It is more that the neo-narcissists of the Australian right are so brittle, so apt to be triggered by anyone seen in proximity to a solar panel or a copy of Dark Emu.
As an aside... really pleased to find your words again Gid after Cricket etc got untimely sunk. Yours and Pete’s despatches from your Darjeeling Express tour in India was a ray of light in a particularly gloomy English winter. Hopefully you and Pete on a pod can be revived again somehow, somewhere.. 👍
Gideon, I notice this piece was also published in the Guardian. I assume you didn't offer it to your former employer at the Oz first? I'd like to have seen their reactions if you did.
As an avid listener to The Grade Cricketer podcast, I do hear a lot of references to the existence of "Cummins critics" who are just waiting for a performance failure to demonstrate their insistence that his "leftism" (sensible centre-ism to everyone else) is affecting the team and CA's financial viability. I just don't personally know of that many people who really are that critical of him. Most seem to be pretty focused on his on field success and I suspect that is where it ends for most cricket supporters. Maybe it's that I don't watch Sky or read much of the Murdoch press. I wonder if the anti-Cummins brigade is being slightly overblown. I appreciate "getting around him" (as this article does). But I wonder if we need to. His detractors are likely just a small group of grumpies who still think the earth is flat and are suffering from relevance deprivation syndrome.
Once it was clear that The Voice would not enjoy bipartisan support, which has been integral to all those Australian referenda that have succeeded, Albanese should have abandoned his delusions of messianic Whitlamism.
‘Many more people in England, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies and Bangladesh know who leads Australia’s cricket team than who leads its government.’ Thank you Gideon, what an insightful way to represent it. Speaking as one of those from the other side of the world, I can do straw poll of everyone I know, most will know or have an inkling on Cummins. Albonese.. who he? The cricket fans in my manor will know that Cummins is happy to detail and be smart about the issues that matter to him, and most will have a undoubted respect for him as a fine cricketer and colloquially see him as a stand up bloke. Especially because he is not afraid to address the issues of our times, and not just live and speak within the confines of the confected bubble that professional sport at high level creates. Albonese flickered here briefly last summer in the hot air hoo hah following Bairstow’s dismissal at Lord’s, that’s was a story ready made for a media storm, and I guess the Aussie media know they can get several days worth of copy of and clickbait if they can get a Cummins answer on any culture war stoking issue. Speaking as a Pom, you’re lucky to have him, and so are we. don’t let the fuckers fuck it up.
A complex topic well written Gideon, but it is disingenuous to describe any detractors with the crutch prefix of neo, did you hear Cummins' full responses?
His follow up point of that elite cricketers get a good view of the community due to their diversity isn't consistent with the professional bubble they have lived in all their adult lives.
Your comrade Lalor's half volley first question of why cricket has a responsibility to climate change is met with the impact of additional drinks breaks; sums up the elitism, how could it be any other way?
To characterise Pat as some lamb to the populous slaughter as he only was honestly answering a question with directly contradicts Nick Hockley's position earlier in the day. Hockley said initially on "good advice" from the players they will not publicly announce Australia day at the Gabba. There is your smoking gun of the tail wagging the dog.
It is more that the neo-narcissists of the Australian right are so brittle, so apt to be triggered by anyone seen in proximity to a solar panel or a copy of Dark Emu.
😂😂😂
As an aside... really pleased to find your words again Gid after Cricket etc got untimely sunk. Yours and Pete’s despatches from your Darjeeling Express tour in India was a ray of light in a particularly gloomy English winter. Hopefully you and Pete on a pod can be revived again somehow, somewhere.. 👍
Gideon, I notice this piece was also published in the Guardian. I assume you didn't offer it to your former employer at the Oz first? I'd like to have seen their reactions if you did.
Maybe Gideon, not sure that this possible missed opportunity is the same as a ‘vanity project’…
As an avid listener to The Grade Cricketer podcast, I do hear a lot of references to the existence of "Cummins critics" who are just waiting for a performance failure to demonstrate their insistence that his "leftism" (sensible centre-ism to everyone else) is affecting the team and CA's financial viability. I just don't personally know of that many people who really are that critical of him. Most seem to be pretty focused on his on field success and I suspect that is where it ends for most cricket supporters. Maybe it's that I don't watch Sky or read much of the Murdoch press. I wonder if the anti-Cummins brigade is being slightly overblown. I appreciate "getting around him" (as this article does). But I wonder if we need to. His detractors are likely just a small group of grumpies who still think the earth is flat and are suffering from relevance deprivation syndrome.
Not sure about the ‘vanity project’ comment; sounds like Sky After Dark and somewhat at odds with the balanced nature of the rest of the piece…..
Once it was clear that The Voice would not enjoy bipartisan support, which has been integral to all those Australian referenda that have succeeded, Albanese should have abandoned his delusions of messianic Whitlamism.
One of your best, Gideon.
‘Many more people in England, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies and Bangladesh know who leads Australia’s cricket team than who leads its government.’ Thank you Gideon, what an insightful way to represent it. Speaking as one of those from the other side of the world, I can do straw poll of everyone I know, most will know or have an inkling on Cummins. Albonese.. who he? The cricket fans in my manor will know that Cummins is happy to detail and be smart about the issues that matter to him, and most will have a undoubted respect for him as a fine cricketer and colloquially see him as a stand up bloke. Especially because he is not afraid to address the issues of our times, and not just live and speak within the confines of the confected bubble that professional sport at high level creates. Albonese flickered here briefly last summer in the hot air hoo hah following Bairstow’s dismissal at Lord’s, that’s was a story ready made for a media storm, and I guess the Aussie media know they can get several days worth of copy of and clickbait if they can get a Cummins answer on any culture war stoking issue. Speaking as a Pom, you’re lucky to have him, and so are we. don’t let the fuckers fuck it up.
A complex topic well written Gideon, but it is disingenuous to describe any detractors with the crutch prefix of neo, did you hear Cummins' full responses?
His follow up point of that elite cricketers get a good view of the community due to their diversity isn't consistent with the professional bubble they have lived in all their adult lives.
Your comrade Lalor's half volley first question of why cricket has a responsibility to climate change is met with the impact of additional drinks breaks; sums up the elitism, how could it be any other way?
To characterise Pat as some lamb to the populous slaughter as he only was honestly answering a question with directly contradicts Nick Hockley's position earlier in the day. Hockley said initially on "good advice" from the players they will not publicly announce Australia day at the Gabba. There is your smoking gun of the tail wagging the dog.
"Smoking gun of the tail wagging the dog", that's too good. I dips me lid.
Yep, those last 2 paras are to the point.