Isaac
Years ago

Shane Heal on sanitised commentary in sport

Shane Heal, on GoldCoast.com.au (NBL needs passion and personalities) has added his thoughts on the state of personalities in the NBL and commented on coach Brendan Joyce's remarks to WA journalist Ross Lewis. His column includes:

When I hear someone interviewed, I want to hear their real thoughts.

I want to feel their passion, their anger, their excitement and any other emotion that is real.

I can then form an opinion on the subject or if I actually like that person or not.

Basketball needs real people and whether they are the villains, the heart-throbs or the tough men, it will actually create opinions about our players and coaches and people will have a feeling towards them and go to watch them.
That's fantastic (and I agree), but where he seems to get off-track is on the Joyce-Lewis incident:
The journalist had told the entire state of Western Australia his expert basketball thoughts that day in his local rag, but when Brendan shared his honest thoughts in the media conference, the NBL didn't like it.
"Sharing his honest thoughts" isn't quite the same as 'demanding that a journalist leave a press conference' in this context. Sure, respond to a journalist's comments if you disagree, but making a demand like that isn't going to encourage the media to cover the league - after all, Lewis' comments weren't abusive, antagonising his audience or entirely without support.

That said, while I disagree with that one part of Heal's column, it's great to see the rest of it. In fact, it's odd that in the last season of the NBL as we know it, we see so much added commentary around the league - the blogs of Rillie and Ng (slightly NBL related at least), audio/video pieces from Skip/Bizzy/BenFitz, Gaze.com.au, AdelaideNow and Rillie/DJRod, the usual extras from Boti, plus new fan blogs such as those by Glockers, a Wildcats fan, a 16-yo fan of the Dragons, etc.

Brings to mind forum-poster HAHA's suggestions that Mark Worthington should shut up on the topic of NewBL teams. In that regard, do we go some way to discouraging player commentary for all but those with the thickest skins, like Heal and Shane (oops) Simon Kerle before him?

Or in a climate where team owners might rather athletes play it safe in the media to avoid offending sponsors, is there a way to hear more 'real' opinions from the teams we follow?

Chris Anstey used to run a fairly interesting Q&A section on his personal site that I found a bit more insightful than Heal's column or Rillie's (mostly light-hearted) blog. But it was shut down, from memory, because he was concerned about his comments being misrepresented on OzHoops.

If you don't have commentary relating to the above questions, what about listing a few things you've appreciated hearing from public statements by those involved in the league?

The one recent example I can think of was Rillie's comment on the fearful duo of Heal and Daniel Joyce.

Topic #17596 | Report this topic


Bo Hamburger  
Years ago

Lots I would like to say but might start with the recent Jacob Holmes incident as a case study:

For background, Boti rips him for saying what he and/or the team had been thinking in private (scroll down to summary of Sixers/Breakers game here)

My questions are:

1) Do comments like this really fire up opposing teams that much? Were they lacking in motivation that much?

2) Does Jacob say what he's honestly thinking next time?

3) Do media/we unfairly expect professional sports athletes to almost solipsistically sacrifice seemingly almost all else in their lives to compete savagely on the floor and then the instant the competition stops or away from the fury of competition (which they're paid to be good at), speak articulately into a microphone with the desired amounts of humility, sportsmanship and intelligence?

My other thought just at the minute is that the internet seems to be a blessing and a curse for your pro athletes: it removes the 'filter' of the media and allows you to communicate directly with fans - but those fans can also communicate back to you and with each other in ways they couldn't before.

Reply #206761 | Report this post


DICKO  
Years ago

"Chris Anstey used to run a fairly interesting Q&A section on his personal site that I found a bit more insightful than Heal's column or Rillie's (mostly light-hearted) blog. But it was shut down, from memory, because he was concerned about his comments being misrepresented on OzHoops."

His comment when it happened was that he was being "misquoted", when in fact his quote was taken word for word and completely in context.

I know, because I'm the one that quoted him.... and he was backpeddling to try to cover up the fact that he definitely said what was repeated.

I don't have a problem with the players just telling it like it is, as long as it doesn't go stupid and actually bring the game in to "disrepute".....I think Hammer is right.

Reply #206763 | Report this post


HAHA  
Years ago

Isaac, I saw a small snippet of Joyce's tirade on that journo on Sports Tonight, and I have searched for it on You Tube to see if it's possible that a lot has been left out of the dialogue between them up to the point where Joyce let loose. (knowing how skewed the media can be)

I completely respect Heal's comments- I think he has been in the game for long enough to have earned his opinions which from the above, are clearly thought out unlike some other players opinions which can be quite biased and half-cocked.

I recall hearing about Anstey's blog but the most of what I heard about it was rather skewed and about him dissing his coach, etc, so there's an important line between voicing an unprofessional opinion that tarnishes the game and the person making the comments, and providing educated debate and well thought out discussion topics and facts.

eg- If Worthington really, really wanted to do his utmost to use his profile in the best interests of the sport, he would show more interest in ASKING those that count (people who part with their hard earned money) what they think and the pros and cons of his ideas, rather than deciding to form his own mob based on how a collection of players feel about something that they may not have given enough thought to in terms of consequence.
Research is respectful.
A player telling the powers that be what the public can and can't spend their money on is just down right rude and obnoxious.
Until players like Worthington can put themselves on the receiving end of the decisions they are trying to force, they really have failed to capture or consider whether their influence will be negative or positive.

Reply #206764 | Report this post


Drb  
Years ago

As i said in the post about the orginal incident with joyce, it was great and good to see passion.

the reason people dislike joyce is because of his passion for the game.

Great article by Shane

Reply #206766 | Report this post


HAHA  
Years ago

And as mentioned in a previous topic, Worthington, by influencing other players to join him and Goori in pushing for an 8 team league, will almost certainly, be forcing other players and some of his friends out in the cold and possibly into early retirement and reluctantly into a new career to make a living.
I wonder if those who are on his bandwagon have been cluey enough to realise that before agreeing with him.

Reply #206767 | Report this post


me  
Years ago

This could actually be he thing that sets Bball apart from the rest.

Do away with the rules preventing coaches and players from saying what they want..let them critisise umps, journo's, let them speak their minds, imagine the TV footage.

did anyone hear the Joe Kinnear rant against reporters in the EP last week?..classic..and perhaps just what bball needs.

Go on Scotty..i dare ya...
"the umpires were blind, had no idea"..."the League is being run like a farm day cake stall"..."Bot Nagy is a ##$% and he is a $##**".


The New NBL..."We are taking out the trash"

Love it

Reply #206870 | Report this post




You need to be a registered user to post from this location. Register here.



Close ads
Serio: Tourism photography and videography
Little Streaks - The fun and interactive good-habits app designed especially for kids.

Advertise on Hoops to a very focused, local and sports-keen audience. Email for rates and options.

Recent Posts



.


An Australian basketball forum covering NBL, WNBL, ABL, Juniors plus NBA, WNBA, NZ, Europe, etc | Forum time is: 1:58 am, Sat 30 Mar 2024 | Posts: 968,026 | Last 7 days: 754