Doug’s disgrace
by Geraldine Roper
I know – you’re thinking, ‘Not another piece about the All Blacks’. But I just can’t help myself.
If it makes it any better, this isn’t another cheap stab about how they are the most consistent team in the world, yet they can’t win the one thing that matters.
No, this is about Doug Howlett and his supposed disgrace.
Put yourself in his shoes for a minute.
You have just lost the biggest game you could possibly lose. You’re full of disappointed. You know what your turncoat country will be saying about you back home. And you head out for a few beers. One beer leads to another, and $33,000 later you’re dancing on cars.
Mistakes happen. But he’s in a position of leadership, you say. He’s a role model.
But who in their right mind would put rugby players in a role model position in the first place?
Everyone knows about rugby culture. It mostly consists of beer and women. The only scandalist part of Doug’s demise was that he was caught.
If rugby players were just rugby players and weren’t put up on such a pedestal, this wouldn’t be an issue.
New Zealand needs to find itself some role models that are based on good character – rather than the fact they are good at something.
So come on New Zealand, he said he was sorry.
Give the guy a break.