Lance Free; son of Grumbles Growden

[RedsHappy]

RF - quote some text and argue against it. Or put more effort into your argument. Don't want to hit and run like this, especially against a guy providing free, independent, knowledgeable rugby commentary for us.

++1. There is no comparison with GG. LF's essays and player ratings are full of fact, quick in thought, and only 'negative' when he sees the unmistakable, facts-driven trend line that way in the hard light of day. Does GG do full - and typically astute - Wallaby player ratings and post them online (often within 3 or so hrs of the game finishing on a Saturday night when most are on their second bottle of red) - no he does not. And this is all unpaid, solely for the readers' benefit. GG gets a full salary and composes about 6 short articles a week.

Further, GG has the gutless habit of typically criticising 'the Wallabies' as though it was all the players' fault, or some abstract entity by that name. Rarely are the coaches mentioned or the ARU hierarchy as he knows this would upset the ARU elite that feed him tidbits of inside gossip and party lines they want out there.

Lance's piece today had the admirable guts to vocalise what many, many fans have thought and felt for some time. And he looks at many dimensions of the problem, not simplistic attacks.

The GAGR core writers and vid makers are amongst the very best commentators on top rugby, globally. It's extraordinary that they do it all for free and IMO they deserve a bit better than thread headlines having a crack at them when compared to lesser observers.

 

[RedsHappy]

P.S. I reckon Todd Louden would be the other person well placed to get a call from Link in 2012.

http://www.thefordhamcompany.com.au/clients/todd-louden

Indeed Scarf, good thought. IMO he's got a far more relevant coaching background for the Wallabies' backs than ever possessed by the hapless Richard 'Skills Coach' Graham.

The call may come before 2012.

 

[Scarfman]

As much as I want to stick to my position on Lance, I also want to point out that RugbyFuture has done work for G&GR. He's our logo designer.

Hey Lance, what do you think of the logo?

 

[DPK]

The GAGR core writers and vid makers are amongst the very best commentators on top rugby, globally. It's extraordinary that they do it all for free and IMO they deserve a bit better than thread headlines having a crack at them when compared to lesser observers.

Name names, we all want specific praise...

 

[Scotty]

As much as I want to stick to my position on Lance, I also want to point out that RugbyFuture has done work for G&GR. He's our logo designer.

Hey Lance, what do you think of the logo?

I'm not Lance, but it is an awesome logo.

 

[RugbyFuture]

“When was the last time the Wallabies were a force in world rugby? It’s hard to remember isn’t it?
I’d say around 2003 and before that, the golden years of 1999-2001. That’s seven bloody years ago.”

7 years in sport isn’t that long, especially when you consider there are 95 countries on the rankings list and 10 in full contention every year. We have sustained a ranking above 5th for these years

Whilst lance points to the Snotklap at ellis park following the Sydney defeat of the all blacks he fails to mention that South Africa has also faced the same type of swings in these years.

Followed by this is a sarcastic remark about beating everyone in the north except the Taffs, the northern champions… saying that this couldn’t be considered successful is showing that expectations are set extremely high.

And so on and so on.

Its just all a bit negative (ala greg growden) is all im pointing out.

Remember before the nineties, the fact that we have to compete for players with 3 other football codes, and have the same rugby population as New Zealand with about a quarter the fanaticism, we shouldn’t be so negative

Not saying we shouldn’t PUSH for more, just that we shouldn’t be having such high expectations as lance points out.

 

[Groucho]

I think there plenty of room on here for well-articulated pessimistic views.

As long as it doesn't become the editorial policy, like at RugbyHeaven.

 

[Gnostic]

Having high expectations and driving for success is what has made Australians World Champions in so many sports. Not accepting mediocrity and strong critique is part of that. Many may think it is a negative thing but that isn't correct, it is just the continual requirement to be at the top and produce performances that if not winning at the least show the required standard.

Not having such high expectations is preciseley why so many in this Wallabies team are unable to match it with their AB counterparts, who after all are no more or less skilled than the Wallabies they outplay. The excuse that we are competing with League and AFL just doesn't cut it when you consider the FACT that no starting Wallaby and few up and comers like Beale have left the code since it went professional.

 

[Groucho]

Having high expectations and driving for success is what has made Australians World Champions in so many sports. Not accepting mediocrity and strong critique is part of that. Many may think it is a negative thing but that isn't correct, it is just the continual requirement to be at the top and produce performances that if not winning at the least show the required standard.

Not having such high expectations is preciseley why so many in this Wallabies team are unable to match it with their AB counterparts, who after all are no more or less skilled than the Wallabies they outplay. The excuse that we are competing with League and AFL just doesn't cut it when you consider the FACT that no starting Wallaby and few up and comers like Beale have left the code since it went professional.

There's a difference between negativism and having high standards. In fact, a negative attitude (like England sometimes has) is an impediment to success.

Australians succeed in sport because they expect to, and because there is a culture of winning. Negative hyperbole - or moaning - isn't the right path to a winning sports culture, and never has been.

The secret to a winning culture is to hold on to the belief, even when you're down, and at the same time take the right measures to achieve success.

 

[Bruce Ross]

Indeed Scarf, good thought. IMO h...ability in the murky world of rugby politics?

 

[Groucho]

At the risk of dissing Lance, asserting that we're no longer a first-tier rugby nation, although we have on average ranked 3.1 since 2003, is a good example of negative hyperbole.

We may - and do - aim higher than that. But redefining 'first-tier' to mean 'first' achieves nothing: it is merely wallowing in our misery.

The more honest statement - and the one that is consistent with a winning culture - is simply to say that first-tier is not good enough for us.

 

[RugbyFuture]

And the logo is so much better than the original farting rat logos proposed.

A jihad on those logos.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Am I alone in being uncomfortable with individual posters being singled out, especially in thread titles?

 

[Groucho]

Am I alone in being uncomfortable with individual posters being singled out, especially in thread titles?

Well, Lance did write a highly provocative (and I think slightly tongue in cheek) article for the blog.

I think once you put yourself in the media spotlight you have to expect the attention.

 

[Scotty]

If Australia isn't 1st tier, then a 'tiering' of rugby nations would currently be something like this:

1. NZ

2. SA, Aus, Fr

3. Ire, Wa, Arg, Eng

4. Sco, It

Etc.....

 

[Lance Free]

As much as I want to stick to my position on Lance, I also want to point out that RugbyFuture has done work for G&GR. He's our logo designer.

Hey Lance, what do you think of the logo?

Scarfie - love it - great to finally get some hair! And 'Son of Grumbles' really has a ring to it....

BTW I don't mind posters having a go at my opinions at all - got to expect that in this sort of format. If you think it deserves a hammering get stuck in. You guys do it to each other all the time anyway.

As for the Wallabies, I've just had a gutsful of losing to the ABs (all the f*ckin' time), the Boks (especially away), the Poms (an average team - it was our piss poor attitude that lost it), the Scots (an absolute disaster) and it goes on and on.... I think the Wallabies should be 'the best' and anything less is unacceptable. In fact, it's un-Australian to think otherwise.

Thanks for the support anyway guys - at G&GR we all do it out of love for the game. We (sorry, that should read 'I') don't get it right all the time but I think we go OK for a bunch of amateurs?

 

[H...]

Lance I assume you've read today's article in which Rocky was interviewed? There was a thread but I think it was locked.

He seems to be comfortable with our mediocrity.

I don't expect us to be as good as the ABs in the long term. I don't expect us to repeatedly win 5 of a consecutive sample of 10.

I do, however, expect us to win 3 or 4 of that sample, and I also expect that every so often you could pull a sample where we win 6 or 7.

I don't expect to pull a sample where we lose all of them.

The latter of those scenarios should really have the skipper saying "Our results are unacceptable." rather than "We might be alright next year"

 

[DPK]

As for the Wallabies, I've just had a gutsful of losing to the ABs (all the f*ckin' time), the Boks (especially away), the Poms (an average team - it was our piss poor attitude that lost it), the Scots (an absolute disaster) and it goes on and on.... I think the Wallabies should be 'the best' and anything less is unacceptable. In fact, it's un-Australian to think otherwise.

If I could just LG (digress), I have to agree. I'm fucking sick of losing to the AB's and the Saffas. Don't get me started on losing to the Unwashed. It shits me endlessly that we are beaten by a group from an island that was once part of NSW.

 

[RugbyFuture]

i was writing an article on this topic, that in the end, because australia play the top teams, they dont get wins so dont get enough glory supporters like the other codes do.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Well, Lance did write a highly provocative (and I think slightly tongue in cheek) article for the blog.

I think once you put yourself in the media spotlight you have to expect the attention.

I have to confess to not knowing the article to which you are referring. Back in my box now.