10,000,000 Cousins threads [Merged]

[Willo]

Re: Cousins: The poll. Do you want the Tigers to draft Ben Cousins?

Bloody good post Clown!
Look,fellow PREnders....
Im not condoning Cuz,s life choices or makin exuses for him but having met quite a few mega talented people who excelled and got to a level in their chosen profession that few of us mortals could ever BEGIN TO dream of achieving,,,,
History is full of people who self destruct and who just totally go off the rails.
Why?
Thats the question.
get to the reason WHY cuz lost the plot.
Is banning him gonna benefit the game?
Was it the West toast weagles footy club culture that failed him?
For Chrissasakes he was a Premiership player and a brownlow medallist.
That would be my quest...to find the answer to that bloody perplexing question.
Id ask Cuz ....."why mate?"
As clown said,po;iticians and judges and their huge incomes.......
Id love to have esp and be superman,bionic woman and a megaphsycic all in one to read about what goes on in the life of some of these so _ called professionals...Look at Rod butters from the saints.....I rest my case.......

Unfortunately its not just super successful people this happens to Nitro, but fame, glory and money do seem an explosive mix at times

 

[LeeToRainesToRoach]

Re: Cousins: The poll. Do you want the Tigers to draft Ben Cousins?

Ben did admit he is addicted to drugs.

Playing devil's advocate - he could've conceivably meant anti-depressants. He's been very careful about what he's said publicly, and there's a lot we don't know for certain, such as the exact reasons for the 'disrepute' charge and on what grounds it was sustained. Fitzptrick said that Cousins had apologised to the Commission for some of his behaviour, implying that he was unrepentant on some issues.

 

[Tiger74]

Re: Cousins: The poll. Do you want the Tigers to draft Ben Cousins?

Can anyone tell me if Politicians and judges are drug tested on a regular basis? Im curious to know because we put all this importance of testing sports stars for illicit drugs when in the whole scheme of things and at the end of the day sport is realy just a bit of fun. People who make Really important descision that effect peoples lives on a daily basis are the ones who should be drug tested first and foremost before we even start to think about testing anyone else.

The poli argument is a scream! They asked Howard this, and he said poli's dont need to be tested because they are not role models in the community, because no kid wants to grow up and be like them. Great laugh, if they are not role models its a sign of their performance in inspiring us as a people.

As for Labor, I haven't heard anything, but I would be stunned if its not the same or similar reply (no poli wants drug testing, pay cuts for polis, fewer perks for polis, etc).

 

[Rosy]

Re: Cousins: The poll. Do you want the Tigers to draft Ben Cousins?

Playing devil's advocate - he could've conceivably meant anti-depressants.

What's the devil's advocate about L2? Ben didn't name the drugs when admitting to being an addict and I see no point whatsoever in speculating as to what they are. Any kind of addiction causing Ben to behave the way he has obviously needs treatment, hence his stays at rehab clinics.

 

[LeeToRainesToRoach]

Re: Cousins: The poll. Do you want the Tigers to draft Ben Cousins?

What's the devil's advocate about L2? Ben didn't name the drugs when admitting to being an addict and I see no point whatsoever in speculating as to what they are. Any kind of addiction causing Ben to behave the way he has obviously needs treatment, hence his stays at rehab clinics.

People generally look more sympathetically on someone addicted to anti-depressants, tranquilisers, painkillers and the like as opposed to those hooked on 'recreational' drugs.

 

[Rosy]

Re: Cousins: The poll. Do you want the Tigers to draft Ben Cousins?

There's too much speculation and too little fact for my liking. None of us know the ins and outs of the situation but it's pretty obvious whatever the problem is Ben needs help.


From the age website

Cousins apologised for his behaviour and admitted his drug addiction.
"I'd like to address the fact I am overcoming drug addiction which is an ongoing process," he read from a statement.

"I'd like to apologise to the AFL, its players and supporters for the embarrassment my conduct has caused.

"I am a lot further down the road to recovery than has been portrayed in the media.

"I am bitterly disappointed I cannot continue to play football but that's not to say I have given up hope of doing so in the future."

He thanked the AFL Commission for a fair hearing.

 

[crackertiger]

Re: Cousins: The poll. Do you want the Tigers to draft Ben Cousins?

Any future decision on Cousins from any club should be made based on who he has continued to associate with!


I can tell you that this is a big problem, but many clubs may not know it!


Richmond should stay well away from cousins.

 

[SkunkDen]

Re: Cousins: The poll. Do you want the Tigers to draft Ben Cousins?

i do not believe cuz will play AFL football again, and we would be stupid even if he was up for grabs to be taken. We are about to pick up a gun midfielder named Cothin, we already hav foley, deliedio, coughlan, tucky, brownie (from time to time) playin in their, why bring someone who could possibly hit rock bottom at any given time because of substance abuse for the sake of stocking up our midfield. he wont be the difference between us playing in the grand final or not but he could easily bring a lot of unwanted tension to our club and playing group that we dont need if he does go off the rails mid season. I dont doubt his abilty but drafting him isnt the answer and would be a mistake.

I posted this yesterday so im quite happy with most of this post as its pretty accurate after todays events.
"i do not believe cuz will play AFL football again" - well he may in 12 months but for now - tick

"why bring someone who could possibly hit rock bottom at any given time because of substance abuse" - he does have a problem, he has admitted it and to the ppl who keep saying, he hasnt even tested positive in an AFL drug test.....hello, it doesnt matter if he has or not, he's on drugs we know this and we dont need him playing for us - tick

"could easily bring a lot of unwanted tension to our club and playing group that we dont need if he does go off the rails" - he has a massive drug problem and he isnt over it, he has a problem that needs to be fixed asap and time is needed - tick

 

[clown]

Re: Cousins: The poll. Do you want the Tigers to draft Ben Cousins?

The poli argument is a scream! They asked Howard this, and he said poli's dont need to be tested because they are not role models in the community, because no kid wants to grow up and be like them. Great laugh, if they are not role models its a sign of their performance in inspiring us as a people.

As for Labor, I haven't heard anything, but I would be stunned if its not the same or similar reply (no poli wants drug testing, pay cuts for polis, fewer perks for polis, etc).

What a joke drug testing poli's has nothing to do with being role models but with making shure that their descision are made with a clear uneffected mind. What happens if a couple of poli's have a bender and are coming down and they decide to vote against a bill that would allow a certain medicine to go on the PBS because they want to go home and recover. Or a judge decides to give someone a longer sentence because he is in a bad mood because he snorted too much coke the night before. Its a joke that these people are not drug tested.

 

[LeeToRainesToRoach]

Re: Cousins: The poll. Do you want the Tigers to draft Ben Cousins?

Cosuins obviously has serious problems and in all probability got what he deserved. The issue I have is that justice should be seen to be done - it's a fundamental principle of the justice system. Fitzpatrick declined to give specifics but said the finding was based on the "totality of the evidence". This just doesn't sit right.

I've said plenty on this subject and will stop here. If Cousins doesn't see fit to appeal the decision then I'll accept that it's the correct one.

 

[RemoteTiger]

Re: Cousins: The poll. Do you want the Tigers to draft Ben Cousins?

Funny - I saw a similarity in Cousins' addiction to another Brownlow Medalist we got back in the late '60s who also had his problems - he went on to win our last Brownlow Medal plus star on one leg in our winning 1973 Grand Final.

I reckon Ben will come back in 2009 to play-on a number of years and win another Brownlow............

As a Tiger supporter I am pissed off that it may not be with Richmond now!

 

[TigerLuke]

Re: Cousins: The poll. Do you want the Tigers to draft Ben Cousins?

Gustiger and Tigerluke - my fear is that the AFL drugs screening was not good enough to catch Ben Cousins - however - after he comes out and says he has a drug problem the AFL suspends him for 12 months - now that is real incentive for others to come out and say hey I need a hand to get over my problem.

All this has done is force other AFL players with similar issues to go underground - why give yourself up if you are going to get rubbed out - best to try and beat the addiction quietly by yourself (and we all know how well that works).

if he is not punished then all it tells him and any other afl footballer who is taking drugs is that even if you do get caught(and the odds are low) you will not be punished anyway, so hey, go ahead, take drugs, there are no consequences.

there were so many rumours and unexplained incidents with cousins that he long ago lost the chance to confess and receive a lighter sentence. and i would argue that cousins got suspended first(ie the 16 week wce suspension) and then confessed, not the other way around.

if others were to come out and publicly confess to taking illicit drugs then i would hope they get a lighter sentence. they'd possibly get the afl's 12 week suspension. evidently there are players from a certain club that have tested positive and admitted to taking drugs and are receiving counselling - the afl knows about them and have not suspended them.

on another note cousins probably can't say what drugs he is addicted to because if they are on the wada/asada banned list then they could possibly open an investigation and possibly suspend him for 2 years.

 

[jb03]

Re: Cousins: The poll. Do you want the Tigers to draft Ben Cousins?

if he is not punished then all it tells him and any other afl footballer who is taking drugs is that even if you do get caught(and the odds are low) you will not be punished anyway, so hey, go ahead, take drugs, there are no consequences.

The official policy endorses that anyway.

 

[Tigers of Old]

Re: Cousins: The poll. Do you want the Tigers to draft Ben Cousins?

I'm sorry but it's time for a new avatar jive bunny. ;D

 

[momentai]

Re: Cousins: The poll. Do you want the Tigers to draft Ben Cousins?

My point on the Cousins debate had always been that his best chance at rehab was for him to remain connected to a footy club and that with the support of teammates, officials, appropriate medical staff coupled with an initial mandatory stay at a rehab centre, that this provided him with the best chance to turn it around.

It follows that I am having some difficulty with the AFL's view as well as those of the many media experts, who are claiming that a year off will assist in his rehab.

Without the support of a familiar environment and now wondering if he can make it back at all, is likely to feed his depression and make his recovery a much more complex problem than it needed to be and I can't help but think that this is exactly what the medical experts told them today.

Whether he has brought the game into disrepute is a tough one, especially as there are a significant number out there who have two strikes and who have not even been outed.

Putting that to one side, the AFL have saved face for now at least, but no one should be taken in by the crocodile tears.

 

[Broadsword95]

Re: Cousins: The poll. Do you want the Tigers to draft Ben Cousins?

The recent AFL article has him down as being in a mess since around 02. His problems aren't recent ones that will go as soon as it seems they've come. I can understand desperation in our ranks, but who would conceivably, rationally want an ex-West Coke Eagle parenting our young'ns?! We have standards you know ;D

 

[tigerlee]

Re: Cousins: The poll. Do you want the Tigers to draft Ben Cousins?

after a good nights sleep I am now resigned to Ben being fully addicted to drugs and the need for him to step outside footy is huge. The thing I am most disappointed in is the seemingly blind eye that has been turned for all other cases where players have done wrong and not punished. I wont name names. If the AFL deals with them with the same vigour shown to Ben then I will be happy.

My biggest disappoitment was that the Tigers will miss out on such a champion in the one year they finished at the bottom and had he been allowed to nominate then he was ours. That is not to say I wanted him playing immediately - I wanted to draft him then allow him to get better before playing with us. Im not completely heartless.

Will Cousins be an option for us in 12 months - IMO I dont think so as there is no way we could attract a player of his calibre without that number one pick.

Rosy - I didnt mean to offend you last night - I do know what it is like to have a junkie around and be powerless to help them. What I did want was the opportunity to grab him and let him heal before playing him - that is why I was so upset - the thought that this was the only year (well I hope anyway) that we finish low enough to take the best.

Anyway - as long as Richards is not the alternative then I can live with it - have done so for 20 + years now so use to it.

 

[Tiger74]

Re: Cousins: The poll. Do you want the Tigers to draft Ben Cousins?

The thing I am most disappointed in is the seemingly blind eye that has been turned for all other cases where players have done wrong and not punished. I wont name names. If the AFL deals with them with the same vigour shown to Ben then I will be happy.

I think these guys are very lucky they were exposed in a way their team and the AFLPA could protect them with injunctions. If any of them do anything dumb in public like Cousins has, they are soooooo gorn!

I hope they take this wake up call, because I reckon the media has these 7 on their last strike.

 

[Rosy]

Re: Cousins: The poll. Do you want the Tigers to draft Ben Cousins?

Rosy - I didnt mean to offend you last night -

No offense taken in any way lee :hearton

I guess I look at it differently than some in that I don't think of it from a Richmond perspective. I can't help thinking what I'd want for my kids if they were in Ben's situation. I'd much rather them be removed from the public spotlight and an environment of temptation until they are cleared from their addiction and mentally and physically well again. To me that's far more important than another year or three of playing AFL. I hope the stringent criteria put in place by the AFL helps Ben get back on track and playing again in 2009 if that's what he wants but more than that I hope he can be healthy and happy no matter what his future holds.

 

[newyorktiger]

Re: Cousins: The poll. Do you want the Tigers to draft Ben Cousins?

Rose - you're not worried that someone rich, with a lot of free time on his hands won't be tempted?