Ben S a fool or just modern cricket

[stash]

Is it me or does there seem to be a totally lack of prof attitude of so called prof sportmans (mainly Football and cricket). Ben seems to be another Freddie Flintoff too found of the drink  at the wrong time - during a match night. I know I used to see Forest players knocking back the drink at certain clubs in Nottm years ago(even under BC)  but that was never the night before a game.

 

It just seems today's so called Pro's arn't or is it me a old get denying wind down time.

 

Plus should BS loose his place in the Ashes team - IMO yes he just needs to set an example. Plus what are the cricket management doing they are supposed to be managing the players.

 

Sad if BS has totally gone off the rails he has talent.

[Tweedledee]

Ben S a fool or just modern cricket?

 

Sadly both!

[+RonC]

Both have been found guilty by media, and judged by the stupidest cricket board I can remember. I shall not bother listening too or watching the Ashes tour, it's a foregone conclusion!!

 

Annoyed of Newark

[stash]

24 minutes ago, Tweedledee said:

Ben S a fool or just modern cricket?

 

Sadly both!

Totally agree - No excuses and its not the first time - banned in 2013 same thing.

 

Ron - Ashes - who knows I don't think Aussies are that strong and maybe there's another "Arkle"  or Botham in the wings for Eng. Assuming the Aussie groundsmen are fair about setting the wickets

[+RonC]

There seems to be a lot of discontent in the Aussie team at the moment so perhaps it will be an Ashes to watch not only for the cricket!!

[+Bino-viewer]

Ben Stokes was just a ticking timebomb waiting to happen.

I'm glad he's been banned. His England career almost didn't get off the ground due to his boozing and loutish behaviour.

It serves him right and i've no sympathy for him. He's had plenty of warnings / chances / let offs before as well.

Rumour had it he was only one more 'incident' away from a test ban (this is on field behaviour, a points system as such) and

the Aussies were preparing him some 'special treatment' in order to wind him up sufficiently to the point of him blowing a gasket and getting suspended.

At least thats not an issue now.

 

As a cricketer, he's certainly got the ability, but i don't think he's the saviour of English cricket.

He's not a Flintoff or a Botham and we can manage without him.

There must be plenty of other, younger, hungrier players waiting in the wings for their chance. Let them have their chance.

 

I don't think the Aussies are going to stuff us like they did last time either.

They played a clever game last time and put out pitches that eliminated  the threat of both Anderson and Swann if you remember...?

Hopefully we will have learned something there. 

I'm looking forward to the first game 

[Guest]

I think it's a combination of both. Time was that professional sportsmen and sportswomen did not get loads of money and drank in the same pubs as us ordinary mortals. They did not have media attention and did not marry pop stars or famous actresses like they do today. In fact, club managers wanted them to marry their childhood sweetheart before their 20th birthday. Not that I was ever "rich" but I must confess there was once a time when I got paid more money than I had the maturity to handle it. It is easy for us to label footballers and others as stupid but I suspect a good number of us could have failed to deal with instant fame.

 

I don't know the full version of what happened but I'm guessing that there's a few "alpha males" about who like to grab their own five minutes of fame by taking a pop at celebrities with a reputation for being tough guys. I'm sure when the full story comes out, the "victim(s)" will get their stories in the tabloids and start selling their memorabilia.

 

OK, there's loads of anecdotes about celebrities going off the rails and, yes, some can't handle the negative attention they get.

 

I do blame us average Joe's for our part, too but IMO the media are to blame, probably more than the players and public. It is now possible for someone of limited intelligence and ability to become a celebrity. The trouble is that we all buy into it. Apparently, most schoolkids are more interested in getting on X Factor than becoming doctors, accountants and astronomers. Life is all about image and not about substance. Success is now measured by number of Facebook "friends" and Twitter followers, not academic achievement or satisfied customers. Maybe with the lack of opportunities for young people in this country, maybe an appearance on a reality show is as good as it can ever get.

 

As for Ben Stokes and similar cases, I would pick him for the Ashes but strip him of the vice-captaincy, lock him up between matches and training and hit him where it hurts, in the pocket!

[stash]

21 minutes ago, Sunny Phil said:

I think it's a combination of both. Time was that professional sportsmen and sportswomen did not get loads of money and drank in the same pubs as us ordinary mortals. They did not have media attention and did not marry pop stars or famous actresses like they do today. In fact, club managers wanted them to marry their childhood sweetheart before their 20th birthday. Not that I was ever "rich" but I must confess there was once a time when I got paid more money than I had the maturity to handle it. It is easy for us to label footballers and others as stupid but I suspect a good number of us could have failed to deal with instant fame.

 

I don't know the full version of what happened but I'm guessing that there's a few "alpha males" about who like to grab their own five minutes of fame by taking a pop at celebrities with a reputation for being tough guys. I'm sure when the full story comes out, the "victim(s)" will get their stories in the tabloids and start selling their memorabilia.

 

OK, there's loads of anecdotes about celebrities going off the rails and, yes, some can't handle the negative attention they get.

 

I do blame us average Joe's for our part, too but IMO the media are to blame, probably more than the players and public. It is now possible for someone of limited intelligence and ability to become a celebrity. The trouble is that we all buy into it. Apparently, most schoolkids are more interested in getting on X Factor than becoming doctors, accountants and astronomers. Life is all about image and not about substance. Success is now measured by number of Facebook "friends" and Twitter followers, not academic achievement or satisfied customers. Maybe with the lack of opportunities for young people in this country, maybe an appearance on a reality show is as good as it can ever get.

 

As for Ben Stokes and similar cases, I would pick him for the Ashes but strip him of the vice-captaincy, lock him up between matches and training and hit him where it hurts, in the pocket!

Nope I am not to blame - not one bit for Ben Stoke's of this world. As for once a upon a time - Anyone remember George Best,Frank Worthington,Peter Shilton and more - they wont off hat. Certainly agree that since the old fixed pay was lifted (quite rightly) things have gone down and the Olympic Athletes  have done the same. Agree on the media - some of whom were ex footballers. Manager's/Agents are to blame as well - that's what they are "man" managers but dont seem to coach sensibility when it comes to fame/money.

 

But in the end the individual most take 75% of the blame. 

 

Think the Aussie's will use any trick in the book to bend the results/conditions in Australia's favour. After all who else bowled underarm in a test match!!!

[Guest]

9 minutes ago, stash said:

Nope I am not to blame - not one bit for Ben Stoke's of this world. As for once a upon a time - Anyone remember George Best,Frank Worthington,Peter Shilton and more - they wont off hat. Certainly agree that since the old fixed pay was lifted (quite rightly) things have gone down and the Olympic Athletes  have done the same. Agree on the media - some of whom were ex footballers. Manager's/Agents are to blame as well - that's what they are "man" managers but dont seem to coach sensibility when it comes to fame/money.

 

But in the end the individual most take 75% of the blame. 

 

Think the Aussie's will use any trick in the book to bend the results/conditions in Australia's favour. After all who else bowled underarm in a test match!!!

OK, Stash, I get where you're coming from. I sure remember George Best and I've even seen him play! Maybe if more of us average Joe's got on the soapbox once in a while and boycott some of the media channels we might get more sanity in this world. I get that the individual has to take the lion's share of the blame. One of my aunt's once said that the world is not her generation's any more. OK, I'm in my 60s but really don't like they way that things in the world are going.

 

Many will say (and I tend to agree) that by inaction we are giving our consent to the carp that goes on around us.