Just to make sure no offence is caused to anyone ever again, here's a picture of some lovely fluffy kittens
Blog: Talk about hypocrites of the week, says Shirley Tart. Football and its supporters at the top level puts up with and even defends, the most outrageous behaviour from overpaid, not very bright players who, while they can barely conduct an intelligent conversation, know plenty about insulting and confronting officials.
And when it comes to casually treating women badly, some are sleazy experts at that as well. But from the grey-suited men at the top? The sound of silence.
So to the commentators.
Yesterday, I said the Gray/Keys laddish, nudge nudge nonsense at the Wolves and Liverpool match, ought not to be blown out of proportion because that feeds the whole unpleasant issue. But too late.
And by last night, as Sky booted out former player-turned-commentator Andy Gray for inappropriate, sexist behaviour, the country was in uproar, with more people roaring for the dinosaur duo to go than to stay.
Having eventually heard, rather than just read, what was said and how it was said, I’d not really argue with that: they are a pretty unpleasant pair. But elevating the whole issue inevitably brings insults galore from all sides with nobody seeing the irony – yesterday for instance, I heard one especially nasty mouthed man who regularly swears at and demeans women, demanding that Gray and Keys be sacked. Don’t see it, do they?
Men who seriously behave like the Sky pair are swaggeringly insecure and absolutely terrified that a woman might be even remotely successful, even better than they are at their own game.
But using the same measure, thousands of (anonymous) people should probably also be brought to book. For instance, you need only see the damning reaction to pretty well any comment which reaches the world wide web.
Some of that is hardly pretty!
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what a load of twaddle!!!
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well done, i dont think you have missed anyone out in you insults.
i can’t stand football but i don’t go round calling them “… overpaid, not very bright players who, while they can barely conduct an intelligent conversation,…”
i would be offended even if i had to get someone to read it to me. it was very mean.
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I don’t get what the problem is? Footballers that reach a certain level seem to be, for the most part, idiots and definitely overpaid. This wasn’t about them though. The commentator that used to be a footballer shouldn’t be judged on his past career…..imagine if we did the same to the Pope.
The fact is that it’s no different from what Gordon Brown did on the election campaign. The comments weren’t meant to be heard by anyone bar the person he was talking to. I agree they weren’t polite or respectful but, and here’s the big shocker, that’s how people talk. It’s not rare for people to make un-PC jokes with friends although it is unfortunate it was broadcast. Let me guess, more phone objections than actual viewers again? If people recorded my conversations then I’d quite expect a prison sentence….but I don’t really mean it, that’s what makes it a joke.
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Now now Shirley, I suggest a nice cup of tea then go and have a lie down.
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I always thought two wrongs didn’t make a right.
Just because it’s hypocritical for some people to criticise Messers Gray and Keys doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be criticised.
As commentators they are paid to comment, their comments therefore carry more weight than most people’s (and they are paid accordingly & handsomely) and they deserve to have their comments analysed proportionally.
I make an assumption that the comments in question were made whilst working, on paid time. Their employer therefore has a right, if not obligation, to take the comments very seriously. I would face a disciplinary case if I was to make discriminatory comments at work, I assume they do too.
Keys, I hear, has offered a full apology – apologising is an acknowledgement of wrong-doing – so let’s forget debating the rights and wrongs of this – they *know* what they said was wrong, there’s nothing else to say of their guilt.
Whilst many people I have spoken to feel, as do I, that sacking in this case is dodgy and unlikely to be upheld if it goes to tribunal, most agree that the wisest thing for Mr Gray (who has now been caught twice, lets not forget) was to fall on his sword and tender his resignation anyway. Too late.
As for the internet – 1) it’s only the internet, it doesn’t matter, 2) poster’s of comments aren’t getting paid for it, apples =/= pears.
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Andy Gray and Richard Keys demise is surely down to the inexorable emancipation of women.
Any hope of mens free speech not attracting a ‘sexist’ label went up in smoke in the funeral pyre of ‘feministas’ bra’s.
Watch as the number of women refs go up and key FA posts increasingly go to women due to the way this story has been brokered.
Mind you, mentioning moonlighting as a ‘glamour’ model is bound to get your CV noticed…..
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