuse behaviour you described.
Regarding the cricket I felt so strongly about things after the game that have refrained from posting about it till now, to give time to get perspective and not be unfair to express the strong things was thinking. As Graeme Smith is on holiday I guess he is free to chose to go to Ireland but he made a mistake he should have come to Scotland, WAY better 🙂 no he should have gone home first with his team maybe not to face the music as you describe it but because they left as a team and should return as one, maybe this is an old fashioned opinion of mine. I’m sure had we won the World Cup he wouldn’t have gone to Ireland but would be there lapping up all the praise in the parades down the streets in South Africa. I agree though that not much would probably have been learnt from him answering questions on his return but not your view that all these things are very well in hindsight. It was not actually hindsight to me because as the game was happening I was expressing my unhappiness at what seemed to me to be crazy bowling changes, and it was odd to read many folk, bloggers and profesional writers, actually praising that side of things and seemed to be putting the blame only on the batting collapse. We had NZ on the rack with those two early wickets and I couldn’t believe Petersen being taken off after only 2 overs, he should have at least being planned for 5 or 6 and only taken off sooner if he wasn’t doing well, but he was doing so well and as it was when he came back must have lost some of the rhytm and confidence and wasn’t nearly as effective after. I stand to be corrected but I seem to remember that after each of the 1st 3 wickets the bowler who took them was taken off the very next over they were due to bowl. It was almost as if there was a predetermined bowling plan that they didn’t want to deviate from, it was a concern they let the Kiwis get far more runs than they should have, after those 1st 2 wickets they should have gone for the jugular and got them out for less than 200,would have made chasing a lot easier.
The questions were also asked during the India series before the world cup where was Albie Morkel for his big hitting and maybe Boucher should have been there? so no hindsight there, although admittedly we can’t ever say for sure that would have made a difference but it is interesting when Indian players seemed surprised Morkel wasn’t there. Also during the tournament there were questions about why Tsotsobe played so little as he had been in good form, although he had injuries so I guess not sure how this affected things. Anyway have rattled on for far too long now hope its made some sense.
@ Ashley:
Good afternon Ashley
bullscot @ 11
helloooooooooo bullscot
..
yep, with you on tsotsobe
and
taking petersen off, not only against nz, but also england
..
but
its all too late complaining about it now, isnt it/
..
sigh …. jaaaaaaaa nê? 😥
@ Ashley12:
Ja man I guess many of us fans just wanted them to win the Cup too much after all the attempts but its slowly hurting less, this is how we feel as fans can you imagine what is was like for the players.
Oh well at least you got through my loooong post then, ek het nie nonsens geskryf nie maar KLOMP nonsens 🙂
bullscot @ 13
now why were i under the impression that you dont understand afrikaans?
Sorry Morne meant to add in my story that fans or non professional writers have the luxury of deciding to either react straight away or take time to go away and consider things before publicly saying anything, whereas the journalists have tight time deadlines to meet to get their story down and so maybe that can excuse some of the harsh things that you say have been written, even though they are professionals it must be very difficult to distance from the emotion of such a big sporting event and be completely objective, to me that seems almost unnatural.
@ Ashley 14:
I don’t know man you tell me, just remember next time you skinder I can understand 😉
bullscot @ 16
now YOU’VE got it wrong
its the bulls supporters that “skinder”
not
stormers supporters!!
@ Ashley 17:
haha nee ou maat ek weet nie waarvan jy praat nie. Anyway you must be quite pleased with the Stormers start to the Super 15, especially the manner of their win last weekend.
Enjoy it while it lasts the Bulls are back 🙂 must be outta here cheers vir eers
Morne
Interesting article. Just imagine how difficult it is for me as a Lions fan for more years than I care to recall to stay objective AND positive while writing match reports on games that I see thrown away week after week.
Anyway, as always a forthright and thought provoking post.
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