Get off Ricky's back!

[GotSpin]

Neither of those Captains have dealt with what Ricky is dealing with now. And yep, I really do feel sorry for the guy at this stage in his career

 

[GotSpin]

So what ? Failing with bat gives him the license to have a go at umpires ? It was a decision made by the third umpire for Christ's sake; there was nothing Aleem Dar or anyone else could do about it. It was disgraceful behaviour, there are no two ways about it.

Yeah and he can't exactly call up the third umpire and ask about the decision can he?

I'm not talking about giving him a license, but trying to put across that he's under very trying conditions at the moment so I for one refuse to crucify him

 

[Ruckus]

I imagine Ponting is under a lot more pressure and media scrutiny than Smith so I'm prepared to give some leeway. While not entirely excusable, considering the circumstances surrounding the blow up, I don't feel crucifying ricky is fair.

I don't think that kind of behaviour is really ever excusable, no matter what the circumstances. Really immature stuff from Ponting.

That being said though, to call Ponting a whiner is a complete misjudgement of his character - he has the occasional blow out like this (more aggression than anything), but on the whole he is one of the least likely people to whine about anything. As you said he is always extremely honest and direct when he has a cool head.

 

[Uppercut]

Does South African media cricket coverage compare to Australian media cricket coverage, especially during an Ashes series?

I've really no idea, presumably not, but it's a pretty brave statement nevertheless given the relative consequences for an Aussie and a South African of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.

I mean, I don't claim to have any kind of expertise on the subject, but I've always thought of captaining South Africa as the job in cricket I would least like to have to do. It's so much more political. Ponting might have a few more articles written calling him a prick but his job description doesn't involve reconciling into one team players from wildly different communities that were at each other's throats barely twenty years ago.

 

[Himannv]

Yes indeed; he'd comfortably make my top five Australian Test captains of the last 20 years.

 

[Prince EWS]

Each to their own, but I'm always surprised at how many people actually want to talk about this sort of thing. Player conduct in cricket just seems like such an unspeakably boring subject to me. We're on a cricket forum and there can be ten page debates over whether a 20% match fee fine is just and consistent or whether it should be upped to 40% instead. We have repeated references made to people who posters have never met being dickheads based purely on how they act when they're playing professional sport. And the debates are so passionate.

I'm sure there are people out there who can't believe I write thousand word posts on a daily basis about a game that takes five days to watch so it's a personal thing, but I just don't get it. Surely the fact that one of the best batsmen of the last 10 years hasn't score a run in ages is a more interesting topic than the fact that he got frustrated at an umpiring decision, or had a crack at an opposition coach five years ago.

Meh.

 

[Ruckus]

Surely the fact that one of the best batsmen of the last 10 years hasn't score a run in ages is a more interesting topic than the fact that he got frustrated at an umpiring decision, or had a crack at an opposition coach five years ago.

Why not have both?

 

[Jono]

Because the conduct of professional sportsmen directly result in enjoyment of the game for many people.

Additionally it affects how people play the game at lower levels.

 

[Prince EWS]

Because the conduct of professional sportsmen directly result in enjoyment of the game for many people.

Yeah, that's what I'll never really understand. Each to their own though; I'll just piss off out of the thread now that it's become about that like I usually do.

 

[Jono]

PrinceEWS in not understanding humans with emotions watch the game shocker.

 

[Shri]

YouTube - LEAVE BRITNEY ALONE!

 

[Juanjo99]

Dissension

Because the conduct of professional sportsmen directly result in enjoyment of the game for many people.

Additionally it affects how people play the game at lower levels.

Too true! As a qualified umpire, I get pissed off at unsporting behaviour at League and club levels, encouraged by what they see the international teams doing. Sledging is happening at school and minor club levels these days and dissension is rife.

Umpires need more sanctions against serious dissension (not the disappointed reactions that are a normal part of the game). Cricket should take a leaf out of Rugby Union books and allow umpires to "sin bin" consistent moaners against decisions and/or award run penalties.

Ponting would have been "binned" for 10 minutes for his outburst against Aleem Dar. But despite that, the Aussie media should not scapegoat him for losing the Ashes: his team were just beaten by a better side in this series.

 

[BoyBrumby]

What are you talking about?

Are you honestly trying to argue that Ponting has only had one or two blowups in his career?

You're off the planet. I don't need to "base an argument". It's friggin public record that Ponting has been in hot water as captain plenty of times.

It's not even the first time he's haranged Dar this series (who's been excellent throughout in my estimation, if Taufel's #1, Dar's not far behind). IIRC he said it was "piss weak umpiring" when Dar referred the low "catch" Ponting may or may not have taken cleanly to the third ump.

 

[morgieb]

PrinceEWS in not understanding humans with emotions watch the game shocker.

He actually is spot on though. Don't see how people act puts people off a game. Yeah it might result in a big media storm, but it's really meh.

 

[howardj]

Get off his back?

It's professional sport. Ponting has lived by the sword, and taken pleasure in destroying other captains and teams (out on the field), and now he is experiencing the same.

Ponting would not want, and nor would he ask for any sympathy.

Anytime you:

- lose you rag (like he did in Melbourne)
- lose the Ashes for the third time as the skipper
- average a woeful 16 in the biggest series of your career (his words)
- back guys like Doherty to be selected

...well, I think you can expect and deserve a bit of criticism.

 

[Juanjo99]

Criticism is OK- backstabbing is not!

Get off his back?

It's professional sport. Ponting has lived by the sword, and taken pleasure in destroying other captains and teams (out on the field), and now he is experiencing the same.
.

Ponting and the Aussie teams have beaten other teams by their skills and by never accepting that the game has been lost until the last ball, not by mouthing-off in the media- they leave that to the limp-wristed jessies in TV and newspaper newsrooms.

 

[howardj]

Ponting and the Aussie teams have beaten other teams by their skills and by never accepting that the game has been lost until the last ball, not by mouthing-off in the media- they leave that to the limp-wristed jessies in TV and newspaper newsrooms.

Not sure how your post relates to mine.

 

[Jono]

Get off his back?

It's professional sport. Ponting has lived by the sword, and taken pleasure in destroying other captains and teams (out on the field), and now he is experiencing the same.

Ponting would not want, and nor would he ask for any sympathy.

Anytime you:

- lose you rag (like he did in Melbourne)
- lose the Ashes for the third time as the skipper
- average a woeful 16 in the biggest series of your career (his words)
- back guys like Doherty to be selected

...well, I think you can expect and deserve a bit of criticism.

Lol, well said.

 

[SteveNZ]

Have Aussies taken over the whingeing role from the Poms? Get off Ricky Ponting's back you bad-losing wusses! He is one of the best captains Australia has had over the last couple of decades!

So he is going through a bad time at the moment- so what? He is still one of the best bats in the game, his team leadership is second to none and he never gives up the fight to win. the game and series in hand.

Give him some respect and stop kicking the fella when he is down, as you are doing the Aussie reputation for sportsmanship no good with the continuous bitching just because you lost the Ashes.

(From a Brit).

Couple of points...I'd say he's nigh on the worst captain Australia have had over the last 20 years. Anyone care to name me a worse one? To be fair there is reasonably exalted company there, but to me he's still at the bottom.

Still one of the best bats in the game? He just snuck into the top 50 in terms of Test averages in 2010. That's also debateable.

And as for his team leadership being second to none? It's the second best in the series in terms of captaincy, for a start. And that by a long stretch. I'd suggest he'd be in the bottom half in terms of world captaincy.

People are entitled to point the blame where they see fit. Ponting has now lost a record three Ashes, hasn't scored runs all series and his captaincy has lacked. I'd say he's deserving of it.

 

[SteveNZ]

Ponting and the Aussie teams have beaten other teams by their skills and by never accepting that the game has been lost until the last ball, not by mouthing-off in the media- they leave that to the limp-wristed jessies in TV and newspaper newsrooms.

Not this series they haven't.

And you saying Australia haven't mouthed off in the media is hilarious. They've done it countless times over the years and have also done so in this series. Johnson saying he was going to bounce the poop out of Strauss, then struggling to hit the pitch in the first Test ring any bells? And plenty of people, Watson being one that I can remember, said before the series that all the pressure was on England. While I'm at it, I also remember a lot of bravado from them after the lone win.