Who the HELL????

[markinUSA]

I've dedicated my life to stopping the abuse of disabled people.
I wrote a book about hate crimes against people with disabilities.
This sort of stuff is appalling and unfortunately very common.
I don't care how long I've followed St. Kilda, I hope someone goes to jail for this.
There is NO EXCUSE for abusing vulnerable people... and someone who is a little person will always be seen as physically vulnerable by football players who are always so much bigger.
I am disgusted, and seriously considering whether I should cancel my membership next year. This is a big deal to me. Huge.

[BigMart]

So AFL footballers have to be morons? Or more to the point are allowed to be because this sort of s*** is dismissed.....

Rules for society vs rules for footballers..

[Johnny Member]

Absolute nonsense.

That's the biggest myth in footy.


Martin Pike got on stage at the Lions family day the day after they won the flag and yelled "get f***ed!" Into the microphone to the packed house.

That's one example of hundreds. The only difference is, that when you're winning no one cares. When you're losing - you're an easy target and people are looking for reasons.

Player behaviour is the most overrated issue in the game in terms of the on-field impact it has.

[samuraisaint]

it really is a new low

[Johnny Member]

So AFL footballers have to be morons? Or more to the point are allowed to be because this sort of s*** is dismissed.....

Rules for society vs rules for footballers..

Whether they should be or not is irrelevant. The fact is, that most are.

Hence people who idolise them and care one iota about them are foolish and need to a grip.

[BigMart]

Winning makes no difference.... Why would it

Pike is/was a moron....

[saintbrat]

I've dedicated my life to stopping the abuse of disabled people.
I wrote a book about hate crimes against people with disabilities.
This sort of stuff is appalling and unfortunately very common.
I don't care how long I've followed St. Kilda, I hope someone goes to jail for this.
There is NO EXCUSE for abusing vulnerable people... and someone who is a little person will always be seen as physically vulnerable by football players who are always so much bigger.
I am disgusted, and seriously considering whether I should cancel my membership next year. This is a big deal to me. Huge.

Mark the person in question was making money from the St kilda players and by reports to date it was complelety accidental- as stated by his fellow performer-
not good but no one hurt and there was NO deliberate setting fire to a little person- his clothes caught on fire not the person.

In no way were the players deliberatly setting fire to a disabled person-

[SainterK]

So you're happy for them to be jerks, but you want the club to hide it better?

To an extent.

Or as I said, prevent it in the first place.

Can't believe they don't run their eyes over the planned festivities and cross that one off.

Thats the slip up for mine.

Don't throw your hands up after the event, it was a stupid idea.

There is varying degrees of being an idiot, don't pretend that this a case of just tipping your toe over the line.

Dumb.

[markinUSA]

I hope the person is not just delisted - I hope they are jailed.

[defacto]

I've dedicated my life to stopping the abuse of disabled people.
I wrote a book about hate crimes against people with disabilities.
This sort of stuff is appalling and unfortunately very common.
I don't care how long I've followed St. Kilda, I hope someone goes to jail for this.
There is NO EXCUSE for abusing vulnerable people... and someone who is a little person will always be seen as physically vulnerable by football players who are always so much bigger.
I am disgusted, and seriously considering whether I should cancel my membership next year. This is a big deal to me. Huge.

Mark the person in question was making money from the St kilda players and by reports to date it was complelety accidental- as stated by his fellow performer-
not good but no one hurt and there was NO deliberate setting fire to a little person- his clothes caught on fire not the person.

In no way were the players deliberatly setting fire to a disabled person-

then what were they trying to do with the lighter?

[andrewg]

When the AFL chief can't talk due to laughing this suggests the issue isn't too big.
Sure he will get slammed for laughing but its the 'real' reaction and not the professional, lame politically correct one
Take your Chill Pill prescription to the chemist Big Mart and stop giving teaches a bad name:)
Seriously, the players were lighting each others costumes on fire (who hasnt been there) dwarfs one caught alight, he cracked it (Harry Obrien style) brief awkward moment .....we move on.

For all those on their high horse, please be careful its a long way down

[SainterK]

I've dedicated my life to stopping the abuse of disabled people.
I wrote a book about hate crimes against people with disabilities.
This sort of stuff is appalling and unfortunately very common.
I don't care how long I've followed St. Kilda, I hope someone goes to jail for this.
There is NO EXCUSE for abusing vulnerable people... and someone who is a little person will always be seen as physically vulnerable by football players who are always so much bigger.
I am disgusted, and seriously considering whether I should cancel my membership next year. This is a big deal to me. Huge.

Mark the person in question was making money from the St kilda players and by reports to date it was complelety accidental- as stated by his fellow performer-
not good but no one hurt and there was NO deliberate setting fire to a little person- his clothes caught on fire not the person.

In no way were the players deliberatly setting fire to a disabled person-

Why organise a little person there?

Don't pretend it's about supporting their profession.

Next year, for goodness sake get an itinerary and put a sober staffer or two in there.

"But they are grownups" doesn't wash.

If this happened at a Xmas party at another workplace would end with charges, this still well could.

[Middo]

I hope the person is not just delisted - I hope they are jailed.

A little over the top don't you think ..?

[Bluthy]

So you're happy for them to be jerks, but you want the club to hide it better?

To an extent.

Or as I said, prevent it in the first place.

Can't believe they don't run their eyes over the planned festivities and cross that one off.

Thats the slip up for mine.

Don't throw your hands up after the event, it was a stupid idea.

There is varying degrees of being an idiot, don't pretend that this a case of just tipping your toe over the line.

Dumb.

Spot on. After all Fevolas antics, everyone knows Journos go out hunting on mad Monday for salacious stories. To even hire a dwarf for entertainment is crazy. I again am extremely disappointed in the oversight at the club that can't pick these things up early. Are we that poorly resourced?

[BigMart]

Must have been trying to light a cigarette.... Sweeney was back or perhaps a birthday cake... Which the dwarf got close to??

Good on ya Mark

I loathe that sort of crap also

[defacto]

I hope the person is not just delisted - I hope they are jailed.

A little over the top don't you think ..?

from purely an OH&S issue. this type of thing would see you instantly dismissed. no questions, it just isnt on

you cant just light people on fire. suppose you were bystander on the street and someone did this to you. what would you do?

[BigMart]

It's only funny if your a dwarf, apparantly....

Or allowed if you're a footballer... At StKilda

I reckon some on here would allow StK players to set fire to their kids, or even let the club cover it up??

[markinUSA]

Brat, I am happy to be proven wrong... but my outrage started from reading this part of the article in the Sun, which absolutely suggests it was premeditated assault, not an accident.

"Physically Blake is ok, but he has been absolutely humiliated." His employers, Dwarf My Party and Professional Championship Wrestling, are demanding answers from the club. PCW wrote on its Facebook page tonight: "Could you please comment on why our on-screen president, known to spectators as Mr. Big, was set on fire during your Mad Monday celebrations?'' A spokesman for PCW said: "We are utterly disgusted by the situation."... "It's not funny to light anybody on fire. Just because he's a midget, some might think it's funny. This is not funny. It's ridiculous. Blake is a top bloke. He is not hired to be humiliated."

[Johnny Member]

Winning makes no difference.... Why would it

Pike is/was a moron....

What about Alastair Clarkson?

Violent. Abusive to women.


Do you think people would start caring if Hawthorn weren't winning?

[miskycat]

Other moronic/dangerous acts by individuals at other clubs have nothing to do with it.
If it was a St Kilda player, then he needs to be accountable. It 's not funny or 'just boys being boys'.

[Apples]

Apparently the dwarf's real name is Bernie Zarshoff, could be where the confusion was. Pity Heath Scotland wasn't there to extinguish the fire, he did eventually join the fire brigade didn't he??

[ShanghaiSaint]

I hope the person is not just delisted - I hope they are jailed.

Ease up, it's young guys drinking doing something umb in the heat of the moment. Like all of us have done. I have done dumb things I bet you have as well. Joke went to far. Bit of a beat up. But it's dumb and very dangerous

I have had someone at a party try to light my hair on fire with a lighter as a joke.. I didn't like it at the time but I had a laugh.

[70s sainter]

Fact: if you get 40 young blokes in a room together who don't usually drink and watch them get drunk up to their eyeballs , you will have get top blokes , entertaining blokes, really really pissed blokes, loud blokes , quiet blokes , and annoying f@#kwit blokes.
The only difference here is when the annoying f@#kwit blokes do something silly it makes every paper and radio show in melbourne .

[miskycat]

It wasn't just 'silly.'

[jonesy]

This will all shrink by tomorrow . A minute story anyhow....