Adam Goodes: His life is his legacy.
He needn't exit the game in the usual way for there is nothing usual about him. An extraordinary football player. An extraordinary man. He's given so much to so many in so many ways.
Adam Goodes: His life is his legacy.
He needn't exit the game in the usual way for there is nothing usual about him. An extraordinary football player. An extraordinary man. He's given so much to so many in so many ways.
A fantastic footballer and a very very articulate and gracious person.
I have watched nearly all the the swans games that Adam has played in Sydney and some magnificent games at the MCG.
I was fortunate enough to see a very young Adam Goodes play in a pre season game in Newcastle, and you could tell that this skinny tall footballer did enough in his first game to show that he had the makings of a great champion.
I fully endorse all the above suggestions -
* Retire no. 37
* Have a great farewell send off at the first home game next year at the SGC
* Strike an Adam Goodes medal for one of the annual awards.
Adam deserves to be congratulated by the many many thousands of Swans fans in a farewell gesture next year.
Agree !! I also saw Adam play one of his first games as a Swan in the pre-season (I think) 1998 at Macquarie Fields. It was a blistering hot day and he was magnificent. So happy to have also been present at his last game and did my very best at negating the ignorants. I must say that there was a large number of NM supporters cheering Adam as well. I was very close and above them so had a clear view so good on them.
Very nice bit of writing, stellation.
And I do think that you have hit on something very important there. That is, essentially since humans evolved into being human, we have been choosing the elements of the past, that we think are the important elements to guide our actions today and to pass on to the next generation. And to a certain extent, we can choose the role models that we think exemplify the values that we wish to pass on.
And I do think that the booing issue has largely been one of a significant number of people choosing to follow the worst sort of role models. The sort of sociopaths that have been distorting human history, also for a very long time. The sort of people who insist on blaming others for their own problems. The sort of people who always claim that other human groups are a threat. The sort of people whose main task in life seems to be to construct a more powerful role for themselves, by identifying and persecuting minorities. Unfortunately, we have a number of these people in privileged positions in our media: Andrew Bolt, Alan Jones, Miranda Devine, Ray Hadley, etc, etc, etc. And even more unfortunately, it seems to me that a number of people have chosen to bring the narrow and ugly world view of these people, to indignantly boo a great player and champion person, like Adam Goodes.
So, to me, it's a question of what role models that you choose to follow and what actions you choose to perpetuate. On one hand, people can elect to follow the likes of Bolt and Jones. Which I would say is a bad choice both for society and themselves: as they actually seem to construct a world view that feeds on its own ugliness. That is, the longer that a person views their fellow citizens as a threat, the more bitter, twisted and paranoid they themselves become. On the other hand, if you choose a role model that has got to where they are today, by working hard as part of a team, who has shown compassion for those in society who are less fortunate than themselves and has used their privileged position to attempt to help those people; then you are probably constructing an internal world for yourself, where you are much more likely to act according to the great human values of communication, cooperation and compassion. An internal world where you look at your fellow citizens as future friends. A world where you can enjoy a few silly games. And a world where you can look into the radiant eyes of a member of the next generation, and feel that you may have something decent to teach them.
Glad to see that you have obviously made the right choice.
great post and I agree whole heartedly. We too have a pancake tradition, which would often be tardy at the start of a season and get fanatical toward the end of a season (I would often attribute his slow starts to that...)
In such a dark place today knowing he's not playing next year.
I've loved watching Goodes play and have been proud of what he has achieved both on and off the field.
What he was able to do on one leg in the 2012 GF was amazing. Bruce's commentary said it all after he kicked that goal!
I'm not upset that we lost but I'm upset at the way Goodes had to finish. He should have been there with Shaw in the guard of honour and been chaired off. He should have been able to say goodbye to the fans. He should have been able to announce his retirement like all other players. He should be able to go around on GF day with the other retirees and be applauded.
It is just so sad that because he stood up to the racists and the bullies, he has been treated so poorly by opposition supporters, the public and sections of the media. It is an absolute embarrassment for a champion to be treated this way that it made him lose his love for the game.
Hopefully after he spends some time away he can come back and get the farewell he deserves in front of a packed SCG. Also I hope for us Melbournians that we get to celebrate him at a Legends function ????.
Fantastic to watch as a footballer and as good a guy off the field.
Thanks for the memories Goodes and best of luck in whatever area you choose to go into in the future!
Stella - a terrific tribute, and summary of the situation.
I've actually found myself outright angry with so much about this. To think a bloke who made himself a great player, leader and icon to so many felt the need to walk quietly into the night is a sad and shameful thing.
But everyone on this board knows two things: we've been privileged to watch a player without peer, and as a person, Adam Goodes on his worst day is better than every one of his critics.
One word
LEGEND
That is all
Adam Goodes leaves a hole that only the truly great can fill | Russell Jackson | Sport | The Guardian
Perfectly said. I'll miss his beautiful flat back twisting through the pack. He owes us nothing. Nothing. Thank you sweetheart for being a great teacher first and foremost, and a lovely human being.
And one more thing. We as a club have been bound together by our own loyalty to Adam. Even last night with those pratts booing Adam we cheered over them and drowned them out, and the last goal we Stood and Applauded from start to finish. That is what I will hug to myself about us as a Swans family member. We collectively understood without being told that this great man was possibly playing his last game, it was number 372 you have to admit, and noone can go on forever.
Going out on a massive high of being applauded by the ones who loved you is kind of terrific and I applaud each and everyone of us who understood without being told that this was probably It.
Last edited by Primmy; 20th September 2015 at 05:54 PM.
If you've never jumped from one couch to the other to save yourself from lava then you didn't have a childhood
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