Is David King's criticism of Mark LeCras fair game?

[Scotland]

If anything this thread has demonstrated the poor comprehension skills of the average BigFooty poster.

 

[Moist Biscuit]

Lecras is shit, King calls out Lecras for being shit. I honestly don't see the problem here.

 

[Scotland]

Like when you criticise someone on BigFooty, I've always thought the test is: if some tragedy were to befall that player tomorrow, or if it was revealed that he was suffering from mental health issues, would you still be comfortable with what you wrote/said? Fasolo's the classic example. With the cocky/smartarse persona that he had on the field, he was an easy player to dislike. But with the sensationalist media and people fighting for attention on sites like this, just saying "Yeah, I'm not a fan of Fasolo; seems to be getting a bit ahead of himself" isn't satisfactory. You have to be much more inflammatory than that to get attention.

I don't think it's ever smart to make it personal with players and to say someone should never play again, in my opinion, crosses that line.

This guy gets it.

Apparently all most people can focus on is 'David King says dumb things all the time' and 'OMG you need to harden up, LeCras needs to harden up.' **** me, our education system has a lot to answer for.

All I am trying to ascertain is whether what King said is OK (consensus points towards yes), where the line is drawn and what happens to said line depending on the personal circumstances of who is involved. I don't think anything David King said was particularly scathing or controversial (I've been saying all week how poor our defensive efforts are), but he was pushing towards personal saying 'LeCras should never play again' and 'the players don't care enough'. That sort of stuff sparks interest and keeps people like David King in a job - which is fine, but it's either OK or it isn't. I don't to suffer through the same media ****wits who openly speculate and get personal about players and coaches on national TV complaining about the pressure players are under and how people on social media are the problem.

If Alex Fasolo puts in a half arsed effort do you stop and say 'well he had time out of the game a while back for mental health issues so I better not criticise him'? If Pearce Hanley puts in a half-arsed effort do you cut him slack because their family suffered tragedy earlier in the year? Jack Darling was smashed for playing an ordinary game against Gold Coast then it came out his wife went into premature labour with their first child and he was set to fly back but didn't because he couldn't get back in time and nearly missed the game. Have never been in that position myself but I can imagine it would make it hard to focus on the job at hand.

 

[Luv_our_club]

Politicians must be inhuman (and their families super human) to survive the lashing they get publicly. There are lines of propriety (which were crossed with Julia Gillard) but otherwise constant judgment is part of the privellege of the position.

Same with footballers.

The more extreme the criticism the less accurate it is likely to be. King made himself sound foolish and simplistic.

 

[Scotland]

The more extreme the criticism the less accurate it is likely to be. King made himself sound foolish and simplistic.

That's really his thing.

 

[master bate]

I think it was a bit too far but at least it's not fence sitting and is a concise football opinion, not rubbish about meaningless stuff like when players get ripped for bad body language, social media or joking after a game.

LeCras is nearly 31 and has had what, 10 years of good wages and dealing with the media. He'd also know his career is close to an end this year or soon after. I think he can deal with the King criticism.

The players who cop it the worst are generally young players, out of contract players or those who have gone to new clubs.

As long as King doesn't use the same language repeatedly I think that's ok.

 

[00Stinger]

So pretty much no player should ever be called out for puss poor performances?

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

 

[Plugger35]

The best part about these "big statements" is that they appear to have a seven day lifespan. Teams regularly go from "genuine premiership contenders" to also-rans in the space of a week, so much unaccountable flip-flopping.

No better example than Richmond, they were talked up as contenders after beating Port, then they were written off as pretenders after being smashed by St Kilda and after beating Brisbane and GWS they're being talked up as contenders again.

 

[Fabes]

Slightly off topic but who cares if King predicted a Sydney 10 goal win in the 2014 Grand final. It was his opinion and he obviously thought Sydney would win ... and by a lot. It doesn't make him a numpty. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Now as for his comments re: Lecras, again who cares. Lecras is playing so it makes him fair game and open to criticism if he doesn't deliver.

 

[ThatsjustDappa]

I read a lot of the same stuff on Bigfooty.

Well that's terrible then, BF is just amateur keyboard warriors....

These guys are supposed professional commentators....

 

[Moshie The Mook]

All I am trying to ascertain is whether what King said is OK (consensus points towards yes),

Yes of course it's ok you nuff nuff.

 

[SterlingArcher]

"Should never play again. I'm done with him" - David King on Lecras

Where, exactly, am I able to lodge the same request of King?

What gives him the right? This latest arrogant slur is just part and parcel of King's 'brand' (his favourite word) hyper-critical and predictable 'analysis'... "Can't get their territory game going/can't get their stoppage game going/ it's a handball game/ stat stat stat, rah rah rah rah".

No-one can make an error - and no one can do anything right. Everything is preventable. If someone does something well, someone else is to blame.

So many of these special comments drones have obviously completely forgotten what it was like to be a player. From the comfort of their armchairs, they know exactly what should have happened, and just can't fathom how anyone can not do exactly the right thing all the time.

King, Dunstall, Dixon (the worst offenders in my eyes) - please oh please give us the benefit of your obvious and considerable wisdom and go and coach. It is obviously so easy, go on, and at least that way you'll be off my telly.

Is he wrong? LeCras is awful.

Also why do they have to prove themselves as coaches to say that LeCras is shit?
Dunstall can basically can all bar the absolute elite shithouse. He's been there, done that, never ****ed up a dumb dribble kick running into an open goal.

 

[Toump Ass]

If you can't stand the heat don't accept the massive pay packet and the perks that go with it.

6 figure salary to kick a ball and pussy on tap.

Why would anyone give a **** what some dickhead like King thinks.

 

[SterlingArcher]

Thought was a little harsh, to basically come out and say lecras should lose his job. Essentially what he has said. Lecras should be dropped sure, but a little harsh to say he should never play AFL again.

And if Adam Simpson comes to LeCras and says "we're done with you mate, sorry but we have to look to the future"? Is that harsh?

It's reality. It's elite sport, being in the public eye. I think the amount of footy media is over the top right now, so yeah media people have to sit on talk shows and make controversy, but it's still not ridiculous to say an aging underperforming senior player should be on the way out.

 

[Bluelegs]

I reckon if you went through my posting history I would have said somewhere that Neville Jetta should never play another game. I look like a dickhead now for thinking that and am very happy to be wrong in that case.

Jetta was obviously at a different point in his career than LeCras is now but I think that sweeping claims like that are pretty dangerous and disrespectful.

All I'll say is that LeCras has been a champ for the Eagles and I hope he gets the opportunity to make the call on his own career.

 

[Craze]

"Should never play again. I'm done with him" - David King on Lecras

Where, exactly, am I able to lodge the same request of King?

What gives him the right? This latest arrogant slur is just part and parcel of King's 'brand' (his favourite word) hyper-critical and predictable 'analysis'... "Can't get their territory game going/can't get their stoppage game going/ it's a handball game/ stat stat stat, rah rah rah rah".

No-one can make an error - and no one can do anything right. Everything is preventable. If someone does something well, someone else is to blame.

So many of these special comments drones have obviously completely forgotten what it was like to be a player. From the comfort of their armchairs, they know exactly what should have happened, and just can't fathom how anyone can not do exactly the right thing all the time.

King, Dunstall, Dixon (the worst offenders in my eyes) - please oh please give us the benefit of your obvious and considerable wisdom and go and coach. It is obviously so easy, go on, and at least that way you'll be off my telly.

Spot on mate. 100% agree.

For that matter the article in The Age today by Brendan Foster 'Simpson has to go'. Just total BS from a nothing individual.

I've said this before in another thread but I'd almost enjoy watching Collingwood's success in future years just to watch Robbo and his mates having to admit that they know absolutely nothing about football.

Great thread!

 

[SterlingArcher]

Also I'm not an expert, but mental health surely requires more factors than criticism. Other stressors are going to be a much bigger deal in 99.5% of cases. So to me it follows that King can't be at fault for not knowing if LeCras is close to that edge (or any player) - we're never going to reach a world of just good feedback in the media. It's not the way it works

 

[Bunk Moreland]

What gives him the right?

Fox Footy.

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

I'll tread carefully around this one for fear of infraction points...

Firstly, I agree with criticism of LeCras' game on the weekend. Was defensively very poor and has been all year. He should be dropped from our side.

Over the past few months we've seen Tom Boyd, Alex Fasolo and Travis Cloke all take time away from the game for mental health issues. Each time we're told by the media that there's too much pressure on players, keyboard warriors are saying horrible things on Twitter, constant speculation, criticism, attention etc. can all contribute to a player's well being and/or affect them if they are already struggling.

With that in mind is it acceptable for footy personalities to single out players on nationally televised programs and say they 'should never play again'? Seems like a bit of a double standard to me, which given the footy media is nothing new.

Now I assume that LeCras is going OK mental health wise, but for all anyone knows he could potentially be struggling with mental health issues. If it came out that he has been struggling with something or does in future, does that frame King's comments differently?

Is the accepted norm that all 800 players are fair game and anyone can say whatever they want until such time that a player declares publicly they have mental health issues and then they become off limits and the media can get on their high horse about not speculating about or criticising players etc?

Agreed. He could have said dropped and that would be fine. Unecessary to say he should never play again.

 

[demondavey]

Lecras is shit, King calls out Lecras for being shit. I honestly don't see the problem here.

You don't see the problem because you've got your blinkers on. This isn't an opportunity to get stuck into WC because you can, this is about an outlandish and stupid comment from a clown that talks absolute garbage, gets paid far too much for it, and does it because inexperienced media operators have to retort to making sensationalism to send their messages.

This idiot last week said that Geelong needed to send Andrew Mackie forward and reinvent him. A 32 year old in probably his last or second last season who has played as a defender for 95% of his career.

Le Cras might be passed his best, but you don't say someone 'should never play again'. A coach will tell you that when he delists you.

 

[Ok Boomer]

His comments aren't that far off to be honest. However, Lecras can play the occasional good game still. If his comments were directed at Priddis, they would have much more validity.

 

[demondavey]

Also I'm not an expert, but mental health surely requires more factors than criticism. Other stressors are going to be a much bigger deal in 99.5% of cases. So to me it follows that King can't be at fault for not knowing if LeCras is close to that edge (or any player) - we're never going to reach a world of just good feedback in the media. It's not the way it works

I think the mental health issue may have been taken out of proportion a bit. Criticism can certainly accumulate over time to cause one to be depressed, and constant criticism surely takes its toll. Boyd & Cloke ring a bell here.

I think there definitely is other factors as contributors, no doubt, but criticism would be helping. I wouldn't think (got to be careful not to assume), that an isolated comment could spark a serious episode, but if it was repetitive I reckon there would then be potential for it to be something that could lead to it.

 

[The Cryptkeeper]

You'd take anything David King says with a grain of salt, wouldn't you?

The guy is a first class cretin.

 

[Luv_our_club]

Robo had a spat with Clarko earlier in the year and said he thought Clarkson was his friend and said he had now realised what Clarkson was really like. Too many commentators on the game have personal grievance against individuals or teams, or publicly cheer the team they follow. If only they knew how little the public cared about them. Grand Final week is the right time for journalists to discuss their personal support for a competing team, otherwise less please.

 

[Animus]

So apparently a bloke can't have an opinion anymore.

Nice work, AFLPA mole, I see you