Tonight show host Dave Letterman opens up to his audience about an affair and attempts to blackmail him that followed.
Initially, I thought this was going to be an article about umpiring. But the more I thought about it, the more I realised it’s actually about the AFL and how it “protects” us from the truth.
I feel like the idea or the concept of truth is something we all crave at the mid-point of 2019.
I don’t mean the kind of “truth” you hear from flat-earthers or anti-vaxers. A truth that we all know. It’s about when someone makes a mistake that has an impact on things that are important and that mistake is universally recognised.
All we want, I think, as a populace, is that person (or body) to put their hands up honestly and say: “Yeah, I fucked that up”.
When that happens, the response can be amazing. People see the humanity behind the mistake and realise: “Well, I’ve done some pretty dumb things, too, so play on.”
I call it “The Letterman Effect”, based on when David Letterman was being blackmailed by a lover from an extramarital affair, and decided to tell the world he had made a mistake in the monologue of his show that night.
Say what you will about the extent of his error, but he threw himself at the feet of public opinion. In response, most people accepted the fact he was willing to fall on his own sword, and decided to move on.
I know this from personal experience. I spent most of my younger years partying and not paying any attention to how it may affect other people. It was because of the stern words from my best mate and my sister that I changed my behaviour.
So with all this in mind, I say it’s time for the AFL to fully disclose a few things when it comes not just to umpiring, but how the game is run in general.
Why do we need to change rules? To me, it seems that the majority of football media get bored halfway through the season, so they start talking about what they would change to amuse themselves. This then becomes the “public opinion” because they have decided so.
The AFL executive then decides that something needs to be done, because of the “waves of public opinion” about “the state of game”.
Meanwhile, punter after punter calls through to radio talkback like a Telstra customer calling one of Telstra’s call centres, knowing there is no point, but hoping that someone listens to them, but getting the same banal responses like: “Unfortunately, that’s just the way it is” or the more condescending: “I think you’re being overly-emotional.”
The AFL is a massive organisation, and it uses its “employees” (the media) like call centre staff. It’s a charade.
So here, in written form, so it can be argued on a point-by-point basis, is what I think genuine football fans want.
Umpires should be full-time. When a sport is signing billion dollar TV rights deals in a country the size of Australia, the umpires just need to be full-time. It’s embarrassing that they are not.
Changing the rules. I’ve heard this described behind closed doors as “a retired golf pro paying for a bunker so they can say: “I did that.” Stop journalists from informing rule changes.
Hiding the umpires from the public. Let umpires out. If they can educate the footy-loving public about why they made certain decisions (including mistakes), then everyone is the wiser and gets to know the men and women behind the whistle.
Ultimately, I think, especially after the MRO decisions on Gary Ablett and Nat Fyfe, not to mention the Dane Rampe goalpost debacle, that football supporters not only want consistency of decisions by the umpiring department and the MRO and Tribunal, but strong leadership to enforce that consistency.
Take a leaf out of Dave Letterman’s book, Gil. Admit you guys have buggered up a few times of late. You’ll find people will respect you for your honesty if you do.
