After much thought and deliberation, this will be the last posting in Sportz. The reasons are many. The realization that social media, in all its forms, has become not a voice for much that is positive but one filled with negativity and bullying.
My blog was designed to be a different voice from those rife on social media. There was never any intention to be based on how many likes, clicks or shares. It mattered not whether some agreed, as everyone has different views and opinions. However, in this regard, how people voiced their different views and opinions ranged from logical and backed by valid arguments to total and utter flamboyant rubbish that was neither logical nor backed by reasonable arguments.
The number of times I was told to “get back to the kitchen” or “I’m a female and have no clue about the game” was prolific. But that never bothered me in the slightest. What has bothered me more is those who turn on the toss of a coin when making comments about players, coaches, administrators, and so forth.
Some spout the importance of understanding the mental health of others yet are quite happy to post derogatory comments on social media directed at specific players and coaches. To go from one week to supporting them to another degrading them is a bit hypocritical.
Given the game over the weekend, you would think that we are no better than we were in the past years when we were languishing near the bottom of the bottom eight.
I was privileged enough to attend a function where Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell and the club’s Director of Coaching spoke. It was insightful, logical and something that all supporters of every club would benefit from what they said. They put up a slide that said that in the years before the club won their first in a series of Premierships, the average age of the players was 23.7 years. When they won their first, it was 26 years. The average number of games played in that Premiership group was between 60 – 70, compared to 35-45 games.
Sam Mitchell said that to become a Premiership side, you have to have growth in your playing group to such an extent that the game becomes second nature no matter what is facing that player. This takes time and experience to teach most, not all, where he alluded to those players who are naturally born with a footy sense.
It takes time to have that mix of players that can read the game so that they become a dynamic force during the game. He should know this, being part of a four-time Premiership team. The same situation is with Voss. He knows what it will take to continually get this team to a position of dominance. Yet some want this to happen in six months, not a few years, given the instability we have gone through. These same people barrage and comment derogatory comments towards players and the club and don’t see the damage it can do to the player. To be perfectly honest, I have no respect nor care for these “commentators” who are only interested in clickbait. So it is time to walk away.
Thanks to all who followed me on this journey, but it is time to go on other journeys. I will still be a passionate Carlton member and supporter and go to most games here and interstate, win, lose or draw. But the toxic nature of social media is something I have no interest in being a part of, so it is time to sign off. At the end of July, Sportz will be no more.
So for the last time, GO BLUES!
(Photo courtesy of AFL)
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