Sporting World Gone Mad

Tony Williams (T-Rex) getting seven weeks for being too strong. Willie Mason coming back to the NRL. Robert Lui finally pleading guilty. Our first, and I'm sure not the last, NRL casualty of having a big night in the Gold Coast. The New Orleans Saints defensive co-ordinator paying his team extra for big hits. These are only some of the crazy headlines the papers have seen this week. Journalists around the country must have thought they'd won the lotto.

Firstly, how on earth is T-rex getting seven weeks for his tackle on Isaac De Gois? There was no intent on spearing him into the ground at all. He didn't pick him up between the legs but just used his sheer strength to pick him up and drive him to the ground. The problem was it became awkward and De Gois fell head first. T-Rex just doesn't understand how strong he is. De Gois is tiny compared to the big guy. You think that would come under consideration when the panel looked at the footage. I really don't know what the panel are doing when viewing these incidents. A probable scenario could be that they punch a cone and then lather themselves in chocolate and lick it off each other while they place players seasons in jeopardy. In the same week Trent Merrin and Jeremy Latimore from the Dragons come in late with swinging arms and clenched fists and both make contact with the head. NOT EVEN A PENALTY. One of the incidents even went upstairs with nothing came out of it. I don't even want to know what the video ref was doing up in his box at Kogarah. The consistency of the Match Review Committee and Tribunal early in the season is disgraceful and I hope it starts to come together sooner rather than later.

Secondly, two of the NRL's favourite sons are back in the spotlight this week. Willie Mason coming back to play for the Tigers and former Tiger Robert Lui finally pleading guilty to bashing his girlfriend. Are the Tigers really at ground zero to bring back Willy? We all know he is more trouble than he is worth. If his head is screwed on he could be great for the Tigers, but how long can he keep that up, before hitting up the Sapphire at the Cross and getting into all in brawls with his brother?
Robert Lui finally came out and pleaded guilty. Good on you mate it's about time. However now you should be de-registered from the NRL and never to play in it again. How can the NRL let this sick human play in a league that has a dedicated round to Women. It will look terrible for the NRL if Lui is seen playing on the football field for the Cowboys.
It's only taken three weeks for the NRL to see their first player get in trouble on the piss in the Gold Coast. It might be a weekly occurrence as most of the teams will be celebrating after beating the GC up there. What are the NRL going to do about this type of behaviour? Whatever they have been doing just isn't working! These guys are getting paid too much money.

Lastly, I couldn't believe the news I heard regarding the New Orleans Saints NFL Team. Who in their right mind would give players extra money for hurting other players. This guy is a sicko! Why would players agree with it? I'd understand if Isaac Luke was suiting up but he isn't! The footy field is a battlefield. Players go out there to win and play with intensity and passion. I'm sure in the back of their mind they are not thinking to hurt their opposition so they can get a bit of extra cash. Are these players who accepted the challenge not getting paid enough? I find that hard to believe. How do they live with themselves? I'm sure some of the teams they would have matched up against would have been their mates. Do they not participate in games against friends? How are their mates going to react to this situation? I certainly wouldn't be happy if I knew one of my mates during the game was being payed to hurt me. Coach Payton now has to suffer the consequences of covering all this up. He was suspended a year of coaching, the first time this has happened in the NFL. If he really did know about this going on, I will have lost a lot of respect for the man as a coach.

I may have missed somethings like Thorpie missing the Olympics but we all knew that was going to happen so it's pointless writing about it!