Hooray! an actual SENSIBLE post!...See - it wan't
that hard, now was it??
Now let's see here...
Sea_Eagles_Rock said:
What does any of the above rubbish have to do with Mason's leadership ability? So what you have met him. So what he talks to Roosters players/fans.
What does it have to do with his leadership qualities?...Well apart from EVERYTHING...you're quite right - nothing! Willie Mason has a charismatic personality that makes people want to be around him - and to a certain extent - to follow him - and the club is trying to make sure that the younger players that all look up to him - look up to him while he's doing all the RIGHT things - not the wrong things - and he HAS done wrong in the past - this is not in dispute! And I have never said that Mason is acleanskin. Never. But - Somewhere between the angel that some people make him out to be - and the devil incarnate that the media would have you believe - somewhere in between these 2 extremes. Is the actual truth. Willie Mason is
not that bad. Not
that irresponsible. And not
that stupid.
Sea_Eagles_Rock said:
Now obviously you don't understand which bit I'm talking about 'you will regret'. The 'you' is in reference to the club. Not you personally. The Bulldogs will regret putting leadership on Mason. He will stuff up for sure (be it fairly or unfairly by the press, because yes I do agree some of it is absolute rubbish. Drugs issue or the concert thing as an example.) and the situation will turn into a bad PR situation again. And PR does actually count. This actually effects his peformance on the field. The media will keep the heat on him now even hotter than they have before because he is a leader now
You mentioned Hoppa before, and he is the perfect example. Manly did the same thing to him last season as voted by his peers. He was added to the leadership group. How many rounds did it last? Hoppa was always going to be bad PR for Manly. So round 1 he has to apologise to a ball boy, round 3 (I think) he has a brain fart that ends his career. Now before you jump the gun, I sincerely doubt it will come to those extremes for the the dogs. But the point remains... Hoppa was a target for the media, as is Mason. It's no different on the field. Mason is a target. He has a hot head at times. He does silly things. When he focuses on doing nothing but his job he is almost unstoppable. But he just looses focus too much. That is not something you want to be spreading through a team. A leader commands respect by how he conducts himself at all times. No doubt he is liked by his peers and they all want the best for him. But is it what is best for the team???
If the Bulldogs club pay for this decision - then so be it! But I for one - see the decision as PERFECTLY reasonable, and logical - and, in fact - think it is the smartest possible mive they could make at this point in his career. I honestly & completely think that this will be the making of Willie Mason - because at the core of Willie Mason - is a fine human being - and a surprisingly sharp, clever and intelligent one. The difference between Hoppa and Willie Mason - is about 100 SERIOUS indiscretions - both on field and off - and a good 100 IQ points. (In Mason's favour - should I even need to explain that!). John Hopoate by all accounts - is a quiet and nice fella off the field. But when he gets involved in ANY kind of competition - he turns into an absolutely certifiable raving LUNATIC!! nospam29 doesn't even
begin to cover Hoppa's issues! In short - I believe Mason to be CAPABLE of change...whilst I can barely believe that John Hopoate is capable of tying his own shoelaces of a morning.
It happens - it's just inbuilt into some people's natures - look at Jason Stevens as a case in point - 'lovely, Christian salt-of -the-Earth' fella OFF the field....deadset grubby little ANIMAL on it! All knees and elbows and facials and wedgies. He crossed that white line - and turned into an absolute TOOL!
What happened to the Bulldogs media blackout anyway? That was the smartest thing they have ever done!
Because the fans are eventually the ones that suffer through such actions - the Bulldogs club took a stand - and I am DAMN proud and glad that they did. Someone had to! But point made - we must move on. If we don't we'll be like the seeming masses of people that will still try to chew your ear off about Super League - as if it '
king actually
matters any more! There comes a point when you must just let things go..agree to disagree if you must...and move on.
Anyway - only time will tell on Mason. But I have every confidence that this is the right decision.
And if we trace this thread back - the only issue I originally really had - was people calling MAson a 'thug' - when this could not be further than the truth. As I said - show me Mason's judiciary record. It is all but non-existant! Thug is ENTIRELY the wrong word!! Silly? Yes. Immature? Sure! Easily distracted, and guilty of not taking his footy seriously enough at times? For sure!...But a THUG?...Not having a bar of it, sorry!