David EdwardsSuperheroes to Civilians - Wayne Carey
April 1st 2008 01:53
The Wayne Carey interview aired Monday night on Andrew Denton's Enough Rope was disappointing to watch in terms that it didn't reveal a great deal of new information, but it highlighted the situation many sportstars find themselves in after sport - the transition from sport to life after sport.
During his career he was the King, an athletic, incredibly gifted footballer, the personification of the modern player. Respected by his team mates and his opponents, Carey was an idol to many Australians, however he will now be remembered for his misdemeanours rather than his many achievements.
It is yet to be determined whether Carey will ever recover from these well-publicised charges. Andrew Johns held his head up high after an honest interview with Phil Gould last year, in which he spoke candidly of his "running the gauntlet" in reference to dodging drug testers, and went on to detail his own admissions in his book "The Two of Me", including his bi-polar disorder - Carey did little to dispel any of the popular thoughts that he is nothing but a drunken mysogynist. It was remarkable that he still said that he loves his father, even after his tough upbringing in Wagga. Carey said in the interview, "that "there were no visitors allowed at our house", and repeatedly referred to the fact that his father was a hard man. His mother was frightened of her husband, and Wayne and his siblings didn't have their mother around for 7 years, showing the impact on Carey that lacking a mother figure may have had on his own personal development, and particularly his attitudes towards women.
Carey has a lot of soul searching to do, and the impending charges he faces in Miami may allow him to perform the searchings for a very long time, but this cannot serve as a better example to young sports stars in Australia right now.
The temptation must be great as a king-pin of Australian sport. Shane Warne and Andrew Johns are just some recent examples of idolised sportsmen who have pushed the envelope and disgraced themselves publicly. Ben Cousins is another who the media has leaped upon, but is now starting to redeem himself slowly.
If to make light of the situation, it seems that Australians can forgive just about anything, as long as it is eventually owned up to, and a public apology to everyone concerned is made. An entertaining sketch was made on "ewstopia" by Shaun MacCallef not so long ago about Australians being able to forgive their sports stars "as long as they're a blooody good bloke)! However Carey needs to convince the public that he is indeed a good bloke - because having an affair with your best mate's wife is not something that Aussie blokes/and females are comfortable with, and along with drug taking and accusations of beating policemen and assault on a female, this does not endear him to many.
Carey has lost lucrative contracts with 3AW and Channel 9, and is unemployable at the moment. Some sports stars find it easy to find a career after football, however many rely on the transition to the media, analysing the game that they know best. Part of this media deal is based on their reputation, not only as a sportman but as an individual. Assuming Carey escapes jail-time, he is probably going to have to get involved in charitable events, and important causes. Ben Cousins is involved in the "KO to Drugs" campaign, which is doing well to rekindle his image, and he could be back on the field in the AFL by next year. However Cousins is younger and marketable, and well spoken. Carey has a bigger fight on his hands.
Sport stars can hide their flaws and misdemeanours during their career, and these are often seen as acceptable, or "boys being boys". However being a hero is a fantasy land which only lasts while the sporting career lasts, and many are unable to cope with the transition from superhero to normal civilian.
David Edwards
During his career he was the King, an athletic, incredibly gifted footballer, the personification of the modern player. Respected by his team mates and his opponents, Carey was an idol to many Australians, however he will now be remembered for his misdemeanours rather than his many achievements.
It is yet to be determined whether Carey will ever recover from these well-publicised charges. Andrew Johns held his head up high after an honest interview with Phil Gould last year, in which he spoke candidly of his "running the gauntlet" in reference to dodging drug testers, and went on to detail his own admissions in his book "The Two of Me", including his bi-polar disorder - Carey did little to dispel any of the popular thoughts that he is nothing but a drunken mysogynist. It was remarkable that he still said that he loves his father, even after his tough upbringing in Wagga. Carey said in the interview, "that "there were no visitors allowed at our house", and repeatedly referred to the fact that his father was a hard man. His mother was frightened of her husband, and Wayne and his siblings didn't have their mother around for 7 years, showing the impact on Carey that lacking a mother figure may have had on his own personal development, and particularly his attitudes towards women.
Carey has a lot of soul searching to do, and the impending charges he faces in Miami may allow him to perform the searchings for a very long time, but this cannot serve as a better example to young sports stars in Australia right now.
The temptation must be great as a king-pin of Australian sport. Shane Warne and Andrew Johns are just some recent examples of idolised sportsmen who have pushed the envelope and disgraced themselves publicly. Ben Cousins is another who the media has leaped upon, but is now starting to redeem himself slowly.
If to make light of the situation, it seems that Australians can forgive just about anything, as long as it is eventually owned up to, and a public apology to everyone concerned is made. An entertaining sketch was made on "ewstopia" by Shaun MacCallef not so long ago about Australians being able to forgive their sports stars "as long as they're a blooody good bloke)! However Carey needs to convince the public that he is indeed a good bloke - because having an affair with your best mate's wife is not something that Aussie blokes/and females are comfortable with, and along with drug taking and accusations of beating policemen and assault on a female, this does not endear him to many.
Carey has lost lucrative contracts with 3AW and Channel 9, and is unemployable at the moment. Some sports stars find it easy to find a career after football, however many rely on the transition to the media, analysing the game that they know best. Part of this media deal is based on their reputation, not only as a sportman but as an individual. Assuming Carey escapes jail-time, he is probably going to have to get involved in charitable events, and important causes. Ben Cousins is involved in the "KO to Drugs" campaign, which is doing well to rekindle his image, and he could be back on the field in the AFL by next year. However Cousins is younger and marketable, and well spoken. Carey has a bigger fight on his hands.
Sport stars can hide their flaws and misdemeanours during their career, and these are often seen as acceptable, or "boys being boys". However being a hero is a fantasy land which only lasts while the sporting career lasts, and many are unable to cope with the transition from superhero to normal civilian.
David Edwards
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Comment by Pez
Great post. I'd hasten to say that Carey is a drunken mysoginist. Both aspects of that term are satisfied as far as I'm concerned. He certainly is a drunk. Further to that, any man who is capable of smashing a glass into his girlfriend's face, along with the myriad other indiscretions he's been involved in with women is a mysoginist. The definition is controversial but so are Carey's actions.
The bloke is a joke.
He's about 10 bad cricket blokes rolled into one. You know the type.
Pez