Richard Hinds banter re Gold Coast

[gottabegood]

For those that are interested, R Hinds wrote an article regarding the Gold Coast, in which I responded, he replied, then I responded again. Hope posting all this info works.....

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[/FONT]THINK Gold Coast? Think property developers in tassled white loafers? Think meter maids? Think schoolies glassing each other at seedy nightspots? Think retirees in sandals and socks? Think Warwick Capper in a spa bath? (Apologies if you are eating.)
Think the collective acronyms of Australian sport - the NRL, AFL, NBL and A-League - are kidding themselves believing they can sustain expansion franchises in a region where the latest production at Movie World is acclaimed like Laurence Olivier's Othello?
Think again.
If you want to know why the big boys of Australian sport, as well as the NBL, are throwing fistfuls of dollars at the region, make a detour from your holiday itinerary.
After leaving Gold Coast Airport, instead of turning right from the highway into the narrow strip of beachside apartments, hotels, restaurants and knick-knack shops, take a left. Drive over the artificial lakes and through the maze of waterfront villas (Pelican Waters, Pelican Lakes, Pelican Pelicans), toward the hinterland.
Actually, it used to be hinterland. Now, just a few kilometres off the highway, you are in the midst of a vast suburban sprawl. The place where the hearts for which the rival sports codes will compete are beating.
Near the epicentre, right beside the Robina Town Centre shopping mall and a direct railway line to Brisbane, is the new home of the Gold Coast Titans. It is listed in your program as Skilled Park but, to the locals, it is already known by its ground announcer's name - "Welcome to the the Temple of Boom".
Whether this is a tribute to the noise made by 27,000 people on opening or an allusion to the property development boom is a matter for conjecture (it's going to take the Gold Coast time to shake the cliches). But Temple of Boom it is.
And so, last Saturday night, we heathens came to see who would worship at this neat, pristine if somewhat soulless rectangular shrine. Our guess had been an array of diehard leaguies, expat Kiwis and other blokey types. Your mainstream NRL crowd.
The answer would be music to David Gallop's ears. Although the ridiculous 8.30pm kick-off - 8.30pm being the equivalent of 11.30pm to your average Gold Coaster - had reduced the crowd from the opening night sell-out to a more modest 18,000, the majority of those pouring off the park'n'ride buses were families.
Real, bona fide, local families, not your holidaymaking SeaWorld crowd. OK, Dad is from Wellington and Mum from Ballarat. But the kids clutching the Titans flag and flapping those hugely annoying blue and gold clappers are born-and-bred Gold Coasters. The same kids who attend the many new schools, who play for the oversubscribed junior footy and netball teams and for whom the seedy strip at Surfers is as far removed from daily life as Kings Cross is for most suburban Sydneysiders.
It is the type of crowd the AFL has done so well to court across the nation, picking off the mums and kids and leaving the fire-breathing fortysomething bloke to tag along if he wants. One the AFL will have to fight hard to seize back from the now established Titans who are tapping into a previously unknown concept on the Gold Coast - a sense of identity.
My hosts might admit they intend voting for the Elvis impersonator in the next mayoral election. But, when implored by the ground announcer to provide the necessary acoustics to justify the stadium's nickname, there is real civic pride in their "Booms".
The snooze-worthy opening to the Titans game against Cronulla does not prove particularly boom-worthy. But when the locals get on top in the second half and keep their perfect record at The Temple alive, the place comes to life.
Having conceded at least a five-year head-start to the NRL, the AFL will confidently back its brilliantly marketed and truly national game to make up lost ground on the Titans - once it builds a suitable stadium. But if the AFL has meticulously researched the demographics, it would be wise to make allowances in its projections for the emotional bonds the Titans are creating.
Having postponed its Gold Coast debut until the new club's numbers add up, the A-League will eventually piggy-back off the NRL and hope to get the Temple booming in summer.
Basketball? The Blaze can at least play the "air-conditioned comfort" card.
Take that left turn and you'll believe there are plenty of real people on the Gold Coast. Maybe enough for all four sports to prosper. But right now it's the Titans who are enjoying their moment in the sun. Boom boom boom.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/richard-hinds/ive-seen-the-light/2008/04/04/1207249454733.html

My response
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Think Warwick Capper in a spa bath? = Ooh let's mention AFL in here somewhere

somewhat soulless rectangular shrine = Gee thanks for that

The snooze-worthy opening to the Titans game against Cronulla does not prove particularly boom-worthy. = Gee willikers I couldn't resist another dig at Rugby League, that big scary game that for some reason is still so popular.


the AFL will confidently back its brilliantly marketed and truly national game. - Oh More propaganda and another dig, fact is Australia is more than just your 5 capital cities, and when regional are taken into account , you will find that Rugby League more than matches AFL in people actually watching/interested in the game.

You see my friend, a big chunk of the teams are outside to OZTAM ratings area, but you already know that.

See Last Years grand Final result, any Friday night football result or any PAY TV to appreciate how national NRL is.If you still don't get it, see NFL, and ask yourself how many states are actually covered in that comp?

Bottom line is, enjoy your sport, but grow up sunshine, and save putting the boot into other sports to make yours look nice and shiny.

Hinds response
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Thanks for the (very perceptive) email.
Not sure if mentioning Warwick Capper or a pretty accurate description of Skilled Park (ever been there?) should be regarded as a rant against the NRL. And the hard core league fans I was with were genuintely disappointed by the first half of that game (did you see it?).
As for truly national. Sorry, but as I tried to keep my eyes open until 12.30am last night when the Storm-Broncos blockbuster was finally shown in Melbourne, I couldn't really get the feeling that league has done enough to entrench itself beyond the northern states where - as you say - it has a huge and devoted audience.
Again, thanks my friend for taking the time to email,
Richard Hinds (SMH sport).

My response

Dear Richard,

Firstly, thanking you for a prompt reply.

Secondly, Apologies for my not so prompt response, been in Disney Land....for half a week.

1 . Warwick Capper - This is a conscious effort on your behalf to put AFL at the top of peoples minds, regardless of the topic. Nothing too complicated here.

2. Skilled Park - A beautiful new stadium, for a new team on the Gold Coast, believe me soulless would be a million miles away If had written an article. Do you think AFL had something to do with your soulless comment, no it couldn't be...could it...

3. First half disappointment - So the 2nd half was pretty good, and actually the first game they were absolutely sensational. But the the first half was average, so in your mind that this is proof that RL is ordinary, as AFL never has a bad minute and therefore anyone reading this article should consider AFL as soon as you done reading this article.

4. Truly national - The AFL has been shown in Sydney continuously since I was a kid, that's at least 32 years. And guess what, after this and the heavy marketing for as long as I can remember, CH7 and CH10 falling over themselves for AFL on Sydney TV, getting ample coverage on newspapers and radio, the TV ratings are shockingly bad, and only allowed to be aired due to smart contractual obligations. Now imagine if Rugby League had similar favourite climate, who knows.
Oh did I mention we have a pretty popular Kiwi side in our comp. Not Aussie but nice to have don't you think, all those wonderful poly/melanesian footballers.

Just thank the lord that league and Union have been in a war for 100 years, cause if they were working together, AFL will most likely be even more the minor sport it is today within its global 45% of the Australian population monster.

We here in Sydney are pretty obliging, but you will find we don't like you naughty pushers. I told my mummy about you and she has the left shoe off.......

So enjoy ARF, and I'll keep an eye on your scribes to see if we can enjoy some banter.

 

[Peppers]

To be honest I read that article when it was printed and didn't pick up any anti RL vibes at all. And believe my antennas are always up.

 

[Ice777]

I told my mummy about you and she has the left shoe off.......

You probably could've/should've left that one out.

 

[manlyone]

Great post .... I agree entirely with your sentiments that the likes Hinds take every opportunity to have a go at league. The SMH is a disgrace with its totally disproportionate support of AFL / ARU .... AFL has arguably more problems with drink and drugs and yet how often do you hear about it in comparison to any indiscretion by league players .... all of these articles keep chiping away and preserving the view that league is a game by morons for morons .....

 

[gottabegood]

To be honest I read that article when it was printed and didn't pick up any anti RL vibes at all. And believe my antennas are always up.

Fortunately and unfortunately my antennas are highly sensitive to bullsh*t/propaganda, no disrespect to anyone.

Are you saying that you still feel that there is no anti RL vibes in that article??

 

[gottabegood]

Great post .... I agree entirely with your sentiments that the likes Hinds take every opportunity to have a go at league. The SMH is a disgrace with its totally disproportionate support of AFL / ARU .... AFL has arguably more problems with drink and drugs and yet how often do you hear about it in comparison to any indiscretion by league players .... all of these articles keep chiping away and preserving the view that league is a game by morons for morons .....

Cheers, your views are spot on.
I will, this year, make an effort to take these writers of unnecessary anti RL articles to task. I have had enough. Many of them are like this article, which on the surface don't appear too bad, but in actual fact, well.....

 

[magpie_man]

meh, he's an AFL writer covering an NRL game. as anyone would do he compared it to the sport he specialises in. wtf was the smh doing sending him up there should be the real question.
the only part of the piece i found a bit patronising was the mock surprise at families attending an NRL game.

 

[innsaneink]

LOL

I'd think any mention whatsoever of Warwick Capper is a negative for AFL.
Im sure they'd love to forget him.

I thought it was a pretty even handed article. Hope he dont think all RL fans are as precious.

 

[gottabegood]

LOL

I'd think any mention whatsoever of Warwick Capper is a negative for AFL.
Im sure they'd love to forget him.

I thought it was a pretty even handed article. Hope he dont think all RL fans are as precious.

Well innsaneink I would beg to differ, because clearly to me he has had many unnecessary digs, for no apparent reason but to make AFL equivalently look nice and shiny. But I'm starting to understand why many wouldn't or couldn't see this.

 

[Calixte]

I agree Hinds is as bad as Fitzsimons, Jackie M, that Derriman dickhead and Zavos.

It is a totally f**ked situation. I say don't buy it and check the articles on the net.

The news is still generally pretty good in the SMH. Rugby League coverage, outside of Masters, is sh*te. Went downhill fast with Steve Mascord racking off...

 

[Billythekid]

You probably could've/should've left that one out.

:lol: Agreed.

 

[gottabegood]

Quote:
Originally Posted by gottabegood
I told my mummy about you and she has the left shoe off.......

You probably could've/should've left that one out.

Guys, that's basically friendly banter saying that he has been acting like a little boy and will be punished accordingly.....:lol:

 

[nqboy]

As someone else said, what else is he going to compare it to? I think you're being a bit precious. Sure, AFL have far more problems (both in frequency and in seriousity) with grog and drugs but who In Sydney wants to read about AFL players they've never heard of in the sh*t apart from a few diehards manning the ramparts to prevent an invasion. Sydney people want to hear about Tim Smith on the piss, or Hayne getting shot at in Kings Cross, because they know who these people are so it will sell more papers.

 

[ali]

I think your response is fair enough. It wasn't the worst article I have ever seen, but it plays up a few stereotypes. The facts you gave him are excellent. You gotta love this forum for providing us all with wonderful ammunition like the TV ratings thread in the Fight Club section.

 

[Paullyboy]

Reading the article and it's unnecessary responses have robbed me of 4 minutes of my life.

 

[gottabegood]

It would appear that some are afflicted with a serious case of Doormatitist or are just too young to see the ways of the world.

 

[Nugby]

I think as usual Hinds shows his AFL bias but I wouldn't say it's anti-NRL, he just can't help throwing a couple comments about the backwater garbage he grew up around as a kid into his writing.

Like others, cringed slightly at the left shoe comment, but hope that Hinds cops criticism every time he spts out something stupid like "the AFL will confidently back its brilliantly marketed and truly national game."

 

[gottabegood]

I think as usual Hinds shows his AFL bias but I wouldn't say it's anti-NRL, he just can't help throwing a couple comments about the backwater garbage he grew up around as a kid into his writing.

Like others, cringed slightly at the left shoe comment, but hope that Hinds cops criticism every time he spts out something stupid like "the AFL will confidently back its brilliantly marketed and truly national game."

That's the whole point, there is plenty of anti RL stuff in that article for no apparent reason to make AFL look nice and shiny. Not the end of the world stuff , but unnecessary. (And I only pointed out a few things).

The shoe thing is exactly as I explained it, he was being a naughty little boy and has earnt a naught little boy punishment.....which I would expect is perfect for that type of article.

This is just the first article I decided to pursue, we will see what eventuates.

 

[sherrinator]

Should you people not focus on the positives, such as the massive population of families west of the GC highway? It was a feel good story and i'm astounded that the thread starter would take offense to mild references to a sport such as Warwick Capper etc.

 

[gottabegood]

Should you people not focus on the positives, such as the massive population of families west of the GC highway? It was a feel good story and i'm astounded that the thread starter would take offense to mild references to a sport such as Warwick Capper etc.

If "soulless rectangular shrine" ain't talking to you, then go back to 1st class my friend.