Heath Shaw - Should he play this week considering what he did?!

Question

Heath Shaw certainly disgraced himself and the club big time on Sunday night.

Smashed into 2 stationary cars while 3 times over the legal limit.

Eddie says he will play this week as he is a key defender, but will be disciplined with max fine and other yet to be named punishment.

*Really need intelligent answers not mud flinging against Collingwood* ta :)

Answer 1

Rogue,

I have to disagree with Eddie on this one.

If Shaw as a drunk driver and hit two cars, he is lucky he is not in jail right now until an arraignment or a hearing of some kind.

He needs to be omitted until his case is settled.

Answer 2

Only a question of fitness if he plays.

What a person does privately is his own business.

These guys are celebrities, not role models. That is a term attached to them by anxious mums, who will brand a person as unfit to play football because he's seen by Mum as a bad example to little Johnny (who just might grow up as wild or wilder).

As celebrities, they will be reported by the Press in the best, most sensational way to sell their news stories. And people get sucked in. Isn't it terrible? Off with his head.

Supposing an accident to an alcohol-affected star footballer results in his death. Just for the sake of argument. How does the Press handle this? With innuendos about his character or the example he set for children? I don't think so. He would be lionised as a great example and credit to the game. The kids would remember him for what they had seen on the ground, not that he got smashed and killed himself.

Perhaps if we must read such reports as those regardine Heath Shaw, we remember to believe only a quarter of what we read, and a half of what we're told. It's got up for gigs. It's meant to suck you in and sell. Take a deep breath, think, and perhaps be a little tolerant.

But for the grace of God, there go I.

Answer 3

To actually go to a Press Conference and LIE about Didak not being in the car  does not equal anyone of any intelligence,  perhaps he was one of the Cattle that Malthouse was referring to last week.  

Answer 4

He DEFINATELY should not play..... d**n Eddie should make an example of him.

I bet he'll play like he has a point to prove. Those Sainters better watch out.

And with this info about Didak coming out.... I'm smelling a rat.... bet he was the one that was REALLY driving..

Answer 5

wow i didn't know about that. but im gonna take ur word for it, seeing as it is a collingwood player, it does sound believable.

Answer 6

I do not agree with the "footballers are role models" statements. They are sports hero's at best. I am the mum of two little boys and their role models are, and always will be, their dad, grandfathers, uncles etc. They can admire elite athletes for what they are - the top of their chosen field -but their life lessons and behaviour will come from those they grow up close to. Would I be happy if my boys decided they wanted to play football like Ben Cousins or gary Ablett snr? Yes! Would I want them to model their off field behaviour on these guys - most certainly not!

Having said that, I believe Collingwood have made a big mistake in not applying a suspension as punishment. This guy had the potential to effect many many people with his irresponsible attitude and his complete disregard for the safety of others. I don't care if you are an elite athlete or the local garbage man, you break the law and you must pay the price both from the legal system as well as employer. (I have worked in the finance industry and some years ago a co worker got picked up by the police for DUI, he only just held onto his job!!). And as for any others who were in the car, they should cop something too for being complete idiots and letting someone who would have been quite obviously not capable of being in control af a lethat weapon. As an employer, the Collingwood football club has a duty of care to it's employees and by letting the stuff get by with minimum punishment is a joke and I would imagine that it will not be a deterrent to Heath Shaw or others.

Al I can say is it must be getting might hard to walk on the carpet at the great Lexus Centre as it must be getting pretty bumpy....

Answer 7

30 years ago a fuss would have been made, but not as much as it is today.

Football now is not just about what happens on the field of battle, every club has educational procedures, what is expected of you on and off the field. Everything a player does in todays game, reflects on his team mates and the club.

It's no longer about saturday afternoon, it's about each player having a responsibility to his team mates and club, and represnting both.

Hetah Shaw failed to do that and should be punished, this year has seen teams suspend players for less. At the very least he should be suspended by the club, and the leadership group. A fine and a talk wont do it, Collingwood need to suspend him and Shaw needs to do the time.

Answer 8

Heath should get a club suspension, maybe a game and a fine. Didak should, and I stress should go but Pies will be weak as water and wont. They'll take the soft option and fine and or suspend him for stuffing up again and again and again.........

Answer 9

Havnt read or heard anything about this, Rouge, but all I can say is that if he did something as stupid as that, then the club MUST drop him, penalise him,  and make it public

Dont want to sound like Im bagging the Pies ( much as you know I love too), but you can bet you last dollar that Eddie would not be so quick to jump up and down and defend him if he was not a Pies player.

S h i t , A couple of Richmond players did this, and It cost the team the sponsorship deal with the TAC!.

Like it or not , young fellas look up to footy players, and they ARE "role models" ( i use the term loosely people)

Footy players have a public image, and need to be aware that their actions are going to be cross examined by media and fans.

Answer 10

I agree with SueT. I'm also a mother of two boys and one girl and their role models are their father, uncles, grandparents and myself.  The boys love their footy and admire the players for their prowess on the field, not their private lives.  They also love the Wrestling and have their favourite wrestlers but god forbid they ever tried to emulate them (not while I still have breath in my body anyway).  As far as Shaw and Didak go I think that now it's been shown that they both lied as well as drove while intoxicated Collingwood have to make an example of them and a suspension is the only way to go.  

Answer 11

No.

I think they are role models and no matter if they like it or not, they do the crime, they pay the time.

I'd be saying the same thing if it was St Kilda

Answer 12

He should NOT be playing, it was outright stupidity what he did, anyone else would get crucified by both the Club & the League.

But of course you'll get the detractors, who are going to $hitcan the Pies over their handling of it.

Does he want to become another Darren Millane? God! i hope not.

Answer 13

6 months loss of license, $500 fine.

$3000 fine from Collingwood. A grand for each time he was over. But let him play.

Answer 14

He shouldn't be playing, and neither should Didak for that matter. We definitely need these two to play from a footy perspective, but they shouldn't be playing to show everyone that Collingwood disciplines it's players.

I see where Eddie is coming from, but I really think that a stricter punishment is what's needed here. As a Collingwood supporter I am very disappointed and upset with what has happened, and I think it is a disgrace to the Collingwood football club.

Answer 15

As much as I hate Collingwood and as much as it pains me to say I think he should play.

Footballers are, just that, Footballers. Yes many people do look up to them as role models however, this is purely in the way they play the game-their personal life should not come into it.

I definately do not condone what he did, however, that is a matter for our police/courts to decide upon.

Still he should be punished by the club as he has slightly disgraced the name of it, however, taking him off the field would just be ridiculous.

He is going to be copping enough slack over it from the media and his punishment from the law why should the club just make it harder for him to get over what he regrettably did.

My Punishment = make him buy beers for the whole team...thats a way to promote a club