Beveridge v Morris in the court of public opinion

[angelopetraglia]

Beveridge v Morris in the court of public opinion

https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/sites/default/files/styles/article_large/public/images/sport_-_luke_beveridge.jpg?itok=aHMxaMmR

After losing the opening match of the 2022 AFL season last month, Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge sat down for the thing he hates most about his job: the press conference. It got messy quick. After listening to a question from Fox Footy reporter Tom Morris, who had earlier accurately reported upon a leaked team selection detail, Beveridge paused momentarily before unleashing.

“You’ve got the nerve to ask me a question, and even be here?” he said. “You barrack for Melbourne, you’ve been preying on us. You’ve been opening us up, causing turmoil within our football club by declaring our team well before it needs to be declared. Is that the way Fox want you to operate? Is that the gutter journalist you want to be?”

Beveridge went on: “Your gutter journalism at the moment is killing us behind the scenes … This is why the health and wellbeing of people in the game is caught up in this … You’re an embarrassment.”

The definition of “public interest” is not easy or automatic, unless you’re solely guided by clicks. And then, if you’ve chosen a potential story to follow, the specific treatment of it matters too.
Beveridge was immediately and uniformly condemned by the media, who saw an “abnormal” act of intimidation and one that seemed to have derived, weirdly, from the relatively inconsequential reporting of Lachie Hunter’s omission. The AFL fined Beveridge and the next day a filmed apology from the coach was released by the club.

But only hours after Tom Morris had been congratulated by peers for holding his ground against Beveridge, two audio clips Morris had shared within a private WhatsApp group were leaked. On one leery and juvenile tape, Morris can be heard crudely objectifying a female colleague’s sexuality. The appalled colleague later publicly referred to his comments as “degrading”. Fox sacked Morris.

It was a dramatic development, but let’s return to the media responses to Beveridge. “What we saw last night is a man unravelling,” veteran footy reporter Caroline Wilson said on 3AW radio. “I’m quite serious about this. Who invokes the mental health and wellbeing card over a selection story? I have never seen anything so disgraceful in all my years of covering football. It is a man who is clearly not coping.”

First, there’s the minor quibble of Wilson’s hyperbole here: she cannot literally mean Beveridge’s press conference was more disgraceful than, say, Wayne Carey’s domestic violence, the Essendon supplements scandal, the AFL’s mishandling of Adam Goodes’ public persecution, the long and odious influence of agent Ricky Nixon, the squalid and self-destructive culture of the mid-noughties West Coast Eagles, the revelations of an indulgent and chauvinistic administrative culture et cetera.

But, more substantially, it must have been an intolerable irony to Beveridge that his ham-fisted appeal to reporters to consider the mental health of players could only be understood or interpreted in the context of Beveridge’s own alleged “unravelling”. Here was a man – confusingly and intemperately, yes – damning the media for its prurient interests and its effects upon his players’ health being called mentally unstable for doing so. And Wilson was far from alone in this.

Little has been said about the many speculations about Beveridge’s mental health, not least because the man himself has been chastened and does not wish to push the story. But at first blush, the media questioning appears to be borderline defamatory. At the very least, it’s unimaginative.

Beveridge did not help himself or his club by using as the ostensible source of his anger Tom Morris’s accurate – and trivial – report on the late omission of a player. If this was truly the only source of Beveridge’s contempt, then of course his outburst would have been bizarrely disproportionate.

But it wasn’t the only source. During the recent off-season, Beveridge – an intensely loyal and protective coach – was incensed by the many careless inquiries made into the private life of star player Bailey Smith. Once again, Beveridge saw the media’s feral competitiveness for dubious scoops, and its effect upon his players’ health, and he fumed about how often this instinct ignored proportionality, fairness or potential harm. In Tom Morris, I suspect Beveridge saw a smug epitome of this ruthlessness – and a man whose job was essentially parasitic.

Beveridge might reflect upon how to better articulate his concerns, and his suggestion that Morris was motivated by his support for the Melbourne Demons seemed silly. But it was also silly to offer Morris, even before the leaked tapes, as some exemplar of an indispensable profession. Morris was a shallow and self-regarding scavenger of bins – more an ibis with private schoolboy connections than Bob Woodward. He was – like many footy reporters – a simple gossipmonger, more enthralled by their status than the game.

On a scale of one to 10 of social value, where one is a serial arsonist and 10 is a paediatric nurse, Morris’s job would score about a two. And yet the gulf between this modest value and the immodest egos who practise it is hilariously massive. You’ll find more thoughtfulness and humility among paediatric nurses.

When criticised, journalists reflexively use abstractions to defend themselves. We use lofty words such as “accountability”, “democracy”, “discourse” and “public interest” regardless of how appropriately they can be applied to the actual thing being criticised. Richard Nixon once said that when a president does it, “that means it’s not illegal”, and I often smell the same desperate appeals to exceptionalism from journalists. And maybe some believe it – that because they’re a journalist, they can do and write whatever and believe that it’s all valuable by definition. The self-regard of a Tom Morris is both too great and too fragile to broker self-reflection – why act or think in a way that might puncture your sense of exceptionalism?

What Luke Beveridge might have asked reporters, were his articulateness not choked by anger, is what they considered their duty of care to players to be. What scrutiny is acceptable? What are scrutiny’s basic thresholds, and when does reporting become vulgar and destructive gossip? How do you define “public interest” if not by mere online traffic? And if you have a loftier definition of “public interest”, when might it be subservient to the potential harm to an individual? Can I trust that each of you think about these things? Can I trust that each of you are genuinely serious about the mental health of players? How pure are your motivations, really?

But as I write this, the seagulls have already moved on to the next pile of hot chips: rapid-fire speculations on the mental health of Richmond player Dustin Martin, who’s currently grieving over the loss of his father.

The AFL’s 2021 yearly report declares that about 2000 people were given media accreditation to work at “match-day venues”. The federal press gallery has 250 accredited members. Even allowing for the greater technical demands of broadcasting sport versus politics, we’re still left with a considerable discrepancy. It’s an enormous number and it’s never been greater. But what has this investment yielded? Very little. Gossip and shallow takes still prevail: X club is up, and Y down; A player is injured, but B is exceeding expectations. While the numbers of accredited media have increased, the length of stories seems to have decreased, and there’s been no commensurate increase in insight.

There are exceptions: ABC sports writer Russell Jackson won a Walkley for feature writing in 2020 and this year the Melbourne Press Club’s highest honour, the Golden Quill, was awarded to Michael Warner for his reporting on the Collingwood Football Club. But I’d suggest the most significant outcome of this vast swelling of media accreditation is a large and decadent class fattening itself upon the honeyed teat of the AFL.

It was, at least, acknowledgement for Warner, whose damning book The Boys’ Club from last year – our only sophisticated, book-length examination of AFL House for decades – was largely ignored in the media. Given its importance, and the fact Warner is one of the few sports reporters with an ability to examine financial and administrative cultures, the silence was conspicuous.

There are times when the private behaviour of players meets, I think, a threshold of public interest. The dangerous dysfunction of the Eagles back in the noughties is one, I’d argue. But the definition of “public interest” is not easy or automatic, unless you’re solely guided by clicks. And then, if you’ve chosen a potential story to follow, the specific treatment of it matters too.

So, the question for me is not whether scrutiny of footy clubs is appropriate. It obviously is. The question is how many reporters seriously contemplate what scrutiny means, or should mean. Beveridge made a mess of that press conference, and I can sympathise with those who first saw a weird and intimidatory tantrum. I was one of them. But buried in his outburst were genuine grievances and, I suspect, more integrity than can be found in the subjects of it.

https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/sport/afl/2022/04/02/beveridge-v-morris-the-court-public-opinion/164881800013597#mtr

[angelopetraglia]

Interesting piece and with hindsight and time to reflect on the entire episode it does make you think. Bevo's method was appalling, but his point was probably right. Also, the author (Martin McKenzie-Murray) does make this great point. Too many AFL journos take themselves way too seriously and always believe they have the moral high ground.


"On a scale of one to 10 of social value, where one is a serial arsonist and 10 is a paediatric nurse, Morris’s job would score about a two. And yet the gulf between this modest value and the immodest egos who practise it is hilariously massive. You’ll find more thoughtfulness and humility among paediatric nurses.

When criticised, journalists reflexively use abstractions to defend themselves. We use lofty words such as “accountability”, “democracy”, “discourse” and “public interest” regardless of how appropriately they can be applied to the actual thing being criticised. Richard Nixon once said that when a president does it, “that means it’s not illegal”, and I often smell the same desperate appeals to exceptionalism from journalists. And maybe some believe it – that because they’re a journalist, they can do and write whatever and believe that it’s all valuable by definition. The self-regard of a Tom Morris is both too great and too fragile to broker self-reflection – why act or think in a way that might puncture your sense of exceptionalism?""

[jeemak]

"On a scale of one to 10 of social value, where one is a serial arsonist and 10 is a paediatric nurse, Morris’s job would score about a two. And yet the gulf between this modest value and the immodest egos who practise it is hilariously massive. You’ll find more thoughtfulness and humility among paediatric nurses.


Nailed it with this statement. Couldn’t be more perfectly articulated.

[soupman]

Man thats an awesome article. Hope it gains some traction.

[azabob]

Thanks for posting AP. I saw a snippet on twitter on Saturday but couldn't find a free version to read fully.

Does anyone know what deems you to be given media accreditation to work at “match-day venues”?

[azabob]

Man thats an awesome article. Hope it gains some traction.

Soup, highly doubtful. The article is 48 hours old and I haven't sited or heard it discussed apart from one twitter post and here on woof.

[Ghost Dog]

Great article and thanks for posting Angelotragopia

What I hamfistedly am trying to get across in another thread regards Jeff Kennett is done here with the deft of a Cyril Rioli mark.
It's well balanced and draws you from micro to macro, with shades of grey. To me anyway, this article has the quality of writing The Age used to have when I was a kid.

The only thing perhaps missing is Morris's track record, the Jessie Hogan tweets.

And one word here " Beveridge – an intensely loyal and protective coach – was incensed by the many careless inquiries made into the private life of star player Bailey Smith

Since the death of print advertising revenue, the race for clicks on social media platforms has gone into warp. 'cheap-shot' inquiries doesn't sound right, but that's what I mean.

[Mofra]

"Morris was a shallow and self-regarding scavenger of bins – more an ibis with private schoolboy connections than Bob Woodward."

What a line

[Happy Days]

Yeah fantastic article. Bevo’s response in a vacuum was unprofessional but I think as some more colour was added to the situation it became clear that his comments needed to be viewed in its proper context, as a last straw rather than a one off. And Wilson should be ashamed and embarrassed by her armchair psychology bullshit, clearly said in hurt over her personal connection to Morris and the situation itself as a “journalist” (?) rather than out of any objective review.

[Sedat]

With the greatest respect to any footy scribes that lurk on woof, it is a truly gutter profession full of parasites who infect their venom onto the real stars of the show, the players/coaches/clubs. We need to take everything written and spoken by these parasites with a grain of salt. There are 2,000 of these vermin involved in the game - that is an indictment on the entire footy industry.

If Joel Selwood is the patron saint of the cynical head-high ducking, and has created an army of acolytes that have infected the modern game, Caroline Wilson is the patron saint of the footy media parasites, those shallow people who have no interest in the actual game and are obsessed with raising their own profile through the dissemination of the off-field activities of players/coaches/clubs to create meaningless and damaging click-bait, causing incredible damage to players/coaches/clubs in the process. Morris is simply a younger, even more smug, version of this footy media parasite that was created and perfected by Wilson (and Mike Sheahan to a lesser extent - he at least spent some time focusing on the actual game in his writing). Hutchy is another parasite who feasts on the off-field at the expense of player/coach/club welfare and mental health, and being a major player in the media landscape he is causing carnage in the modern game.

[Happy Days]

With the greatest respect to any footy scribes that lurk on woof, it is a truly gutter profession full of parasites who infect their venom onto the real stars of the show, the players/coaches/clubs. We need to take everything written and spoken by these parasites with a grain of salt. There are 2,000 of these vermin involved in the game - that is a travesty.

If Joel Selwood is the patron saint of the cynical head-high ducking, and has created an army of acolytes that have infected the modern game, Caroline Wilson is the patron saint of the footy media parasites, those shallow people who have no interet in the actual game and are obsessed with the off-field activities of the players to create meaningless and damaging click-bait for their employers, causing incredible damage to players, coaches and clubs in the process. Morris is simply a younger version of this footy media parasite that was created and perfected by Wilson (and Mike Sheahan to a lesser extent - he at least spent some time focusing on the actual game in his writing). Hutchy is another parasite who feasts on the off-field at the expense of player/coach/club welfare and mental health, and being a major player in the media landscape is causing carnage in the modern game.

Hell yeah.

[Grantysghost]

With the greatest respect to any footy scribes that lurk on woof, it is a truly gutter profession full of parasites who infect their venom onto the real stars of the show, the players/coaches/clubs. We need to take everything written and spoken by these parasites with a grain of salt. There are 2,000 of these vermin involved in the game - that is an indictment on the entire footy industry.

If Joel Selwood is the patron saint of the cynical head-high ducking, and has created an army of acolytes that have infected the modern game, Caroline Wilson is the patron saint of the footy media parasites, those shallow people who have no interest in the actual game and are obsessed with raising their own profile through the dissemination of the off-field activities of players/coaches/clubs to create meaningless and damaging click-bait, causing incredible damage to players/coaches/clubs in the process. Morris is simply a younger, even more smug, version of this footy media parasite that was created and perfected by Wilson (and Mike Sheahan to a lesser extent - he at least spent some time focusing on the actual game in his writing). Hutchy is another parasite who feasts on the off-field at the expense of player/coach/club welfare and mental health, and being a major player in the media landscape he is causing carnage in the modern game.

Hutchy is the cretin who started it all.

[Sedat]

Hutchy is the cretin who started it all.
Hutchy rapidly accelarated the decline but Wilson absolutely started all of this garbage. Hutchy now employs the likes of Wilson and Cornes, so yes he is an even bigger part of the problem today due to his media ownership, power and influence in the modern footy landscape.

[Happy Days]

Cornes is a prick. Why offer any expert analysis when you can line up a 19 year old for messing around with a Go Pro?

[Grantysghost]

Hutchy rapidly accelarated the decline but Wilson absolutely started all of this garbage. Hutchy now employs the likes of Wilson and Cornes, so yes he is an even bigger part of the problem today due to his media ownership, power and influence in the modern footy landscape.

I know Hutchy loves those edgy US sports panel shows and after a stint over there launched a similar style here.
Creating drama where there is none through their confrontational back and forth.
My memory was Wilson was reasonably stock standard like Sheehan prior to this writing for The Age but I could well be wrong.

[EasternWest]

With the greatest respect to any footy scribes that lurk on woof, it is a truly gutter profession full of parasites who infect their venom onto the real stars of the show .

That's about the level of respect they deserve.

[jeemak]

I know Hutchy loves those edgy US sports panel shows and after a stint over there launched a similar style here.
Creating drama where there is none through their confrontational back and forth.
My memory was Wilson was reasonably stock standard like Sheehan prior to this writing for The Age but I could well be wrong.

Wilson was OK before she got on TV, which is similar to many journos who did/ do the same.

As soon as you combine/ integrate different platforms you end up with saturation and a lack of diversity in opinions which leads to the gutter based or cheap material/ content that's produced.

It's OK having 2000 media personnel following the game and reporting on it. What's not OK is that only a very small percentage of that 2000 get their messages across in what's considered the mainstream.

Diversification of the media landscape has been a good thing and we need more of it. What we don't need is Caro/ Gary or whomever writing an article on Monday, sprouting shit about it Monday night, and then going on radio to keep it going the next day.

The cynical nature of syndicated corporate media is the problem here, not the amount of people covering the game.

[jazzadogs]

I loved the article, and really enjoy the Saturday Paper. It definitely leans the same way that I do, but I feel it does often speak truth to power and their articles are grounded in fact. It feels like proper journalism to me, and I wish this was the quality we expected rather than Hun/Age tabloid crap.

(and I can solve the cryptic).

[Bulldog Revolution]

Wilson was OK before she got on TV, which is similar to many journos who did/ do the same.



Wilson has historically been much better than a lot, but the call for Beveridge to be fined six figures was just insane and so out of touch.

[Sedat]

Wilson has historically been much better than a lot, but the call for Beveridge to be fined six figures was just insane and so out of touch.
Wilson is one of the most poisonous people in the footy industry and has been for decades. She harbours grudges that were started 50 years ago by her father when he was president of the tigers in the 70's - just ask Kevin Sheedy. She is a destructive person who chases the off-field story at any cost, even to the point of making up 'controversy' to suit her click-bait obsessed narrative. Witness the absolute destructive garbage she wrote about when Membury and Ross left the hub to be with their partners when they were giving birth last year - she created a pile-on against 2 supportive footballers (and their partners giving birth) for no reason other than self-aggrandizement.

She does not get a pass from me because of her gender (something she has cravenly used as a shield for her poisonous words and actions in the past). She is the distillation of everything that is wrong with modern footy journalism, and her particular oeuvre has created an entire cottage industry of footy scribes who feed on the off-field 'drama' (even when it does not exist) and who have little or no interest in the actual game itself. She created the blueprint that Hutchy, Morris, Cornes et al have followed.

[ratsmac]

I love the irony of a journalist telling us about gutter journalists.

Great piece written after the dust has settled without any attached emotion from an insiders perspective.

[EasternWest]

Wilson is one of the most poisonous people in the footy industry and has been for decades. She harbours grudges that were started 50 years ago by her father when he was president of the tigers in the 70's - just ask Kevin Sheedy. She is a destructive person who chases the off-field story at any cost, even to the point of making up 'controversy' to suit her click-bait obsessed narrative. Witness the absolute destructive garbage she wrote about when Membury and Ross left the hub to be with their partners when they were giving birth last year - she created a pile-on against 2 supportive footballers (and their partners giving birth) for no reason other than self-aggrandizement.

She does not get a pass from me because of her gender (something she has cravenly used as a shield for her poisonous words and actions in the past). She is the distillation of everything that is wrong with modern footy journalism, and her particular oeuvre has created an entire cottage industry of footy scribes who feed on the off-field 'drama' (even when it does not exist) and who have little or no interest in the actual game itself. She created the blueprint that Hutchy, Morris, Cornes et al have followed.

Once again Sedat refuses to tell us what he really thinks.

[jeemak]

Wilson is one of the most poisonous people in the footy industry and has been for decades. She harbours grudges that were started 50 years ago by her father when he was president of the tigers in the 70's - just ask Kevin Sheedy. She is a destructive person who chases the off-field story at any cost, even to the point of making up 'controversy' to suit her click-bait obsessed narrative. Witness the absolute destructive garbage she wrote about when Membury and Ross left the hub to be with their partners when they were giving birth last year - she created a pile-on against 2 supportive footballers (and their partners giving birth) for no reason other than self-aggrandizement.

She does not get a pass from me because of her gender (something she has cravenly used as a shield for her poisonous words and actions in the past). She is the distillation of everything that is wrong with modern footy journalism, and her particular oeuvre has created an entire cottage industry of footy scribes who feed on the off-field 'drama' (even when it does not exist) and who have little or no interest in the actual game itself. She created the blueprint that Hutchy, Morris, Cornes et al have followed.

For a time she was one of those journos that hurt you when she was talking about your club but didn't as much when talking about other clubs, because she was often right. But after she was put on multiple platforms she turned into a commercially driven, content and scandal hungry blow hard.

As much of a shit bag as she (and her ilk) might be, the real and too often overlooked shit bags are the club insiders who can't help themselves but leak information and cause disruption within the organisations they purport to love and follow, or consider their employers.

The industry is full of them, they exist at local/ lower club levels too because at the end of the day footy clubs attract really weird people. As long as these shit bags exist, shit bags like Caro etc. will continue to thrive.

[Sedat]

For a time she was one of those journos that hurt you when she was talking about your club but didn't as much when talking about other clubs, because she was often right. But after she was put on multiple platforms she turned into a commercially driven, content and scandal hungry blow hard.

As much of a shit bag as she (and her ilk) might be, the real and too often overlooked shit bags are the club insiders who can't help themselves but leak information and cause disruption within the organisations they purport to love and follow, or consider their employers.

The industry is full of them, they exist at local/ lower club levels too because at the end of the day footy clubs attract really weird people. As long as these shit bags exist, shit bags like Caro etc. will continue to thrive.
Hell yes to the bolded bit. They are horrible, self-serving people who clearly have a void in their lives to be sharing confidential trade secrets to the vermin to feast on, causing unnecessary pain to good people within the organisations that employ them.

[SonofScray]

That was a really solid article, cut through a lot of the absolute garbage. I try to consume as little of the footy media as possible, because I find the type that actually gets to have a voice in this space to be pretty reprehensible. Or boring, as is the case with the ex-player contingent.

[bornadog]

Tom Morris about to make a comeback. The boys club at work

[Axe Man]

Tom Morris about to make a comeback. The boys club at work

I'm no fan of his but he didn't kill anyone, just made some silly comments that unfortunately for him became public. Surely he deserves another chance, he has certainly copped his right whack.

[GVGjr]

Tom Morris about to make a comeback. The boys club at work

Hutchy looking to garner public support.
He should come back into the media but IMO he hasn't done this penance yet nor has he completed some of his rehabilitation.
He needs another football season out of the limelight in my opinion but it's a done deal and they're are going to pair him with Sarah Olle to give the perception of a softer persona.

I won't be listening to him but he deserves to come back as it was never going to be a long term sentence.

[hujsh]

I'm no fan of his but he didn't kill anyone, just made some silly comments that unfortunately for him became public. Surely he deserves another chance, he has certainly copped his right whack.

Is he that good that he deserves the chance over someone else to be a prominent AFL journalist? Or maybe he has no other skills and to not offer him the charity of the job means condemning him to starve? The latter wouldn't surprise me.

[bornadog]

Is he that good that he deserves the chance over someone else to be a prominent AFL journalist? Or maybe he has no other skills and to not offer him the charity of the job means condemning him to starve? The latter wouldn't surprise me.

Let's not forget this:

Fox Sports presenter Tom Morris sacked over alleged sexist and homophobic slurs (https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/mar/18/fox-sports-presenter-tom-morris-stood-down-pending-inquiry-into-alleged-sexist-and-homophobic-slurs)
Typical Hutchy no morals.

[Mantis]

Hutchy looking to garner public support.
He should come back into the media but IMO he hasn't done this penance yet nor has he completed some of his rehabilitation.
He needs another football season out of the limelight in my opinion but it's a done deal and they're are going to pair him with Sarah Olle to give the perception of a softer persona.

I won't be listening to him but he deserves to come back as it was never going to be a long term sentence.

Can you share more on this point?

[GVGjr]

Can you share more on this point?

My understanding is he was to do a number of behavioral type courses and a couple of them are still to be completed.

[jazzadogs]

If you were a serious organisation he wouldn't get past a reference check. He made sexist homophobic remarks about a colleague. Gross.

I also noted that Eddie McGuire's son was reporting for Channel 9 Sport last night. How good is nepotism!!!

[Grantysghost]

Let's not forget this:

Fox Sports presenter Tom Morris sacked over alleged sexist and homophobic slurs (https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/mar/18/fox-sports-presenter-tom-morris-stood-down-pending-inquiry-into-alleged-sexist-and-homophobic-slurs)
Typical Hutchy no morals.

Watch Hutchy try and push him into Bevo's path.

He probably needs a bit more time out, however I don't think his actions were that heinous that he should be shunned forever.

[jeemak]

If you were a serious organisation he wouldn't get past a reference check. He made sexist homophobic remarks about a colleague. Gross.

I also noted that Eddie McGuire's son was reporting for Channel 9 Sport last night. How good is nepotism!!!

Nepo babies have to work thrice as hard once they're in the door though, right?

[Sedat]

Let's not forget this:

Fox Sports presenter Tom Morris sacked over alleged sexist and homophobic slurs (https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/mar/18/fox-sports-presenter-tom-morris-stood-down-pending-inquiry-into-alleged-sexist-and-homophobic-slurs)
Typical Hutchy no morals.
I don't think anybody has forgotten it, least of all Morris himself. It (rightly) cost him a very handsome high paying and high profile TV gig - I doubt very much that his SEN gig will be anywhere near as lucrative or as high profile.

As apologies go, his was sincere, full of remorse and shame, and totally accountable. He did the crime and he wore the consequences without playing the mental health card so fancied by others (obviously there are those who genuinely suffer from mental health, but I daresay not all who act and behave disgracefully can't help but do so because they are suffering from mental health).

I don't have a problem with him getting another chance after doing his penance, but then I don't really care because I've almost 100% ceased devouring the AFEL media and I am a virtual non-consumer of SEN.

[The Underdog]

Nepo babies have to work thrice as hard once they're in the door though, right?

Tom Browne says hi….like a twat

[azabob]

If you were a serious organisation he wouldn't get past a reference check. He made sexist homophobic remarks about a colleague. Gross.

I also noted that Eddie McGuire's son was reporting for Channel 9 Sport last night. How good is nepotism!!!

Kane Cornes son also get a gig on SEN. I hate that I know this…

[The bulldog tragician]

His comments were revolting and deeply personal rather than silly. Would any of us get another gig in the same industry after an incident like this, “penitent” or otherwise? I don’t feel he is owed anything by the industry after “doing his time” and I’m constantly bemused at the idea that anyone would need a bit of re-education to realise what is unacceptable.

But we see this time and again - Wayne Carey welcomed back into the fold after multiple family violence assaults, but his possession of white powder was a bridge too far.

[Grantysghost]

His comments were revolting and deeply personal rather than silly. Would any of us get another gig in the same industry after an incident like this, “penitent” or otherwise? I don’t feel he is owed anything by the industry after “doing his time” and I’m constantly bemused at the idea that anyone would need a bit of re-education to realise what is unacceptable.

But we see this time and again - Wayne Carey welcomed back into the fold after multiple family violence assaults, but his possession of white powder was a bridge too far.

I think second chances are good, Dani Laidley is a great story for example after doing what many would consider far worse things.

The AFL industry has embraced her and that’s fantastic; albeit the cynic in me that I push down deep questions some folks motivation.

People are people and make mistakes. Let’s hope he learns, or crosses Bevo in the toilet at the Brownlow!

[hujsh]

I think second chances are good, Dani Laidley is a great story for example after doing what many would consider far worse things.

The AFL industry has embraced her and that’s fantastic; albeit the cynic in me that I push down deep questions some folks motivation.

People are people and make mistakes. Let’s hope he learns, or crosses Bevo in the toilet at the Brownlow!

What jobs has Dani gotten since her stalking charge in 2020 (6 months into a gender transition and the middle of Covid)? The public narrative has forgiven her and generally people would understand she was probably going through some pretty rough times but aside from occasional club events it seems like there's not really any similar benefit to her.

Tom just revealed himself to be a dickhead which should be enough that I don't have to see him again but that's unthinkable to other dickheads who'd hate to think they could lose anything by being a dickhead.

[aker39]

Hutchy looking to garner public support.
He should come back into the media but IMO he hasn't done this penance yet nor has he completed some of his rehabilitation.
He needs another football season out of the limelight in my opinion but it's a done deal and they're are going to pair him with Sarah Olle to give the perception of a softer persona.

I won't be listening to him but he deserves to come back as it was never going to be a long term sentence.

What timeslot are they going to be on.

While we are talking about jobs for boys, I see Eddie McGuire's son in on Ch.9 news

[GVGjr]

What timeslot are they going to be on.

While we are talking about jobs for boys, I see Eddie McGuire's son in on Ch.9 news

I think it's a lead in on Sundays to the footy coverage so probably 10 to midday

[Grantysghost]

I think it's a lead in on Sundays to the footy coverage so probably 10 to midday

Do people really still listen to SEN?

My advice - just avoid it all and come here. Vote with your dials! Actually I don't mind Raph Epstein. Also the Quiz! Anyone else that used to be addicted to the ABC quiz at midnight? My old man and I would stay up to battle it out and laugh at the regulars who really just wanted to give shout outs.

[Grantysghost]

I don't have a problem with him getting another chance after doing his penance, but then I don't really care because I've almost 100% ceased devouring the AFEL media and I am a virtual non-consumer of SEN.

Welcome aboard mate - it's a lovely place to be.

[MrMahatma]

His comments were revolting and deeply personal rather than silly. Would any of us get another gig in the same industry after an incident like this, “penitent” or otherwise? I don’t feel he is owed anything by the industry after “doing his time” and I’m constantly bemused at the idea that anyone would need a bit of re-education to realise what is unacceptable.

But we see this time and again - Wayne Carey welcomed back into the fold after multiple family violence assaults, but his possession of white powder was a bridge too far.

I think he’s a knob. But… didn’t he make some off colour comments in his (supposed) mates group chat? He didn’t do it in public (Like Eddie and King Kong).

I get it, everyone has to be perfect and unless the things you’ve said or done are shown off in public, you are perfect. But are any of us actually perfect?

I’ll reiterate. He a knob. Not sure he doesn’t deserve a 2nd chance, so long as it’s on merit and capability.

[GVGjr]

Do people really still listen to SEN?

My advice - just avoid it all and come here. Vote with your dials! Actually I don't mind Raph Epstein. Also the Quiz! Anyone else that used to be addicted to the ABC quiz at midnight? My old man and I would stay up to battle it out and laugh at the regulars who really just wanted to give shout outs.

I enjoy a lot of SEN. Gerard Whateley does a good job, Dwayne is entertaining, I don't think much of Maher and Gaze as a team and I really like listening to Healy and Cornes.
I tend to give Lyon and Watson a miss until after Harfords show on RSN is over.

SEN shat on the listeners over the last 3 or 4 months on weekends duplicating SEN trackside on 1116 rather than have their own sporting content and maybe that was to reign in the spending before the footy season.

Back to Morris he deserves a 2nd chance but it's way too early to give him that. Needs another 12 months away to work on his humility and maturity.

[jeemak]

I enjoy a lot of SEN. Gerard Whateley does a good job, Dwayne is entertaining, I don't think much of Maher and Gaze as a team and I really like listening to Healy and Cornes.
I tend to give Lyon and Watson a miss until after Harfords show on RSN is over.

SEN shat on the listeners over the last 3 or 4 months on weekends duplicating SEN trackside on 1116 rather than have their own sporting content and maybe that was to reign in the spending before the footy season.

Back to Morris he deserves a 2nd chance but it's way too early to give him that. Needs another 12 months away to work on his humility and maturity.

GVGjr vs. Sedat at the Nets!

[dog town]

I enjoy a lot of SEN. Gerard Whateley does a good job, Dwayne is entertaining, I don't think much of Maher and Gaze as a team and I really like listening to Healy and Cornes.
I tend to give Lyon and Watson a miss until after Harfords show on RSN is over.

SEN shat on the listeners over the last 3 or 4 months on weekends duplicating SEN trackside on 1116 rather than have their own sporting content and maybe that was to reign in the spending before the footy season.

Back to Morris he deserves a 2nd chance but it's way too early to give him that. Needs another 12 months away to work on his humility and maturity.

I hate SEN Trackside but I realised last Saturday it has a cult following. My club trained in the morning then went out for some drinks after it and quite a few of them were listening to it on their phones.

[GVGjr]

GVGjr vs. Sedat at the Nets!

I don't actually like Whateley that much but it is a good program that attracts interesting guests.

[Grantysghost]

I don't actually like Whateley that much but it is a good program that attracts interesting guests.

I liked him at the ABC, now…not.

[SonofScray]

Its too competitive a market place for a guy like that to just walk back in.

Hutch is just being lazy and leaning into an old boys mentality.

[jeemak]

I don't actually like Whateley that much but it is a good program that attracts interesting guests.

You've pinned your colours onto the mast and only the Nets will strip them off. Show up, and take the pain GVGjr.

[Bulldog Legend]

I stopped listening to SEN when I moved out of Melbourne and have not missed it. I will still listen to podcasts of SEN if it’s one of our players but at least I don’t have to put up with the rest of the rubbish

[Axe Man]

Social media blows up over Tom Morris? win at AFL Media awards (https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/social-media-blows-up-over-tom-morris-win-at-afl-media-awards/news-story/c61a85b8d15389d3235fb860a871b0ca)

Social media has gone into meltdown over a journalist?s win at the Australian Football Media Association (AFMA) awards on Tuesday night.

With a host of big name stars taking home silverware on the night, it was one award that didn?t sit well with footy fans.

The prestigious Alf Brown Award for the year?s best overall media performer went to SEN?s Tom Morris.

SEN posted the victory on X (formerly Twitter) with Morris standing alongside Gerard Whateley who took home the Best Radio Program award.

The backlash came in thick and fast on social media with fans furious the industry was flaunting Morris 18-months after he was sacked.

Morris was let go by Fox Sports after audio of him making offensive comments about then colleague Megan Barnard was leaked to social media.

A second clip featuring homophobic and racist slurs also emerged on social media before Morris was eventually sacked last March.

His sacking in the opening week of last year?s AFL season was one of the biggest scandals of the year.


The post on the social media platform went down like a lead balloon with users, with many calling out the AFL.

ESPN?s Mike Wise wrote: ?What the f***??

One user replied to the tweet: ?Gerard I hope no man ever talks about your daughters the way Tom talks about women. And that they never see your endorsement of Tom as evidence it?s what they deserve.?

One user wrote: ?Mediocre men will be forgiven for anything in AFLM media if they have the right friends. A f***ing disgrace.?

Another added: ?We?re about ~16 months removed from Tom Morris being exposed as a gross person who objectifies his co-workers but sure yeah give him awards and stuff.?

A fourth wrote: ?What a slap in the face to the incredible women in sports media.?

Morris spoke publicly for the first time about the scandal in March this year, taking full responsibility for his actions and detailing his regrets.

?It?s not something I?ll be able to live down,? Morris told the Don?t Shoot the Messenger podcast.

?I?m deeply ashamed of what happened.

?I can?t be clear enough. I deserved to be sacked.?

Morris said his offensive comments were a symptom of the ?warped world? he lived in, and he?s since undertaken ?ongoing education ? to adequately educate myself to become a respectful normal adult?.

?I thought I was one of the good guys ? men who are heterosexual and white like me often think we are the good guys and, in fact, we don?t know what we don?t know. I turned a blind eye ? I was selfish, and I ignored it for a decade,? he said.

[Sedat]

lol - give me the Toby Greene redemption narrative any day.

It's fine IMO for Tom Morris to be given a 2nd chance in his field (he 100% owned his screw-up and didn't use the mental health card so beloved by others), but giving him awards in his first few months back is not reading the room.

Media awards are a bit of a fap-fest. So many deeply unimpressive people in a deeply unimpressive industry giving each other a bunch of awards that nobody outside of their own little circle jerk gives a stuff about.

[bornadog]

Tom Celebrates

https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/attachments/35bd995b-a145-4272-bb52-fb231235bd04-jpeg.1345920/

[GVGjr]

Morris is a real benefactor of Hutchy's outreach program for wayward journo's. It was all over SEN and Twitter today.
I can't bring myself to listen too him but I was also struggling with his peacock style well before his exchange with Bevo and his comments about a co-worker that got him sacked.
Hutchy brought him back into the fold before he had completed his counseling which was a poor decision but typical of the matey stuff that happens on SEN.

Journo awards mean nothing to me so let him win whatever his peers think he's worth.

[jeemak]

I wonder who judges the Alf Brown award......

Ironically those in the media would think Morris was harshly done by in having information he didn't want in the public domain leaked and bringing about his undoing.

Their level of self-importance is something to behold. They're too dumb to realise if it wasn't them it'd be some other talking head.

[azabob]

I wonder who judges the Alf Brown award......

Ironically those in the media would think Morris was harshly done by in having information he didn't want in the public domain leaked and bringing about his undoing.

Their level of self-importance is something to behold. They're too dumb to realise if it wasn't them it'd be some other talking head.

Well, the award is awarded by Australian Football Media Association (AFMA). So I assume it?s voted by peers. Couldn?t find if it?s a panel or all members.

None other than Damien Barrett is president of the AMFA.

So basically it?s all trash.

[Sedat]

None other than Damien Barrett is president of the AMFA.
IF....Damian Barrett is president of the AMFA
THEN....I bet the toilets at the AMFA offices are strictly cubicles only

[bornadog]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F_Aa4a_bUAAw_eZ?format=jpg&name=medium

[hujsh]

Efics

[ledge]

Well if that isn’t a joke what is ?

[jeemak]

I can't believe Ch9 would appoint a Trump acolyte and misogynist to head up their reporting. Unprecedented.

[Grantysghost]

Bailing out on Hutchy when the ships sinking after he gave him a life line.

Fair role though hard to say no to that.

[jeemak]

Bailing out on Hutchy when the ships sinking after he gave him a life line.

Fair role though hard to say no to that.

Doesn't Ch9 and Hutchy's network share the same talent? I only see this as the continuation of the circle jerk that sees a repeat of the same tripe across SEN, Ch9 and The Age all week from the same idiots.

[Sedat]

I honestly don't understand the mindset of people who get angry at this sort of stuff. The default setting in today's world seems to be anger and resentment, even over issues that have absolutely no bearing on ones own day-to-day life.

As I mentioned earlier in the thread, he 100% owned his fark-up (as he should) and never played the mental health card (so beloved by other celebs with no shame). If he subsequently finds gainful employment and has a successful career reboot after having served his penance, good luck to him. Hopefully for his sake he doesn't forget the lessons learnt from his screw-up.

[hujsh]

What is a Chief Football Reporter? Do they have management responsibilities/influence over other staff members? I personally wouldn't trust this guy to be in charge of women yet. As in his attitude and treatment may not be up to snuff not because I expect him to do anything terrible.

[jeemak]

I honestly don't understand the mindset of people who get angry at this sort of stuff. The default setting in today's world seems to be anger and resentment, even over issues that have absolutely no bearing on ones own day-to-day life.

As I mentioned earlier in the thread, he 100% owned his fark-up (as he should) and never played the mental health card (so beloved by other celebs with no shame). If he subsequently finds gainful employment and has a successful career reboot after having served his penance, good luck to him. Hopefully for his sake he doesn't forget the lessons learnt from his screw-up.

Not sure anyone's that upset by it are they? But if they were, they might be because second chances - particularly in the media - seem to have a history of being given to a particular type.

[Happy Days]

I don’t really care about him owning his mistakes or whatever, I’m more just mystified at the insistence that he deserves and warrants a key job in the AFL media.

[Sedat]

I don’t really care about him owning his mistakes or whatever, I’m more just mystified at the insistence that he deserves and warrants a key job in the AFL media.
Are standards particularly high in this industry already?

[Twodogs]

Are standards particularly high in this industry already?

If they aren't (and let's face it the answer is they aren't) then i don't see how lowering the standards helps.

[GVGjr]

I honestly don't understand the mindset of people who get angry at this sort of stuff. The default setting in today's world seems to be anger and resentment, even over issues that have absolutely no bearing on ones own day-to-day life.

As I mentioned earlier in the thread, he 100% owned his fark-up (as he should) and never played the mental health card (so beloved by other celebs with no shame). If he subsequently finds gainful employment and has a successful career reboot after having served his penance, good luck to him. Hopefully for his sake he doesn't forget the lessons learnt from his screw-up.

I find him highly annoying but his sacking from Fox and taking a backseat for a period of time was never going to be a life sentence.
He's right back in the thick of things now and providing he smartens up his act well good luck too him.

[EasternWest]

I honestly don't understand the mindset of people who get angry at this sort of stuff. The default setting in today's world seems to be anger and resentment, even over issues that have absolutely no bearing on ones own day-to-day life.

As I mentioned earlier in the thread, he 100% owned his fark-up (as he should) and never played the mental health card (so beloved by other celebs with no shame). If he subsequently finds gainful employment and has a successful career reboot after having served his penance, good luck to him. Hopefully for his sake he doesn't forget the lessons learnt from his screw-up.

This offends me

[Happy Days]

Are standards particularly high in this industry already?

They aren’t. Actually annoying dickhead can do his job. So why is the industry so insistent that it be one particular annoying dickhead?

[Rocket Science]

"I'm not Asian, I'm not black, I'm not a woman, I'm not gay, so don't treat me like shit."

...

He'll fit in just fine at Channel Nine.

[Happy Days]

"I'm not Asian, I'm not black, I'm not a woman, I'm not gay, so don't treat me like shit."

...

He'll fit in just fine at Channel Nine.

He’s kinda skating on this one now that you mention it.

[jeemak]

"I'm not Asian, I'm not black, I'm not a woman, I'm not gay, so don't treat me like shit."

...

He'll fit in just fine at Channel Nine.

He did say sorry for being exposed as none of those things except for the last bit.

It's a good redemption arc that can make us all feel good about second chances.

[Bulldog4life]

It is simple. I don't like him. Full stop.

[GVGjr]

It is simple. I don't like him. Full stop.

I don't think many people do. He's a peacock.

[Bulldog4life]

I don't think many people do. He's a peacock.

It will be interesting if he has to do a doggies story at Whitten Oval or better still a Bevo story.

[Uninformed]

Seems Channel 9 do not rate having good access to clubland at the Western Bulldogs for their football programming.

[GVGjr]

It will be interesting if he has to do a doggies story at Whitten Oval or better still a Bevo story.

I think with a players departure last year his access to information about the Dogs will be significantly reduced so I doubt he will be able to wind up Bevo.

[josie]

I think with a players departure last year his access to information about the Dogs will be significantly reduced so I doubt he will be able to wind up Bevo.

Intriguing!!

[jeemak]

Intriguing!!

Apparently Mitch Wallis was a real squealer!

Lachie Hunter on the other hand was a real Johnny Tight Lips.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ti-KRlZuZI