Red Misting

So does this mean you wouldn't have a problem with me smashing you in the face next time I see you since you've been calling me boxhead?

So does this mean you wouldn't have a problem with me smashing you in the face next time I see you since you've been calling me boxhead?

The whole point is that if you provoke someone, you have to expect retaliation.

There is a MASSIVE difference between two players having continued verbals during a game and bullying.� In fact, it is f**king stupid to even put the two in the same sentance.[/QUOTE]

The whole point is that what this girl was doing (ie sustained over the game) may constitute bullying. There's a difference between "continued verbals" and bullying, I agree - but I can almost guarantee, like in the other issues I've had with this girl, the "verbals" during the game wasn't limited to the game. The last person who hit her was provoked outside of games for A YEAR (ie when this girl saw her in the street) - then finally snapped in a game, but not before being called a 4 letter word that starts with S and has an L in it.

Also, to be clear, I'm the organiser of a sport, so I don't have a personal vendetta against this kid - I just happen to know her not because of her amazing sporting prowess, but the fact that she managed to piss off over 20 girls and a few boys who flatly refused to play with or against her (and various other issues since then). - I posted the link to the stuff article on FB, and this message says it all: "haha sorry dont wanna say this publicly "yeah but thats rona""


I find it very hard to believe that 1 comment during the second half would cause a keeper to, some 20-40 minutes later, decide to sucker punch a girl to the back of the head. Something MUST have been said after the game to provoke it - in which case, it wasn't really verbals during a game, was it? At that point it becomes bullying, which I argue should be nipped in the bud early.




I agree with your zero tolerance towards violence and bullying and your general sentiment.

However sledging/verbal sparring is part of a lot of sports these days - perhaps in part to out-psyche the opposition, maybe in part to get under the skin and provoke a reaction and subsequent punishment (e.g. zizou at the world cup).

In this case IMHO the keeper has got off very lightly - this is a serious assault - regardless of the level of provocation (but I agree if the sledging was very abusive then some warning and perhaps cautioning would be in order).

You say you have felt like decking the other player at times - why didn't you? The keeper needs to learn some self-restraint or take up another sport where that isn't so important.

Smarten up son[/QUOTE]

Was it:



or was it:

[QUOTE=Feverish] Sure Rona and Lisa exchanged comments for a period of no more than a minute in the second half. One of Lisa's comments was Do you even have any tits? - take your top off and show me.

And this is the point - because reasonable people don't respond to verbal insults by blindsiding someone and knocking them out cold.

So you should really count yourself lucky you haven't come accross a psycho like the girl in question. Although if we're now accepting calculated physical violence in response to verbal insults, I may reconsider my approach of dealing with the entire issue.

I agree that it was serious assault - and I'm not saying it should be tolerated at all. I am saying that there had to be some serious provocation to get someone to the level where they would punch someone in the back of the head. It's not a one comment thing, then you punch her - something went on, and Rona needs to take some of the blame.

The reason I didn't hit her is because I'm an adult, and she's a child. And giving her formal warnings and banning her from an entire tournament for her behaviour was a much nicer victory for me than a broken hand and a girl with a bruised face and ego.

In this situation, there's a hell of a lot to the story that the club/media either don't know or aren't telling us. This girl is not a blameless victim in all of this, and absolutely should be held accountable for her behaviour.

Also, sidenote, I don't agree that all verbal sparring is okay - maybe because I come from a sport where you can't talk and play at the same time, but I really think there's a difference between competitive banter and threatening language. Referees need to ensure that they're keeping that sort of thing under control.

It's also about having pride in the uniform you're wearing. If Rona's team (the punchee) do nothing about the 'verbal sparring' or whatever you want to call it, they're condoning unsportsmanlike behaviour. They're effectively saying 'in our club, that's how things roll'. Do you want to play a club who thinks that's okay? I don't. I wouldn't want my children playing in that, or against them, either. Sport is about winning (and participation, if you want to buy into all that), but not winning at any cost.

Just imagine it was a mixed team, and a guy said that to a girl. The same standards MUST apply to women.

What. A. Load. Of. Bollocks. Flowery, apologetic bullcrap that tries to deflect the responsibility from the player whilst not offering a shred of evidence of what actually happened other than I can almost guarantee/there must have been something said/I find it hard to believe. This post smacks of 'she was asking for it and got what she deserved' defence in rape cases. And you call yourself an adult. You should be ashamed of yourself.

So, saying that the punched girl is not a blameless victim, and needs to take some of the blame for the incident is not deflection of responsibility?

Because it's perfectly reasonable to expect to be blindsided and knocked out cold if you say something hurtful to someone, especially in the context of a competetive physical activity?

So, saying that the punched girl is not a blameless victim, and needs to take some of the blame for the incident is not deflection of responsibility?

Because it's perfectly reasonable to expect to be blindsided and knocked out cold if you say something hurtful to someone, especially in the context of a competetive physical activity?

Do you go to Courtney Place often? Seen the fights that break out between people on the footpath, because one person bumped into the other?

I've had two people run across the road to pick a fight with me because I waved my hand and they accused me of giving them the finger. Even though my hand was pointing at the ground.

You don't think if you give someone verbal abuse, that you're not expecting any reaction whatsoever?

I'm sure you're not that stupid.

She should be blamed for contributing to a spiteful match played in an unsportsmanlike manner. If the referee heard her say "Do you even have any tits" that is supposed to be an immediate yellow card.

She should be blamed for contributing to a spiteful match played in an unsportsmanlike manner. If the referee heard her say "Do you even have any tits" that is supposed to be an immediate yellow card.