OFFICIAL Congrats Alex Glenn Captain 2020

[tommy]

I think your whole argument is ridiculous tbh because you have misquoted me. I never said anything at all about if they are pissed off about Boyd they should give it away. I said if footy gets them that worked up do the point its not enjoyable anymore stop watching.

Unfortunately this seems to be the NRL's attitude too, and to a lesser extent our club. It might float for a few years but eventually more and more people will do just that. It's not a great attitude.

They are basically just entertainers when all is said and done.

In that case Boyd should get a payrise. Most players only have 1 team's fans entertained by their onfield antics. Boyd provides good times and joy for the fans of 15 teams.

 

[GCBRONCO]

 

[lynx000]

It's not how you lose your job it's how you keep it. I have never heard a player say I was so much better off at 19 when footy was all I had and all I knew. I have heard plenty at 27 say I am playing my best footy now I have balance and perspective and switch off from the game and have family.

Boyd's it's just a game has context, he was talking about people on line just abusing players- it's just a game it's not worth abusing people on line and getting upset about- which seems pretty balanced I would say.

Your player attitude can be it's a game and still professional and love it, and train hard. I would argue it's healthier to think it's a game than nothing else matters. A 30 year old that tells me I have nothing but NRL in my life I am worried about.

Coaches that demand nothing else in your life and saturate you with nothing else burn players out.

Spot on, great post. Re the last line, Brian Smith springs to mind.

 

[Wolfie]

Unfortunately this seems to be the NRL's attitude too, and to a lesser extent our club. It might float for a few years but eventually more and more people will do just that. It's not a great attitude.



In that case Boyd should get a payrise. Most players only have 1 team's fans entertained by their onfield antics. Boyd provides good times and joy for the fans of 15 teams.

Sport is pretty unique in that they can provide a poor product yet your only recourse is just not to give them your money. No refunds or things like that. I think the NRL has a lot of issues affecting the game thats turning people away. Dont think we can pin that on Darius

 

[vertigo]

Can we just stop talking about Boyd altogether. He's ruined his legacy and he's finished.

I can't wait for Alex to usher in the new era.

 

[Morepudding]

Touted as a future captain early in his career but he probably didn't kick on performance wise as projected and captaincy looked beyond his reach a couple years ago. I'm glad he has finally secured the role as he was certainly the best candidate in a very young squad.

I just hope his form is up to first grade standard. There were a few times last year where that definitely wasn't the case. For months he was rumoured to be heading elsewhere and nobody really protested and now he is running the show. Sign of the times, I guess.

But he does deserve the gig and I'm happy for him. Let's hope he and the club have a good season after last year's debacle. He has a mammoth task ahead of him.

Wasn't first grade standard? I don't think that's true at all. I don't think there was a single game he has played in his career which wasn't first grade standard. Especially in his preffer position as second row. You know what youre gonna get. Good defence, decent running game and basically no errors.
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He took our under 20's to a GF and was only minutes away from a victory. Let's go one better in 2020 Lexy boy. Hope you have an injury free season - you deserve it.

And this time he doesn't have Ben "drop the pill" Hunt in his team!

 

[pagey]

Not if you're the one paying them.

Who cares, people have the right to be happy.

 

[McHunt]

Who cares, people have the right to be happy.

The person paying cares. This is how employers think. If what you're being paid for doesn't make you happy, hopefully the money helps make up for it.

 

[Hammerman47]

Congrats Alex best wishes

 

[Wolfie]

It's not how you lose your job it's how you keep it. I have never heard a player say I was so much better off at 19 when footy was all I had and all I knew. I have heard plenty at 27 say I am playing my best footy now I have balance and perspective and switch off from the game and have family.

Boyd's it's just a game has context, he was talking about people on line just abusing players- it's just a game it's not worth abusing people on line and getting upset about- which seems pretty balanced I would say.

Your player attitude can be it's a game and still professional and love it, and train hard. I would argue it's healthier to think it's a game than nothing else matters. A 30 year old that tells me I have nothing but NRL in my life I am worried about.

Coaches that demand nothing else in your life and saturate you with nothing else burn players out.

Excellent post mate and bang on the money.

 

[Kooly87]

It's not how you lose your job it's how you keep it. I have never heard a player say I was so much better off at 19 when footy was all I had and all I knew. I have heard plenty at 27 say I am playing my best footy now I have balance and perspective and switch off from the game and have family.

Boyd's it's just a game has context, he was talking about people on line just abusing players- it's just a game it's not worth abusing people on line and getting upset about- which seems pretty balanced I would say.

Your player attitude can be it's a game and still professional and love it, and train hard. I would argue it's healthier to think it's a game than nothing else matters. A 30 year old that tells me I have nothing but NRL in my life I am worried about.

Coaches that demand nothing else in your life and saturate you with nothing else burn players out.

This 100%.

For a forum that is so quick to point out when our players are quoted out of context or misrepresented by various media outlets, it's dreadful that the Boyd quote was taken so badly out of context and used against him as enthusiastically as it has been.

Boyd at 32 years old and with a family of his own, having endured some pretty serious family issues and loss over the years, would know better than anyone and certainly better than an 18 year old starting out that football is big part of life, but for healthy, balanced individuals, it should never be all of it.

 

[theshed]

This 100%.

For a forum that is so quick to point out when our players are quoted out of context or misrepresented by various media outlets, it's dreadful that the Boyd quote was taken so badly out of context and used against him as enthusiastically as it has been.

Boyd at 32 years old and with a family of his own, having endured some pretty serious family issues and loss over the years, would know better than anyone and certainly better than an 18 year old starting out that football is big part of life, but for healthy, balanced individuals, it should never be all of it.

I think most people get what Boyd was saying, and even agrees to an extent. However it showed a great lack of awareness given the context surrounding Boyd when he made the comment. The club was struggling and he was quick becoming the most unwanted player, let alone captain, in broncos history due to what many saw as a lack of effort or care. He hadn’t earned the right to say it’s only a game.

No one would’ve bat an eyelid if Nathan Hindmarsh, or Thurston had come out and said the exact same thing because no one could ever question their effort or attitude as captains.

When a guy completely dogging defensive efforts, doing the bare minimum in attack, turning his back on bombs, and being completely unable to admit any flaws in his performances says “it’s just a game”, of course people are going to get the shits.

It’s like if a guy who busts his ass at work and always gets the job done goes “i need to take some time off to spend with my family, after all it’s just a job” while another guy who isn’t hitting his targets, is rocking up late, going home early and when everyone is getting sick of his seemingly shit attitude at work he goes “guys, it’s just a job”. The context matters.

 

[007]

I think most people get what Boyd was saying, and even agrees to an extent. However it showed a great lack of awareness given the context surrounding Boyd when he made the comment. The club was struggling and he was quick becoming the most unwanted player, let alone captain, in broncos history due to what many saw as a lack of effort or care. He hadn’t earned the right to say it’s only a game.

No one would’ve bat an eyelid if Nathan Hindmarsh, or Thurston had come out and said the exact same thing because no one could ever question their effort or attitude as captains.

When a guy completely dogging defensive efforts, doing the bare minimum in attack, turning his back on bombs, and being completely unable to admit any flaws in his performances says “it’s just a game”, of course people are going to get the shits.

It’s like if a guy who busts his ass at work and always gets the job done goes “i need to take some time off to spend with my family, after all it’s just a job” while another guy who isn’t hitting his targets, is rocking up late, going home early and when everyone is getting sick of his seemingly shit attitude at work he goes “guys, it’s just a job”. The context matters.

The context is a hard one though, those words should never have came out the way they did, their intention? Only Darius truly knows. I think he was trying to deflect a lot of pressure, but wasn't able to do it very well, or convey his message considering how bad he had been playing and blatantly ignoring how bad.

 

[Kooly87]

I think most people get what Boyd was saying, and even agrees to an extent. However it showed a great lack of awareness given the context surrounding Boyd when he made the comment. The club was struggling and he was quick becoming the most unwanted player, let alone captain, in broncos history due to what many saw as a lack of effort or care. He hadn’t earned the right to say it’s only a game.

No one would’ve bat an eyelid if Nathan Hindmarsh, or Thurston had come out and said the exact same thing because no one could ever question their effort or attitude as captains.

When a guy completely dogging defensive efforts, doing the bare minimum in attack, turning his back on bombs, and being completely unable to admit any flaws in his performances says “it’s just a game”, of course people are going to get the shits.

It’s like if a guy who busts his ass at work and always gets the job done goes “i need to take some time off to spend with my family, after all it’s just a job” while another guy who isn’t hitting his targets, is rocking up late, going home early and when everyone is getting sick of his seemingly shit attitude at work he goes “guys, it’s just a job”. The context matters.

The context was literally about players being personally attacked and threatened on social media:

"I used to do the opposite six years ago and look at social media when I was going through some struggles with mental health," Boyd said.

"I was reading everything which is the worst thing that you can do.

"I learned that it is only a game. And I learned I just have to please my teammates, myself and my coach - that's all I can do."

He's not dodging responsibility for his performances. He's not failing to take ownership. He's not defending his own performance. He's simply saying that he doesn't engage in social media because it isn't constructive for him personally, and that fans seeking out players personal accounts to attack them or their families online has gone too far, which objectively, just about any reasonable person would agree with. When things are escalating that far, honestly, we should take a step back and remember that it is just a game, or just a job, and that nobody deserves to be attacked in their personal lives for something they do on a football field.

 

[theshed]

The context was literally about players being personally attacked and threatened on social media:

"I used to do the opposite six years ago and look at social media when I was going through some struggles with mental health," Boyd said.

"I was reading everything which is the worst thing that you can do.

"I learned that it is only a game. And I learned I just have to please my teammates, myself and my coach - that's all I can do."

He's not dodging responsibility for his performances. He's not failing to take ownership. He's not defending his own performance. He's simply saying that he doesn't engage in social media because it isn't constructive for him personally, and that fans seeking out players personal accounts to attack them or their families online has gone too far, which objectively, just about any reasonable person would agree with. When things are escalating that far, honestly, we should take a step back and remember that it is just a game, or just a job, and that nobody deserves to be attacked in their personal lives for something they do on a football field.

Again, I understand all that and don’t disagree. But this was during a time when Boyd was playing terribly and at least acting like he was completely unaware of how bad he was playing. He was the joke of the league for a reason and the timing of this, which obviously wasn’t his intention, made it seem like along with the trolls and people who go too far, he was also dismissing the very warranted and reasonable media and online criticism of his performances.

I may be wrong, but at no point do I recall Boyd ever showing any sign of being aware just how terrible he was playing. Although his just a game comments are reasonable in a vacuum, it just added to the impression that he is unable to admit that his form is horrendous. Had he at any point admitted any awareness that he was playing disgustingly, I think people would be more accepting of his just a game statement.

 

[Kooly87]

Again, I understand all that and don’t disagree. But this was during a time when Boyd was playing terribly and at least acting like he was completely unaware of how bad he was playing. He was the joke of the league for a reason and the timing of this, which obviously wasn’t his intention, made it seem like along with the trolls and people who go too far, he was also dismissing the very warranted and reasonable media and online criticism of his performances.

I may be wrong, but at no point do I recall Boyd ever showing any sign of being aware just how terrible he was playing. Although his just a game comments are reasonable in a vacuum, it just added to the impression that he is unable to admit that his form is horrendous. Had he at any point admitted any awareness that he was playing disgustingly, I think people would be more accepting of his just a game statement.

All his 'just a game' comments?

The comment came exactly as it was presented in context in a conversation about players getting harassed on their personal social media. He wasn't talking about his performance, he wasn't even talking about players treating it as 'just a game', he was pointing out that fans and players alike need to take a step back and remember that it is 'just a game' and that personally attacking them online or in their personal lives is taking it too far. It's an entirely reasonable position to hold, especially for a 32 year old with a family and a bit more life experience than most.

People trying to extrapolate it out to apply it to his season or his attitude overall are deliberately ignoring the context of the actual conversation at the time and using it to further push their own agenda or preconceptions.

Regardless of how he was playing at the time, the context of those comments were clear cut and made complete sense as part of that conversation. To attempt to represent it in any other fashion is the same level of deceit and manipulation that we so regularly deride the mainstream media and Rugby League journos of being guilty of.

 

[theshed]

All his 'just a game' comments?

The comment came exactly as it was presented in context in a conversation about players getting harassed on their personal social media. He wasn't talking about his performance, he wasn't even talking about players treating it as 'just a game', he was pointing out that fans and players alike need to take a step back and remember that it is 'just a game' and that personally attacking them online or in their personal lives is taking it too far.

People trying to extrapolate it out to apply it to his season or his attitude overall are deliberately ignoring the context of the actual conversation at the time and using it to further push their own agenda or preconceptions.

Regardless of how he was playing at the time, the context of those comments were clear cut and made complete sense as part of that conversation. To attempt to represent it in any other fashion is the same level of deceit and manipulation that we so regularly deride the mainstream media and Rugby League journos of being guilty of.

where did I say “all his just a game comments”?

For the record I don’t personally care either way. I don’t care if a player hates league and personally talks down to me about wasting my time watching the sport, as long as they play well. So I don’t really care what Boyd says or does off the field, it’s the fact that he’s a flop on it that I care about.

That being said I can see why people got their noses out of joint over the comment. I get what you’re saying and can see your point but I think the reasonable response lies somewhere in the middle. I believe taking it out of its conversational context to shit on Boyd is wrong but I also think completely ignoring the greater context of the entire season and everything else he had said and done surrounding the comment is also being intellectually lazy. It’s not completely one nor the other. There is micro and macro context and both are valid.

 

[Kooly87]

where did I say “all his just a game comments”?

For the record I don’t personally care either way. I don’t care if a player hates league and personally talks down to me about wasting my time watching the sport, as long as they play well. So I don’t really care what Boyd says or does off the field, it’s the fact that he’s a flop on it that I care about.

That being said I can see why people got their noses out of joint over the comment. I get what you’re saying and can see your point but I think the reasonable response lies somewhere in the middle. I believe taking it out of its conversational context to shit on Boyd is wrong but I also think completely ignoring the greater context of the entire season and everything else he had said and done surrounding the comment is also being intellectually lazy. It’s not completely one nor the other. There is micro and macro context and both are valid.

Taking a comment, removing the context entirely, then using it as a punchline to broadly sum up 12 months of playing performance and attitude, is the kind of garbage journalism and spin that we all claim to hate and deride in the game today, but that's exactly what happened here.

Yes, he had a dreadful season. Yes, he in fact played so ineptly at times that it would be reasonable to conclude that he wasn't really trying or that his heart wasn't in it. For his performances, he only has himself to blame.

However, when every single first person source from the players and staff around him indicated he was absolutely trying his best and that it absolutely mattered to him, to then take a single line out of a much broader quote, which was entirely reasonable in the context of the discussion at the time, and use that as a punch line to explain his poor performances, is just a dreadful misuse of his words.

The stupidest part about the people who've carried this on is that it's now been dragged so far from the original context and point he was making at the time that we've now basically forgotten all about what he was actually saying, which is shameful because it was actually an important message and one that a number of players and fans would do well to remember in this day and age.

One day when a more naive or impressionable 19 year old player is getting attacked on his social media or harassed in the streets and decides to take his own life, we're going to wish the actual words and advice from Darius Boyd had been taken seriously, rather than used so hopelessly out of context as an opportunity to drive an agenda and mock Darius Boyd for playing shit house last season.