Ben Barba

[westTAHger]

So much wasted ability & talent, could have gone on to achieve anything.
All now gone, a fallen idol.
I wonder if in years to come, he will look back at this and think, why the hell did I do that.

 

[Swordy]

Next person who calls players role models needs to give themselves an uppercut.

A role model is your mother, father, a good uncle, a hard working neighbour. Parents who let their kids follow any football idiots are poor parents. Anyone who lets their kids model their behavioir and life choice on 99% of footballers, cricketers or overpaid, overhyped sports people are not qualified to be parents full stop.

 

[happy_tiger]

Joe Bloggs would likely find himself sacked if he tested positive for drugs or turned up to work under the influence. Why would/should Rugby League be treated any different than any other professional environment?

Nah mate

All the big sites around here have random testing and you get helped out to the eyeballs if you fail with counselling etc

Obviously you fail three times and then its a different situation

Same as showing up pissed

 

[Kavi]

Next person who calls players role models needs to give themselves an uppercut.

A role model is your mother, father, a good uncle, a hard working neighbour. Parents who let their kids follow any football idiots are poor parents. Anyone who lets their kids model their behavioir and life choice on 99% of footballers, cricketers or overpaid, overhyped sports people are not qualified to be parents full stop.

lol… i don't know where to start

 

[Nelson]

So much wasted ability & talent, could have gone on to achieve anything.
All now gone, a fallen idol.
I wonder if in years to come, he will look back at this and think, why the hell did I do that.

I don't think introspection is his thing…

 

[TCL]

Next person who calls players role models needs to give themselves an uppercut.

A role model is your mother, father, a good uncle, a hard working neighbour. Parents who let their kids follow any football idiots are poor parents. Anyone who lets their kids model their behavioir and life choice on 99% of footballers, cricketers or overpaid, overhyped sports people are not qualified to be parents full stop.

Swordy, I agree with you and at my age I think you are absolutely correct however, for the young and when I was young, sportsman, actors and musicians I considered as idols and as an idol i wanted to copy them - therefor they become role models and it will always be the case, regardless of how good or bad a parent you are.

I wanted to be Wayne Pearce, Jimmy Page, James Dean and my uncle (he had a hq monaro) all rolled into one.

 

[palms]

Joe Bloggs would likely find himself sacked if he tested positive for drugs or turned up to work under the influence. Why would/should Rugby League be treated any different than any other professional environment?

Nah mate

All the big sites around here have random testing and you get helped out to the eyeballs if you fail with counselling etc

Obviously you fail three times and then its a different situation

Same as showing up pissed

As a contractor if I showed up with drugs, be it illegal or synthetic, or alcohol in my system I got no second chances. It was thanks for coming and hand your card in at the gate.

Now whether I agree with this strict policy or not is not for debate because I took the job knowing rules were rules and I followed them. I certainly wasn't earning $600k per annum either to follow these rules.

Accountability is a lost word in this day and age.

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

Joe Bloggs would likely find himself sacked if he tested positive for drugs or turned up to work under the influence. Why would/should Rugby League be treated any different than any other professional environment?

Nah mate

All the big sites around here have random testing and you get helped out to the eyeballs if you fail with counselling etc

Obviously you fail three times and then its a different situation

Same as showing up pissed

As a contractor if I showed up with drugs, be it illegal or synthetic, or alcohol in my system I got no second chances. It was thanks for coming and hand your card in at the gate.

Now whether I agree with this strict policy or not is not for debate because I took the job knowing rules were rules and I followed them. I certainly wasn't earning $600k per annum either to follow these rules.

Accountability is a lost word in this day and age.

Our company policy is zero strikes as well. A lot more companies are adopting it too.

 

[jirskyr]

Next person who calls players role models needs to give themselves an uppercut.

A role model is your mother, father, a good uncle, a hard working neighbour. Parents who let their kids follow any football idiots are poor parents. Anyone who lets their kids model their behavioir and life choice on 99% of footballers, cricketers or overpaid, overhyped sports people are not qualified to be parents full stop.

How can you control who your kids idolise, who they like? Do you have kids? Because honestly this is a peanut no-idea comment.

I can't even control what my kids like to watch on TV.

 

[supercoach]

Joe Bloggs would likely find himself sacked if he tested positive for drugs or turned up to work under the influence. Why would/should Rugby League be treated any different than any other professional environment?

Not so my X company was one of the bigger work places in the country where regular drug testing was done and they had a three strike policy and even than they would opt for treatment rather than sacking a person in most cases

 

[Sabre]

Bang on gallagher.

There is no such things as role models these Days in the NRL . Then they want us to have a soft spot cause they visit Hospitals and think everything's O.K with such actions :unamused: give me a break .

What some on here would do to have such a privileged Career , NRL need to get real with offenders that don't learn from past mistakes.

Pretty much.
It's becoming harder and harder to care about a sport filled with drug addicts, alcoholics and wife-beaters. Why should you or I give a damn about the result of the weekend sport these types of people play?

 

[Swordy]

Next person who calls players role models needs to give themselves an uppercut.

A role model is your mother, father, a good uncle, a hard working neighbour. Parents who let their kids follow any football idiots are poor parents. Anyone who lets their kids model their behavioir and life choice on 99% of footballers, cricketers or overpaid, overhyped sports people are not qualified to be parents full stop.

How can you control who your kids idolise, who they like? Do you have kids? Because honestly this is a peanut no-idea comment.

I can't even control what my kids like to watch on TV.

I have kids. We will agree to disagree and i can do it without calling anyone a peanut. I dont want to 'control' my kids and stifle their creativity, but i do want to expose them to plenty of examples of good, strong, honest and hard workimg people. Life is so much easier when youre looking forward and not looking over your shoulder because youre making poor choices.

Wanting to play like Ben Brba is one thing. Wanting to be like him and be an uneducated pretend gangster goon covered in tough stickers, taking drugs and treating women like sh** is another.

 

[Guest]

Let's not get personal here thanks guys.

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

Next person who calls players role models needs to give themselves an uppercut.

A role model is your mother, father, a good uncle, a hard working neighbour. Parents who let their kids follow any football idiots are poor parents. Anyone who lets their kids model their behavioir and life choice on 99% of footballers, cricketers or overpaid, overhyped sports people are not qualified to be parents full stop.

How can you control who your kids idolise, who they like? Do you have kids? Because honestly this is a peanut no-idea comment.

I can't even control what my kids like to watch on TV.

I have kids. We will agree to disagree and i can do it without calling anyone a peanut. I dont want to 'control' my kids and stifle their creativity, but i do want to expose them to plenty of examples of good, strong, honest and hard workimg people. Life is so much easier when youre looking forward and not looking over your shoulder because youre making poor choices.

Wanting to play like Ben Brba is one thing. Wanting to be like him and be an uneducated pretend gangster goon covered in tough stickers, taking drugs and treating women like sh** is another.

I grew up with Sirro as a sporting idol. I revered him on the footy field, but I'd never apply my philosophy in life to footy player for his ability on the field. I had figures in my life, namely my parents and other relatives and people I knew that I looked to for guidance and how to grow as a person.

I think kids can idolise footy players and other sportspeople, as long as the can identify why they appreciate those people. That's not limited to kids either.

 

[happy_tiger]

Next person who calls players role models needs to give themselves an uppercut.

A role model is your mother, father, a good uncle, a hard working neighbour. Parents who let their kids follow any football idiots are poor parents. Anyone who lets their kids model their behavioir and life choice on 99% of footballers, cricketers or overpaid, overhyped sports people are not qualified to be parents full stop.

How can you control who your kids idolise, who they like? Do you have kids? Because honestly this is a peanut no-idea comment.

I can't even control what my kids like to watch on TV.

I have kids. We will agree to disagree and i can do it without calling anyone a peanut. I dont want to 'control' my kids and stifle their creativity, but i do want to expose them to plenty of examples of good, strong, honest and hard workimg people. Life is so much easier when youre looking forward and not looking over your shoulder because youre making poor choices.

Wanting to play like Ben Brba is one thing. Wanting to be like him and be an uneducated pretend gangster goon covered in tough stickers, taking drugs and treating women like sh** is another.

Idols and role models are 2 separate issues

I might want to become a great footballer like my Idol but want to became a great community leader / person like my role model

Sometimes they can be one and the same

 

[innsaneink]

Next person who calls players role models needs to give themselves an uppercut.

A role model is your mother, father, a good uncle, a hard working neighbour. Parents who let their kids follow any football idiots are poor parents. Anyone who lets their kids model their behavioir and life choice on 99% of footballers, cricketers or overpaid, overhyped sports people are not qualified to be parents full stop.

How can you control who your kids idolise, who they like? Do you have kids? Because honestly this is a peanut no-idea comment.

I can't even control what my kids like to watch on TV.

A good role model will inform and teach kids that hard work, honesty and being a good person is valuable…a good role model will also teach kids when those they look up to and admire, idolise, whatever you wish to call it...are doing the right thing or the wrong thing.
Allowing kids to believe Barbas, or Kryrgios' actions are OK isnt being a good role model

 

[jirskyr]

Next person who calls players role models needs to give themselves an uppercut.

A role model is your mother, father, a good uncle, a hard working neighbour. Parents who let their kids follow any football idiots are poor parents. Anyone who lets their kids model their behavioir and life choice on 99% of footballers, cricketers or overpaid, overhyped sports people are not qualified to be parents full stop.

How can you control who your kids idolise, who they like? Do you have kids? Because honestly this is a peanut no-idea comment.

I can't even control what my kids like to watch on TV.

I have kids. We will agree to disagree and i can do it without calling anyone a peanut. I dont want to 'control' my kids and stifle their creativity, but i do want to expose them to plenty of examples of good, strong, honest and hard workimg people. Life is so much easier when youre looking forward and not looking over your shoulder because youre making poor choices.

Wanting to play like Ben Brba is one thing. Wanting to be like him and be an uneducated pretend gangster goon covered in tough stickers, taking drugs and treating women like sh** is another.

Alright I do apologise I should not have used the word peanut.

Totally agree you want to expose your kids to good role models, instill honesty and hard work as core disciplines etc. Totally agree with that.

But there is a difference between what you try and get them to do, and what they themselves choose to do.

Ben Barba is not a good role model, but he is up there as an option for kids. He is famous, if your kids follow footy they might like him, and you can condemn him within your household, talk about his life decision and the negative consequences.

You can't control who kids pick up as their role model. Not all ratbag kids are that way because they were neglected or not properly brought up by their parents. Are Matt Lodge's parents to blame for how he turned out? Are Ben Barba's parents the issue?

Is Benji Marshall a good role model? Do I want my kids to get maori tatts on their arms?
Is Greg Inglis a good role model? He is a figurehead for everthing that is good about indigenous involvement in the sport, but his track record with treatment of women isn't exactly without blemish.
Is Brett Stewart a good role model? He was deeply involved in a bad on-field fight and unfairly associated with an off-field incident that has tarnished his reputation.

So who exactly inside rugby league can you point to as a good role model? Cameron Smith? Half of all supporters hate his guts. Cooper Cronk? He is borderline obsessed with health and fitness if you've ever read his literature. Shaun Johnson?

You know who is the real role model in rugby league? Chris bloody Lawrence. Works his hardest, intelligent and educated, has his own business, well spoken and well presented, no off-field incidents, no gang stuff, no showboating or public brand nonsense. And he is fairly not popular in general league circles. He's not even that popular within Wests Tigers supporters.

But if your kids choose differently, if they select role models like Kim Kardashian or Jay Z or Anthony Mundine or Ben Barba, what can you actually do about it? There is no "letting" in this regard, you can't punish your kids for finding appeal in a certain way of life.

These people are all potentially role models, just not necessarily good ones.

 

[mustafa]

Barba was caught with cocaine last year as well but the club kept quiet. He was also warned at the finals time that he has a strong chance of being drug tested as well as all players from NRL. But he didn't take any notice. He is nothing but problems including assaulting his partner, gambling, drinking and he needs to go away and sort himself out.

I feel sad for his family and young kids having to deal with his constant stupidity.
Wendell Sailor after testing positive for cocaine Australian rugby officials tore up his half-million-dollar-a-year contract and had been suspended for two years.

But the NRL will give Barba a slap on the wrist.
Cocaine is an illegal drug. If the 'norm' person was caught with it, they would be charged and in front of the courts. Why aren't the Police investigating this to find out where it's coming from ? We have young players moving into the top NRL squads and it's a concern, as well for their families. There has to be a Duty of Care from the NRL and not a bandaid solution

 

[innsaneink]

Hodgo would be a good role model….but even the best are human and make mistakes/poor choices

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

Hodgo would be a good role model….but even the best are human and make mistakes/poor choices

We all thought Toddy P seemed like an affable bloke and good role model, till he got on the squirt and pissed on a war memorial.