Rugby League - man's game!

[Dave T]

Just seen Danny Lockwoods article from the rival RL newspaper to the LE.

I wont quote it all, but here's a few snippets:

Being critical of the Hearns stopping using the walk on ladies in Darts "thats all we need - a feeble turncoat who runs scared from the braying feminist banshees, suddenly running a mans sport".

Following a rant about PC: "Rugby League is a mans sport, even when it is being played by women, people in wheelchairs, or under 7s".

Referring to coveribg cheerleaders up, "making them dress up in the full black Zorro outfits like the ladies wear in Dewsbury and Bradford".

"If the walk on totty is out"...

 

Seems a good bloke writing a lovely opinion piece. Is he right?

 

 

[gingerjon]

I am speechless.

I am without speech.

I have no speech.

[gingerjon]

I see he's toned it down a bit then:

“If Derrick Bird had been carrying a Koran he would have been celebrated as a hero by tens of thousands, possibly more of so called “British” Muslims”

[RabbitRhinoovOZ]

I see no problem? A man expressing his opinion that many would agree with.

You know not everyone has to think the same way right?

[gingerjon]

2 minutes ago, RabbitRhinoovOZ said:

I see no problem? A man expressing his opinion that many would agree with.

You know not everyone has to think the same way right?

And free speech means we all get to respond.

[Tommygilf]

I mean to play devils advocate somewhat. As an "opinon/editorial piece" it does display an opinion that would not be too hard to find on the terraces. There is also a line that would suggest that by "mans" game what he means is it encourages historically "manly" characteristics such as agression and physicality. I do think its important that we are reminded from time to time that other ideas exist.

However that does not mean it is right or expressed in the most eloquent form.

[Copa]

Rugby league is a great game for women. It’s a proper women’s game.

Toughness, resilience and bravery are all characteristics many women have. They are made for rugby league.

[gingerjon]

16 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Just seen Danny Lockwoods article from the rival RL newspaper to the LE.

I wont quote it all, but here's a few snippets:

Being critical of the Hearns stopping using the walk on ladies in Darts "thats all we need - a feeble turncoat who runs scared from the braying feminist banshees, suddenly running a mans sport".

Following a rant about PC: "Rugby League is a mans sport, even when it is being played by women, people in wheelchairs, or under 7s".

Referring to coveribg cheerleaders up, "making them dress up in the full black Zorro outfits like the ladies wear in Dewsbury and Bradford".

"If the walk on totty is out"...

 

Seems a good bloke writing a lovely opinion piece. Is he right?

 

 

So, anyway, to respond to what's here.

I don't have much of an opinion about the darts walk-on girls (or, as an equivalent) the girls at Speedway Grand Prix who stand there marking the lane choices. I wouldn't miss them if they went because, oddly, I'm watching the darts and the speedway for the darts and the speedway. If you're watching them for women in tight clothes then that's a few seconds of pleasure separated by a lot of sport. It seems an odd thing to do.

Cheerleading seems to me to be different in that it's normally led and coached by women. There can be a genuine issue (see stories in America) about how the girls are controlled and what say they have in what they do. But, if everyone's having fun, again, I don't have a problem. No one is talking about shutting down cheerleading but they may wonder if it's middle aged men drooling over barely legal girls whether it can be done better.

Rugby league is a tough sport. We called it a Man's Game for All the Family forty years ago. Times change. Women and disabled people do not become some default 'strong straight male' for playing rugby league. They become members of the rugby league family who play the game. On their own terms.

The stuff about people covered up in Dewsbury and Batley is just divisive nonsense. If we want people from all communities to embrace our game, and I'll guess that this straight talking no nonsense bloke with a publishing history like his and a charge sheet of racist activities doesn't, then we should be finding ways of working with them not putting out angst about the stuff that makes us different.

One of the great things I've found in my (oh god) 31 years of following rugby league is that, by and large, if you like TGG the people around you will accept you whatever. I'm a latte drinking metrosexual (not really) who has never lived in a heartland community and have had a lot of fun with people on here both in real life and online. But I'm also white and male so if I keep my mouth shut I'll not be noticed by the tiny minority of fans who confuse being no-nonsense and proud of their roots with being a grade one cock.

[RabbitRhinoovOZ]

4 minutes ago, Copa said:

Rugby league is a great game for women. It’s a proper women’s game.

Toughness, resilience and bravery are all characteristics many women have. They are made for rugby league.

But for some reason I find women playing RL very off putting so I don't watch it, There for RL to me is still very much a mans game.

[Desert Skipper]

Whilst I don’t agree with what he’s said, every voice should have their right to speak, as long as they are not inciting hatred against a people.   Otherwise this stuff boils up underground until one day people get extreme to get their views heard.

Conflictng opinion is not a bad thing at all. In fact conflict done in the proper, professional way explores ideas and finds solutions to problems.   It just needs a good leader to moderate those ideas and come out somewhere in the middle.   Otherwise if people feel they are not being heard they might make their views felt through an important vote basing it on impulse and passion rather than informed sense.   Brexit result, perhaps?

And as stated previously, SOME of those on the terraces can associate with those views (probably not most of us here though, me included).

[Copa]

5 minutes ago, RabbitRhinoovOZ said:

But for some reason I find women playing RL very off putting so I don't watch it, There for RL to me is still very much a mans game.

Fair enough. I suspect a cultural aspect will make it quite hard for some people to enjoy seeing women run into each other. 

[Dave T]

36 minutes ago, RabbitRhinoovOZ said:

I see no problem? A man expressing his opinion that many would agree with.

You know not everyone has to think the same way right?

Somewhere in the world there will be a thread telling people they all have to think the same way, and this post would be an excellent reply.

As this thread (inviting opinions) doesnt do that then the post is just a little odd and out of place.

[Dave T]

Well this thread seems to have taken a strange turn about rights to free speech which was never questioned.

Is RL a mans game? What's your opinions on that.

The point about free speech is totally irrelevant, he has written it, so I dont think we now need to argue the right for him to be able to write it like some oppressed journo.

[RabbitRhinoovOZ]

2 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Somewhere in the world there will be a thread telling people they all have to think the same way, and this post would be an excellent reply.

As this thread (inviting opinions) doesnt do that then the post is just a little odd and out of place.

Like you weren't outraged by his comments, Post it on hear hoping to whip all the like minded others into a frenzy.

[Dave T]

29 minutes ago, RabbitRhinoovOZ said:

But for some reason I find women playing RL very off putting so I don't watch it, There for RL to me is still very much a mans game.

Thats an interesting one as i struggle to find womens boxing and ufc difficult to watch, probably for no other reason than historical conditioning because its not any more pleasant seeing blokes batter each other in the face.

[Dave T]

1 minute ago, RabbitRhinoovOZ said:

Like you weren't outraged by his comments, Post it on hear hoping to whip all the like minded others into a frenzy.

There was me hoping for an interesting discussion. 

Ah well, at least you'll be in bed soon and we can crack on.

[Farmduck]

17 minutes ago, Copa said:

Fair enough. I suspect a cultural aspect will make it quite hard for some people to enjoy seeing women run into each other. 

I never doubted the physicality and aggression of women. My concern was that, if the standard of the first widely-televised games wasn't high, then it could potentially do their game more harm than good. Fortunately the first Women's RL that many people saw was the AUS/NZ games at Auckland 9s. I don't think anyone doubted the potential after that.

[Dave T]

40 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

I mean to play devils advocate somewhat. As an "opinon/editorial piece" it does display an opinion that would not be too hard to find on the terraces. There is also a line that would suggest that by "mans" game what he means is it encourages historically "manly" characteristics such as agression and physicality. I do think its important that we are reminded from time to time that other ideas exist.

However that does not mean it is right or expressed in the most eloquent form.

I think if you are going to present divisive views so prominently in your paper I would personally be doing it off the back of something directly related to RL - this was driven by Darts removing the walk on girls, and ended up with a rant about burqas in Bradford.

In the week of the Womens SL launch I find it a bit disappointing.

[RabbitRhinoovOZ]

2 minutes ago, Dave T said:

There was me hoping for an interesting discussion. 

Ah well, at least you'll be in bed soon and we can crack on.

It's the kind of thing you hear said in the stands or at the pub every single weekend, I really don't see why it's even worth brining up .

[Dave T]

3 minutes ago, RabbitRhinoovOZ said:

It's the kind of thing you hear said in the stands or at the pub every single weekend, I really don't see why it's even worth brining up .

In the week Womens SL was launched id suggest one of the two RL Weeklies running an editorial stating its a mans game is a perfectly relevant and valid topic for discussion.

[RP London]

2 minutes ago, RabbitRhinoovOZ said:

It's the kind of thing you hear said in the stands or at the pub every single weekend, I really don't see why it's even worth brining up .

because that argument does not make what is being said correct.. 

It is also a discussion forum and therefore if it is not worth bringing up there will be no responses to the thread and therefore it would show him it was not worth bringing up, equally it could last 3-4 pages of people agreeing, showing it was sort of worth bringing up and everyone agrees, or vice versa.. but as a discussion forum everything is "worth bringing up" if you dont think it is then you can, of course, ignore the thread.

One of the worst things you can do is sit there and say nothing if something irks you. 1. because you may not be the only one and everyone else is saying nothing until someone else does (look at the US gymnasts for a fine example of that).. 2. it can drive you potty mulling it over where as by bringing it up someone can point out something that makes it more sensible and therefore stops driving you potty. 3. you can make a difference. 

 

[DoubleD]

17 minutes ago, Dave T said:

There was me hoping for an interesting discussion. 

Ah well, at least you'll be in bed soon and we can crack on.

He’s right on this occasion though, you posted a thread which ended with a sarcastic ending of 

 

1 hour ago, Dave T said:

Seems a good bloke writing a lovely opinion piece. Is he right?

It’s his opinion and he’s entitled to it. People can read into it what they want. If you don’t like his opinion, write in constructively explaining why

[Dave T]

6 minutes ago, DoubleD said:

He’s right on this occasion though, you posted a thread which ended with a sarcastic ending of 

 

It’s his opinion and he’s entitled to it. People can read into it what they want. If you don’t like his opinion, write in constructively explaining why

No, is he right was the ending inviting opinion. 

I am allowed to give my opinion even if sarcastic. Remember, free speech?

Nobody is trying to censor opinion or tell people to think the same.

Apart from somebody questioning why this tread was started and you questioning me using sarcasm.

If its any better Ill be more blunt to make it easier for you - I think Lockwood seems like a tool posting an unnecessary divisive article because 'totty' wont be on show at the darts.

 

[DoubleD]

2 minutes ago, Dave T said:

No, is he right was the ending inviting opinion. 

I am allowed to give my opinion even if sarcastic. Remember, free speech?

 

I thought this thread wasn’t about free speech? 

Jeez, the sooner this thread is locked the better 

[Dave T]

Just now, DoubleD said:

I thought this thread wasn’t about free speech? 

Jeez, the sooner this thread is locked the better 

More sarcasm im afraid. Sorry.

Its a very valid discussion - not a clue why a couple of you are finding it such an issue tbh.