It’s wrong.”īecause sport is a social institution, but a parody of a community, this “anti-social behaviour” suddenly becomes OK in the work, home, and sports club. “If they see anti-social behaviour in the stands, they feel that is the way to conduct themselves. Young fathers bring their children to the game it is a cyclical thing. The comments Kerry O’Keefe made about the behaviour of the SCG crowd at the end of day four are also applicable to the captain and his team.Īfter urging the crowd to “grow up,” the legend noted, “sledging is the most overrated aspect of Australian sport. Most of all, he is supposed to be a sportsman and he would do well to remember that. He is supposed to be a role model, an inspiration, and a leader of men. He occupies the “second most important position after the PM,” as Darren Lehman once noted. Tim Paine is the captain of a national sporting team, and not just any team. The discerning fan has only think of true champions to illustrate how pathetic Paine’s sledging was.Ĭould you imagine Roger Federer slagging Rafa Nadal off in the final set of the 2008 Wimbledon final? Or Billie Jean King, Kelly Slater or the legendary John Charles? Sure, Mohammed Ali had a mouth on him but he was clever, funny and there was no subtext or malice to his banter. teachers admonished, it is not the winning that is important, it is the taking part. It’s the only thing.”īut this is not the point of sport. Most cite Vince Lombardi, the legendary NFL coach, who said, “winning isn’t everything. Some may counter that gamesmanship is part of sport and sledging within the rules of the game. India’s silent, almost monastic, defence against a monstrous pace attack, an eerie, empty stadium, and an incessant barrage of vuvazelaesque ‘banter’ from Paine, Wade and Labuschagne was a thing of sporting grace. The contrast between good and bad sport could not have been clearer. Followed by the odd, “I’ve got more friends than you in India”), it came after spectators were removed on the fourth day of the Test for ‘sledging’ Mohammed Siraj, that is, racially abusing a talented sporting visitor playing on our shores for our entertainment in the middle of a global pandemic.Įgged on by his young goons Wade and Labuschange – fine young men and talented players turned and trained to be nasty – this was Australian sport at its worst. Not only was Tim Paine’s commentary extraordinarily poor, unimaginative and senseless (“See you at the Gabba.” Yes, you will. Such a dictum was proven yesterday at the end of a thrilling Test match between Australia and an injury-depleted Indian side.Īustralia was doing everything to win, sledging included - one of the most pathetic aspects of Australian sport and something many gentler sports fans hoped had passed after the national shame of Sandpapergate.
“Sport is a great leveller,” as her majesty the Queen of England once said, “it emphasise the importance of self-control and how to take victory or defeat with good grace.”