Bad Language

I was going to take my six-year-old boy to the soccer on Friday night, but I decided not to. After what I witnessed at the Adelaide United - Melbourne Victory game at Hindmarsh Stadium, I doubt we’ll go to a game together this season. And that should be a huge concern for Adelaide United and the A-League.

In the end, I decided to go with a couple of mates, and keep one eye on the match and one eye on the hardcore fans that are a giving the sport I love such a bad name.

I took a seat in the southern grandstand, behind the Adelaide ``ultras’‘. I deliberately chose that spot so I could keep an eye on any trouble, but there were many young families around me who just had the misfortune to be sitting near the idiots.

The first thing that hits you is the swearing. While you still occasionally hear older supporters at footy games telling young hotheads to ``mind your language’‘, that’s not the case at the soccer.

Continue reading "The myth that soccer is a family-friendly sport" »

LIKE most Australians I couldn’t give a rat’s bottom if Kevin Rudd swears or not.

What interests me is the gap between his frequently foul-mouthed private persona and the popular image of the PM as a civil-minded nerd who’s more likely to be heard reciting poetry in Mandarin than telling factional hacks to get the f… out of his office.

Not only am I not bothered by the fact that Rudd used bad language, I’m kind of thrilled that he aimed his insults at a bunch of Senate no-names who thought nothing of wasting the Prime Minister’s time to complain personally about a 25 per cent cut to their entitlements. Rudd had every right to be indignant at their impertinence in dragging him into such a trifling affair.

Continue reading "Will the real Kevin Rudd please stand up" »