Compliments tigggers - overall a well balanced and sensible debate presenting (and indeed raising) many interesting points and views... For my own I find both 'situations' rather confusing and unsatisfactory ... Ched Evans: The way in which our justice system works is shambolic bordering on ludicrous... He has apparently only served half of his sentence - the rest being served under licence - why? If the court mandates a custodial sentence it should be served - what does good behaviour in jail really demonstrate? - that you are truly remorseful or that you just want to get out in the shortest time? that you realise you have done wrong or that you are merely sorry to have been caught? If the court rules that a sentence is the 'correct' punishment then shouldn't serving the sentence mean that you have 'paid the price' and can now move on with life without continuing to be punished for that crime? - otherwise it suggests to me that the sentence was obviously wrong in the first place? Is redemption and rehabilitation impossible or merely implausible? "He shows no remorse" - if he truly believes he has been wrongly convicted and that he didn't do it - why would he show remorse? ... I'm not offering an opinion as to whether I personally think he commited the crime ... but I really don't get the bit about 'lack of remorse' meaning he shouldn't be allowed to train etc etc - again if it is wrong for him to resume his occupation he should never have been let out - back to the sentencing. Finally "Football is different because they are role models" ... bollox - if any of you numpties are actually holding footballers up as role models either for yourselves or your kids then you seriously need your bumps feeling ... does the ability to run around a field chasing an inflated pigs bladder (substitute) and be part of a collective that can put that object into a netted receptical more frequently than some other collectives really form the basis for preferred aspirational human evolution? Not for me fellas - as much as I love the beautiful game. If all footballers were paid £25k a year then the question of 'role models' would never be raised - we are not talking about their role in society we are talking about their wealth and what it can facilitate ... Dave Whelan Easy to haul him over the coals for his words - but does it make him a racist or an advocate of racism - or merely an older guy who now finds that he is a little out of touch with the modern world - a world where political correctness can end a career by picking on words and phrases rather than really exploring the psyche of an individual. My missus has frequently uttered the phrase "I could kill you" at me .. should I be worried that this is a declaration of pre-meditated murderous intent? Is it racially motivated? after all I'm of historic Irish extraction even though born and bred in Leicester ... she is Welsh (and therefore 'hates the English') - funnily enough she is proud to be referred to as '"a Taff" ... is she wrong to be?- is she being racially abused without her knowing it? Redemption again - Malky Mackay has apologised for words he has used during a previous employment - were the words he used reflective of what he really thinks of people from south east asia or more so of his then employer - if his employer had been a fat bloke and his remarks had been about weight would his intent really have been any different i.e "my boss is a ***" ... If Dave Whelan really really rates Malky but had waited until after Malky's hearing and Malky comes out exonnerated would Malky have then considered Wigan or hung out instead for the next Prem casualty? - could be an astute bit of business by Mr Whelan, who knows? As I said at the outset - I merely make observations as to why I find all of this a shambles - I make no judgements
Obadiah, you have tried to answer my questions, but I don't feel you have been fully successful. My responses are within the quote in bold:
If she is so proud to be Welsh and hates the English what is she doing here? A bit like those sad people in the East Riding who declare they hate Wessies then travel to Leeds and pay over £30 to sit amongst thousands of them in Elland Road.
Or the people who hate everyone else in every other Riding but proudly proclaim themselves to be Yorkshiremen?
She doesn't really of course .. poetic licence ... (although she is a very passionate supporter of Welsh rugby) ...
Or Hull people who have a lot off about the East Riding and the people from there. Like Chris Chilton, Stuart Pearson, Harold Needler and the man who stepped in to save Hull City when no one in Hull,would, Assam Allam.
One is enough, isn't it? People in Hull were willing to pay a fortune go see a convicted rapist and pay extra to be photographed with him. I can think of a footballer who served time for manslaughter who played football again and others, in this country and abroad, who played club and international football after being responsible for deaths and jailed for it following driving incidents.
A dislike of Leeds United, Or Sheffield United, does not in any way constitute a hatred for Yorkshiremen.
Fez, if you think you've done nothing wrong there is no rehabilitation in the world that would work. If she was incapable of saying no but Ched Evans thought it ok to have sex with her then how does letting him play football help show him the errors of his ways? Which is what rehabilitation is all about, isn't it? If he's innocent then he needs to provide more evidence then he did at the trial or the Court of Appeal. Playing football isn't like joining a firm of accountants or working in a supermarket, the fans have a voice on whether a convicted rapist should be allowed to play or train with their club. Some have a bigger say then others, like Paul Heaton and the sponsors, but that's the way of the world. If I want to condemn somebody, or even defend them, then I like to know all the facts before making up my mind, especially when the jury convicted him and three appeal court judges said he didn't have grounds for an appeal.
Speaking of that ****, can we get his ****ty rendition of 'Caravan of Love' scrapped before kickoff. It's the cringiest thing I've witnessed at a football stadium.
I think it may have died already, James Mooney said it had two games to prove itself or it was history and it definitely hasn't proved itself in the past two games.
Only the PC zealots and those who pander to them have a problem with the word "Chink". It has been used for decades. Some people need to get a grip. Whelan calls it as it is. As for Ched Evans he should keep his head down and his profile low key until his appeal has been heard. He can train on his own.
So have ****** and Paki, it doesn't make them acceptable. I think we need to book you on that diversity course with Mackay and Whelan.
There's two, one which teaches you how not to be racist and the other teaches you street dancing. I thought we could book Tickles in for both.
