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Brian Barwick


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I would like to thank him for everything he has achieved while in the role.

Just remind me again.

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

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4 minutes ago, Number 16 said:

Roads, aquaducts, sanitation...

But apart from that...

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

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16 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

I would like to thank him for everything he has achieved while in the role.

Just remind me again.

Considering the game's small-minded ways which we've seen on display since the start of last year, in hindsight just what was be supposed to achieve in the role?

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15 minutes ago, Big Picture said:

Considering the game's small-minded ways which we've seen on display since the start of last year, in hindsight just what was be supposed to achieve in the role?

Well as Chairman he could have played a part in changing those ways. I think Dave Woods' analysis is pretty much spot on

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/47800321

100% League 0% Union

Just because I don't know doesn't mean I don't understand

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16 minutes ago, Big Picture said:

Considering the game's small-minded ways which we've seen on display since the start of last year, in hindsight just what was be supposed to achieve in the role?

I'm really not sure what he could have achieved.

But as a well known figure in sport, I would have at least expected him to be all over the media showcasing Rugby League and highlighting the virtues game.

I have just Googled 'Brian Barwick Rugby League'

The results on page 1 of the news tab are him stepping down as the Chairman, him being appointed to the board of the 2021 World Cup and a single article from the Guardian in 2015 where Barwick is quoted as saying Rugby League must learn to grow its brand.

Six years ago we were saying that appointing Barwick was a good thing because he was well known in sports circles and his leverage/personality would be of value.  I cannot see any evidence that this has been used in any meaningful way six years later.

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

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6 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

I'm really not sure what he could have achieved.

But as a well known figure in sport, I would have at least expected him to be all over the media showcasing Rugby League and highlighting the virtues game.

I have just Googled 'Brian Barwick Rugby League'

The results on page 1 of the news tab are him stepping down as the Chairman, him being appointed to the board of the 2021 World Cup and a single article from the Guardian in 2015 where Barwick is quoted as saying Rugby League must learn to grow its brand.

Six years ago we were saying that appointing Barwick was a good thing because he was well known in sports circles and his leverage/personality would be of value.  I cannot see any evidence that this has been used in any meaningful way six years later.

I cannot recall anything which would suggest that either, but having seen just how small time and small-minded the game is during the past year and a bit I don't see how his leverage/personality could have used effectively without changing that first.

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13 minutes ago, Big Picture said:

I cannot recall anything which would suggest that either, but having seen just how small time and small-minded the game is during the past year and a bit I don't see how his leverage/personality could have used effectively without changing that first.

I just want him to be positive.

Where is the article where Barwick was shouting from the rooftops about Catalan winning at Wembley or London's return to Super League.  I simply can't find a single article where Barwick praises the sport of Rugby League in the last six years.  Is that too much to ask?

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

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2 hours ago, Big Picture said:

Considering the game's small-minded ways which we've seen on display since the start of last year, in hindsight just what was be supposed to achieve in the role?

Anything would have done. Even a peek at his famous little black book might have helped.

rldfsignature.jpg

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2 hours ago, The Future is League said:

Yes what happened to the little black book?

What did he actually do to justify his wages?

 

1 hour ago, deluded pom? said:

Anything would have done. Even a peek at his famous little black book might have helped.

You're both assuming that RL in its present stunted form has something able to attract the interest of the persons who would be in that book, which the events of the past year and a bit show is very likely mistaken.  As long as outsiders perceive it as a small northern game for northerners and the game's administrators reinforce that view by things like their public worries about Toronto bringing "no away fans"  and wanting Toronto, Toulouse and Catalans to indemnify them against a repeat of last year's Challenge Cup Final, I suggest that your assumption is false.

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13 minutes ago, Big Picture said:

 

You're both assuming that RL in its present stunted form has something able to attract the interest of the persons who would be in that book, which the events of the past year and a bit show is very likely mistaken.  As long as outsiders perceive it as a small northern game for northerners and the game's administrators reinforce that view by things like their public worries about Toronto bringing "no away fans"  and wanting Toronto, Toulouse and Catalans to indemnify them against a repeat of last year's Challenge Cup Final, I suggest that your assumption is false.

Yet the game has still managed to attract Brian Barwick to join the RFL. Does that say more about RL or Brian Barwick? I'm also willing to bet Robert Elstone is in BB's little black book too.

rldfsignature.jpg

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7 minutes ago, Big Picture said:

 

You're both assuming that RL in its present stunted form has something able to attract the interest of the persons who would be in that book, which the events of the past year and a bit show is very likely mistaken.  As long as outsiders perceive it as a small northern game for northerners and the game's administrators reinforce that view by things like their public worries about Toronto bringing "no away fans"  and wanting Toronto, Toulouse and Catalans to indemnify them against a repeat of last year's Challenge Cup Final, I suggest that your assumption is false.

My point is that there is absolutely no evidence of Barwick in his role trying to change the perception of the sport.

He was appointed in January 2013.  He posted his last tweet in November 2013 without a single tweet about the sport of Rugby League.  He wrote his last blog on his media and sports business website on the 21st of October 2013 without a single blog on the sport of Rugby League.  He has not posted a single update on LinkedIn.  From an on-line and social media perspective, he essentially downed tools following his appointment to the RFL.

I can see one interview he made to the media since his appointment - the Guardian interview I previously mentioned from October 2015 in which he lamented on the lack of brand development in Rugby League.

Rugby League may be perceived as a small Northern sport and if this has hindered Barwick in his role then that is fair enough.  My problem is that for six years he appears to have done absolutely nothing to try and change this perception.

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

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3 hours ago, Dunbar said:

I would like to thank him for everything he has achieved while in the role.

Just remind me again.

To be fair if BB hadn't taken his free seat at Wembley last year the attendance would have been even worse. Who knows how much Cats may have been asked to stump up if he hadn't been there.

rldfsignature.jpg

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Sarcasm.

Some peoples way of coping with the hurt.

Isn't it just so utterly hopeless?

A record of complete and utter silence.

Six years collecting his wages and we've nothing to show for it.

I wonder who the next enormous blood-sucking parasite will be?

Be careful what you wish for.

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13 minutes ago, deluded pom? said:

Yet the game has still managed to attract Brian Barwick to join the RFL. Does that say more about RL or Brian Barwick? I'm also willing to bet Robert Elstone is in BB's little black book too.

Barwick and Elstone are both northerners who remember the game's position in the 1990s when it had players who were nationally known, which Elstone in particular wants to get it back to.   Unfortunately he seems not to be aware that before the News Corp. money came along the game was in big financial trouble.  How Maurice Lindsay was ever able to negotiate them up to 87 million £ from their initial offer of 50 million £ I can't possibly imagine.

11 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

My point is that there is absolutely no evidence of Barwick in his role trying to change the perception of the sport.

He was appointed in January 2013.  He posted his last tweet in November 2013 without a single tweet about the sport of Rugby League.  He wrote his last blog on his media and sports business website on the 21st of October 2013 without a single blog on the sport of Rugby League.  He has not posted a single update on LinkedIn.  From an on-line and social media perspective, he essentially downed tools following his appointment to the RFL.

I can see one interview he made to the media since his appointment - the Guardian interview I previously mentioned from October 2015 in which he lamented on the lack of brand development in Rugby League.

Rugby League may be perceived as a small Northern sport and if this has hindered Barwick in his role then that is fair enough.  My problem is that for six years he appears to have done absolutely nothing to try and change this perception.

Maybe you haven't seen them, but I've noticed a good few posts on the TRL forum saying that's precisely how outsiders do view the sport based on the personal experiences of those posters.  It's entirely possible that his downing tools as you put it resulted from him trying to interest the persons in his black book in the sport and being rebuffed because they also see the sport that way and therefore don't think it worth their time and money.

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5 minutes ago, Big Picture said:

Maybe you haven't seen them, but I've noticed a good few posts on the TRL forum saying that's precisely how outsiders do view the sport based on the personal experiences of those posters.  It's entirely possible that his downing tools as you put it resulted from him trying to interest the persons in his black book in the sport and being rebuffed because they also see the sport that way and therefore don't think it worth their time and money.

Yes, I agree that is how it is perceived... I have experienced it myself plenty of times.

But Barwick seems to have given up trying in October 2013 while remaining in his position until 2019.

If I were in his position I would simply have tried harder... that's all I am saying.

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

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If he really came to that conclusion Dunbar, he should have done the honourable thing and resigned, instead of just taking the money.

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