Ben Cousins: kneel and you shall be forgiven
Sam De Brito (Age Blogs)
Posted October 23, 2007 12:07 AM
Reckon there might be a few red faces amongst sports reporters and commentators after they piled onto Ben Cousins for possessing nothing worse than a sleeping tablet and Viagra-like substance last week.
Frankly, I wouldn't have given a flying blue and gold crap if Cousins had been sprung with a bag of ice as big as Andrew Demetriou's head because, unlike half the journalists who opine on these matters, I don't see Cousins as a hero or role model - he's a friggin' footy player.
What interests me is why Cousins has been pummeled so roundly, yet rugby league's Andrew Johns, who admitted to using drugs for most of his playing career, has been given a get-out-of-jail-free card because he was suffering depression during his binges on the pingers?
I don't judge Johns either because I know ten other blokes like him who self-medicate with booze and recreational drugs and understand why they do it - drugs provide an escape from the realities of life, you can stop thinking and just "be"; they're also fun.
Unfortunately I think Cousins' national flagellation comes down to one thing - the sulphurous envy of journalists; you see, Johns knelt before the media beast and begged for forgiveness, while Cousins was too cocky or stupid to do the same ...
To understand this phenomenon, you have to understand journos.
We get to see how the other half lives - rockstars, athletes, celebs and the power elite - but most of us have neither the money, discipline nor talent to join their ranks.
We content ourselves somewhat with this situation by wielding power by proxy - using the massive reach of newspapers and magazines, TV, radio and now the internet to smite or hype who our editors tell us to and, as we gain gravitas in the industry - we make that decision ourselves.
Nothing galls a journo more than an individual who does not pay homage to this 'power' and there's a long list of people who've learned the lesson the hard way from former Federal Labor Mark Latham to actress Judy Davis and Justice Marcus "speed camera" Einfeld.
With someone like Cousins, it can get a bit much for journos; the guy is young, rich, can do remarkable things with his body, he's movie star handsome, he pulls more roots than a market gardener and he looks great with his shirt off.
It's actually a very dangerous situation to be in for a sportsman because unless you project suitable humility to the media, watch out.
Take this exchange between a television AFL commentator and newsreader:
COMMENTATOR: "Having just seen the pictures of his [Cousins] being detained and handcuffed I don't like what I'm seeing ... It's not sort the images you want to see. My thing here is we've got to find out what exactly was in that car, obviously with the police reaction, the fact they have handcuffed Ben Cousins, he obviously had no shirt on, his body language wasn't convincing as he was taken away by police ...You just shake your head. It's very, very disappointing - they're supposed to be role models ..."
NEWSREADER: It's not the sort of demeanour I imagine his mother would like to see ...
COMMENTATOR: Again I didn't like his body language when he returned from his US rehabilitation clinic and nothing much has changed ...
So Cousin's body language was not contrite enough? If the cops arrested me for possession of sleeping pills and some dick drugs, I reckon my body language might be somewhat aggressive.
Given the commentator and newsreader were not to know this, but why pile on when he was yet to be charged with anything? Because he looked hot without a shirt on? Because he had a big, bad tattoo? Because he didn't immediately drop to his knees in front of the Channel Nine cameras and bare his soul to Phil Gould?
Then there was this from one of my SMH colleagues.
"It's hard to look at a scattered Cousins getting out of the back of his 4WD and not think: you selfish bastard. Maybe the answer lies in the smirk on his face.
"The one he sported while coming back through customs at Sydney Airport after attending rehab in Malibu. The one in his pre-recorded television message. The one as he walked into Perth Magistrates Court yesterday to face drugs charges.
"The one that makes you think he may as well just flip us the bird, and the one that makes it hard to feel any of the empathy you might feel for Johns."
How's this for a theory? Maybe Cousins is smirking because he's trying to stop himself laughing at all the attention that's been slathered over him by the media. Maybe he's thinking to himself, "I'm a bloke who can kick a ball and they're acting like I'm the PM"? Maybe part of the reason for Cousin's drug habit is he can't quite process what's so special about him - why everyone cares so much and he cares so little?
The other factor in the roiling criticism of Cousins is that many sports journos and columnists are of an age and social set that does not "get" recreational drugs but thinks drinking 40 schooners and appearing at a grand final parade holding a Crown Lager and slurring is just boys being boys.
A lot of the "old school" of journalism perceive the use of ecstasy, cocaine or speed as approaching demonic yet all too many kids today think exactly the opposite - why destroy yourself and get fat drinking ten beers when you can neck a pinger, dance for four hours and wake up without a hangover?
If Cousins, or his minders have any brains, they'll tee-up a nice cosy TV interview where he talks of his insecurities, his battles with poor self-esteem, ADHD or bi-polar disorder and everyone in the media will be able to content themselves his life is just as flawed as ours.
And remember not to smirk, mate.
