Swiming story - opinions respected

[bengatta]

All...

I am really curious as to peoples opinions regard the exclusion of Nick D'Arcy from the Olympic swim team...

All opinions respected, I am not sure there is an easy solution to this one... so I am sure there will be wide ranging opinions.

On one hand, he made 1 mistake, and will now pay for it forever...

on the other hand, it was a serious mistake, and in the real world this stuff comes with consequences...

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,865 ... 13,00.html

[Nigel]

If it had been anything other than swimming, there would not even be much of a debate. There would have been bugger all public outcry. A very good point was made a week or so a go. When that Australian cyclist was even accused (not actually verified) of taking drugs, he was thrown off the Olympic team and everyone (the public) seemed fine as it was sending "the right message". Now because its Swimming is all "ooooo lets not be too rash here". It was much the same with Carey. He got away some a lot of shit because of his supposed profile with in society. If he had not been a swimmer there would have been a lot more on the victim (which is hardly mentioned and when it is its only on terms of is role in D'Arcy's fall from grace) The other thing is, I wish people would STOP CALLING HIM DARCY. its D'Arcy. Like O'Clock and O'Grady.

[bengatta]

Forgot to post my opinion...

Nick D'Arcy should not be going to the olympics, and I think the right decision was made, and I applaud the AOC for being brave enough...

Barry Hall got to sit out some on field action due to an on field incident, this guy also needs to be dealt the same blow as this was not even an on field incident. If his chosen sport only has its day in the sun every 4 years... tough, that is what it is.

The only way he can be reinstated is if the NSW courts find him not guilty of any offence, which I am sure the AOC has left open to him, but there is no way they can leave his team in doubt as to what happens if you let your emotions get out of control.

If I did that in that same crowded bar and faced similar prosecution, my employment contract has a clause in it allowing for termination upon being charged with a serious crime, so I see it as no different.

I certainly feel sorry for him, and it must be a huge disappointment to get so close, but it not been taken from him without him having contributed to his own downfall, and now coaches all over Australia can tell there protege's... "be careful, remember D'Arcy"... Just like they have been able to use "you can still do a Bradbury" as an expression to never give up until the event is actually finished...

[norbs]

If it had been anything other than swimming, there would not even be much of a debate. There would have been bugger all public outcry. A very good point was made a week or so a go. When that Australian cyclist was even accused (not actually verified) of taking drugs, he was thrown off the Olympic team and everyone (the public) seemed fine as it was sending "the right message". Now because its Swimming is all "ooooo lets not be too rash here". It was much the same with Carey. He got away some a lot of shit because of his supposed profile with in society. If he had not been a swimmer there would have been a lot more on the victim (which is hardly mentioned and when it is its only on terms of is role in D'Arcy's fall from grace) The other thing is, I wish people would STOP CALLING HIM DARCY. its D'Arcy. Like O'Clock and O'Grady.

He shouldn't go, easy as that. All this bull shit about him putting in years of training is rubbish. Do the crime, do the time.

Nige, being a pedant must be easy. The fact is, even his father who I heard interviewed briefly on ABC radio says Darcy. That is good enough for me.

[Sambo]

I think it was the right decision, when you are that level you are representing a country and to behave like that just seems stupid. I think the other thing that hurt him was the fact he had a track record. But yeah I think its a good decision.
What nige said about different sports having different standards is very true. Ricky Ponting has been in trouble, Mark Waugh, Shane Waugh etc all brought Australian cricket into disrepute. They got penalized for it but their careers were not put on a knifes edge. There are many other precedences just in Australian sport let alone world sport. So i guess at the end of the day its the nature of the sport. Boxing will always be more physical than Swimming, for example. Mike Tyson punching someone, meh he does that every day... Lawn bowler Scott Caundle punching someone, HE DID WHAT?!.

All that aside, it's now up to d'arcy to show if he really has the guts to keep at it. Yes its a long 4 years before the next Olympics. But if I were him I would be thinking about the stars like Andre Agassi who was once a brat, took some time off and then returned to being the elder statesman of the sport not to mention won quite a few grand slams. I know swimming doesn't have as many meets as tennis. But the principle is still the same. He has missed a big opportunity in his career, lets just hope he can pull it back and make a win a gold medal in 4 years time.

[bengatta]

Lawn bowler Scott Caundle punching someone, HE DID WHAT?!.

Not sure what bothers me most about that... knowing something about lawn bowls is right up there on the concern list though...

[Sambo]

Well I wanted an extreme to illustrate my point. So I went to google typed in Australian Lawn bowler and thats the name that came up. As far as i'm concerned lawn bowls is a grass version of 10 pin bowling.

I swear I know nothing

[bengatta]

Well I wanted an extreme to illustrate my point. So I went to google typed in Australian Lawn bowler and thats the name that came up. As far as i'm concerned lawn bowls is a grass version of 10 pin bowling.

I swear I know nothing

Don't you go dissing out on ten pin now... I have a trophy from ten pin somewhere...

I used to win this perpetural thing a fair bit also, but that fell over when our running club disbanded...

[Sambo]

Well I wanted an extreme to illustrate my point. So I went to google typed in Australian Lawn bowler and thats the name that came up. As far as i'm concerned lawn bowls is a grass version of 10 pin bowling.

I swear I know nothing

Don't you go dissing out on ten pin now... I have a trophy from ten pin somewhere...

I used to win this perpetural thing a fair bit also, but that fell over when our running club disbanded...

Why there was no dissing at all sir. I was merely alluding to the fact that if i were to play lawn bowls it would consist of me thumping down the ball at rate of knots to destroy all the others

[matticooper]

People who are in the public (i.e. media attention due to sports, music, etc) shouldn't be held on a pedastal and be allowed to do whatever the heck they want. If I went down the street and bashed the living daylights out of the beckman that plays his stereo all night - I would expect to be dragged into the cop shop and answer for my actions. Everyone else should be liable as well.

People look up to these "stars" and I use that word loosely. It's another that joins the long list of people who think they are above everyone else and think they can get away with shit like this.