The comments here are all spot on - even the ones that disagree with each other because there are grains of truth in the opposing views. When I read news online I find it helpful to go to the comments section to learn a whole lot more with extra information and more ideas. You even learn HOW to ‘see’ matters in a different way - to think outside the box by taking a new angle or approach.
I have found exactly the same here today. Thank you.
I know this bit may sounds dumb, but I would like the coaching staff to read the various ideas expressed here to see if they may be able to pick up an idea or two for next year.
Even if they disagree with everything, the mental process of internally debating a different point is beneficial in itself by often taking the brain on a new road that reaps reward.
Institutions and individuals are at times so focused that the eyes become narrow and closed to other ways. I can only guess that for all the football brains in the coaching staff, sometimes you are so involved and wrapped up in a situation you may not see all things clearly, nor other possibilities.
The comments here have pin pointed weaknesses that have shown themselves at various times over the season.
It was our bad luck that all of those flaws came together on the one night. But they have been present since the start of the year, and it seems that little was done to effectively eradicate them. I say ‘effectively’ because that does not mean that something was not tried – there is a big difference.
The point I am trying to make is that maybe some flaws were not identified. We’ll never really know the answer to that, but what harm would it be for the staff top search outside their circle? Just a suggestion – after all, even big corporations survey their customers to pick up anything management may have missed!
On another matter, one facet of our team over the last 3 games not expressed was the toll on Sam that the sexting topic has taken.
Being found innocent does not immediately alleviate the pain.
For him to play 3 bad games in a row reflects the hurt he has felt and shows where his mind has been.
Yeah you can convince yourself that you are concentrating on the game totally - every player does that - but when your soul, sub-conscious and every other cell in your body does not fully believe it, then you perform under par.
Regardless of how innocent you feel on such a sensational topic if the charge applied to you, it is magnified when thrown at a public figure clearly because the issue is now public and not kept within the walls of your own home.
Being a tough player to take the physical stuff does not mean you lack the other characteristics that make us human like family pride, trust and love of your wife, strength that comes from not 'hurting' your loved ones, pride in the way the rest of society views you, etc.
We have all been under stress at various times in our lives and have had other aspects of our lives suffer accordingly.
Even when sitting down, stress exhausts you. It burns up balance; stops the body from refreshing itself; prevents the mind from focus and clearing all negativity; etc.
Knowing you are innocent is one thing, but thinking others believe you are in the wrong is a totally different situation. How many sleepless nights would Sam have had?
Even a full night sleep is not a restful one when under stress. His mind and body would not have been replenished over the last 3 weeks.
I hope he and his family can have some respite away from the glare of tabloid media; spend quality time together, and somehow put this all behind them.
As for the GF I am hoping for a wonderful game and I do not care who wins because I have little regard for either club: the Storm because of the maiming tactics they have continually introduced into the game, and the Roosters because of their ability to pay a large number of players high salaries and still ‘remain’ under the cap!
Maybe a draw causing a shared GF will be enough to break both their hearts.
.H
