Johns: 'Pressure will kill a player'

[Eels Dude]

Fair comments by Joey. While I don't think the headline is appropriate he raises some important issues. NRL playersa are in a high profile and often they may not be able to deal with that. I don't think it's fair for people in this forum to have a go at players and call them whingers when they don't even know them. NRL players who suffer from depression or bi polar or whatever shouldn't be treated any different from anyone else sufferring those conditions, but because everyone knows who they are they will be treated differently. This won't change though, but I'd like to think fans of the game would actually take an interest in these issues as opposed to just dismissing it.

 

[Danish]

It seems Johns has been coming out with one excuse after another ever since his drug bust as to why it was not his fault......

Frankly I would give my left nut to be under that sort of pressure, because you can have that level of pressure on your shoulders by having the sheer talent and earning potential that these blokes have. Players like David Williams are desperately trying to obtain the levels of pressure that Johns had on him during his career.

Pressure is a privilege, so shut the f**k up Johns and be proud that you had the ability to earn it.

 

[jdizzle]

No one is forcing these blokes to play NRL. If you can't handle the pressure f*ck off and play something else.

Isn't that what sonny bill did? and he was castrated on here...

 

[doggone]

Hope it never happens. It would be a terrible day.

 

[jdizzle]

On topic though... anyone who goes out in Sydney would have likely seen NRL players at a pub, club or whatever.

In my experiences, sometimes its perfectly fine, I remember a couple of weeks ago Benji Marshall was playing guitar at the clovelly hotel for everyone and it was great...

But then you see some get hassled by idiots who think they achieve something by being a smart ass. You then have people taking photos of them in uncompromising situations.

For 17-25 year olds, being suddenly placed this position, that is pressure. Whether they cope with that pressure will usually affect how they cope with the spotlight later in their career.

And as someone said, we say they earn good money.... an undrafted rookie free agent in the NFL will earn a minimum of 250k and will get a nice sign on bonus as well. Throughout the world, athletes who do far less earn far more money and lets be honest, rugby league is profitable and players dont necessarily get their "piece of the pie".

 

[bigfoot]

No Johns, the drugs you were popping will kill someone :lol:, not the "pressure" of being an NRL Player.

 

[Danish]

On topic though... anyone who goes out in Sydney would have likely seen NRL players at a pub, club or whatever.

In my experiences, sometimes its perfectly fine, I remember a couple of weeks ago Benji Marshall was playing guitar at the clovelly hotel for everyone and it was great...

But then you see some get hassled by idiots who think they achieve something by being a smart ass. You then have people taking photos of them in uncompromising situations.

For 17-25 year olds, being suddenly placed this position, that is pressure. Whether they cope with that pressure will usually affect how they cope with the spotlight later in their career.

Don't forget the other very common occurance of seeing a bunch of league players out on the piss acting like lords of the club...

For the most part the undue attention players get when out at pubs in brought on themselves by acting up. Similiar to when you see some anonymous group of peacocks prancing around a club like they own the place. They likely end up in a fight.

 

[Loudstrat]

No one is forcing these blokes to play NRL. If you can't handle the pressure f*ck off and play something else.

And then you'd whinge about that.

FFS, the worst thing Tim Smith did as a human was get pissed occasionally. Turned up to work pissed. I did that once - in the middle of a Friday Night drinking binge and remembered I had overtime the next morning,

Year, I was earning small dollars in a job I detested. Then again, I didn't have knobs like Hadley blasting my name all over the city with every schooner I drank, or blokes like Fulton and Kenny bagging me if my form was down, or a thousand people in the internet bagging me, or derogatory articles on the back page of every newspaper in the country.

You "money can fix everything" dickheads haven't got a clue.

 

[mxlegend99]

He makes a fair point in the article IMO.

While i personally don't understand how a person earning a sh*tload of cash doing what they love can lead for them to take their own lives, it has happened before. Infact, it isn't all that uncommon.

People earning far more money the football players have taken their own lives because they are depressed... many others have attempted to take their lives and failed. From the outside looking in... these people have lives we could only dream about. But for various reasons, some of the people just can't handle the lives they live.

It's easy for us to sit back and say for that sort of money you could live that life no worries. 90% of us probably could. But not all people are stable enough to be under the pressure these guys are.

 

[Newcastlerabbit]

More dribble.

 

[Newcastlerabbit]

More dribble

 

[strewth_mate]

Hasnt Johns got a book to promote

I would imagine it has something to do with this -

http://www.nibandrewjohnswalk.com.au/

"From the 19th to 24th October 2008, Andrew Johns will walk from Newcastle to Sydney. Along the way he will also run, swim, kayak, surf, have a round of Golf, play Cricket and even take on Australia’s leading Beach Volleyball specialist.

The whole event is being conducted to achieve three set objectives for The Black Dog Institute, the charity Andrew has selected to benefit from his efforts:
- To lift the profile of the Institute
- To raise considerable funds for the Institute
- To highlight Andrew’s association with the Institute and explain his experience with Bipolar Disease.

Andrew's aim is to raise several hundred thousand dollars for the Black Dog Institute."

Suspect he's doing the promotional work for Black Dog rather than this coming out of the blue.

 

[God-King Dean]

actually they do...

u try getting up at 5am in winter everyday to go training in freezing conditions. if u can do it for 1 month straight w/o missing a day, i'll give ya a free "american indian ghost dance"

and they only earn 6 figures which is nothing compared to some other professional sportsmen who goes thru similar/less pain.

so yeah... they do have it tough

I hope you're taking the p*ss.

Getting up at 5 ? Is it really that stressful for players to get to bed at 9pm ? :lol:

 

[mave]

And then you'd whinge about that.

FFS, the worst thing Tim Smith did as a human was get pissed occasionally. Turned up to work pissed. I did that once - in the middle of a Friday Night drinking binge and remembered I had overtime the next morning,

Year, I was earning small dollars in a job I detested. Then again, I didn't have knobs like Hadley blasting my name all over the city with every schooner I drank, or blokes like Fulton and Kenny bagging me if my form was down, or a thousand people in the internet bagging me, or derogatory articles on the back page of every newspaper in the country.

You "money can fix everything" dickheads haven't got a clue.

What I am saying you merkin,is that there is good and bad to every job.

I am a shopfitter. If I hate working nights then I'm in the wrong profession.

If I'm a RL player and I hate playing sport under pressure and being in the spotlight then maybe I'm in the wrong profession too.

Where did I say "money can fix anything". Get a grip.

 

[Apey]

I am a shopfitter

Thought that said shoplifter :lol:

 

[perverse]

lol... only joey could get bagged for doing work for charity and trying to help people.

 

[Ridders]

lol... only joey could get bagged for doing work for charity and trying to help people.

Only joey could be found out to be a career druggo and still be hailed as a great role model by the media.

 

[perverse]

Only joey could be found out to be a career druggo and still be hailed as a great role model by the media.

yep, and it's all his fault he gets preferential treatment by the media.

damn him for being so good at football....

 

[Ridders]

yep, and it's all his fault he gets preferential treatment by the media.

damn him for being so good at football....

I never said that, just saying that Joey gets a free ride for issues where alot of other players have been castrated by the media. It can't hurt you that much if he cops a bit the other way

 

[perverse]

I never said that, just saying that Joey gets a free ride for issues where alot of other players have been castrated by the media. It can't hurt you that much if he cops a bit the other way

not at all. i think everyones agendas against him are hilarious... and coated in a little jealousy perhaps.

he won my club 2 premierships. i couldn't give a stuff what anyone else thinks of him really.