Who the HELL????

[Middo]

Where there's smoke there's fire ..... and a Dwarf .. !!

[mullet]

Cant see how anyone can find a way of defending this. Iv been pissed after our local side winning GF and havent even seen a fight let alaon lighting another person clothes especially a person who has been invited into to the club to do a gig. Its actually pathetic and no wonder some people just laugh at our club.

Spot on Plugger. I don't know the full story but It another opportunity created by the absolute stupidity of a small number of players to laugh and cause embarrassment to our club. I know entertainers put them selves out there but what moron thinks its funny or even slightly ok to set anyone on fire.

Agree guys. Really annoying. The club was highly praised for the way it conduted itself on Saturday and within a couple of days all the good undone. It is extremely frustrating.

[Beno88]

Where there's smoke there's fire ..... and a Dwarf .. !!

They should have known he'd have a short fuse.

[jonesy]

Some people on here are extraordinarily sensitive.... Sure we shouldn't be lighting people on fire, but I'm sure we didn't hold the guy down and douse him with petrol and light him up to a stake!

The wee man feels humiliated, yet makes money out of mocking himself everyday, please. Lets take it to the media because I'm so humiliated. Does it mean he should have his clothes lit on fire? No! But honestly, what a joke of a story, and even more so a joke of an overreaction on this forum. Sheltered life's half of you...
In 2 weeks time when half of them are overseas they'll be racking up lines of coke like benny cousins, and you can take that as fact. So forget your image of clean cut alter boys, and go live your life in the offseason, the players do. Stop having hissy fits

[Life Long Saint]

I've dedicated my life to stopping the abuse of disabled people.

How wonderful for you.

I wrote a book about hate crimes against people with disabilities.

Again...How wonderful for you.
I wasn't aware that dwarves were disabled. They're just short. So are children. Are they disabled too? But unlike kids, dwarves are fully matured adults capable of making their own decisions in life.

This sort of stuff is appalling and unfortunately very common.

Why are you appalled? Is it because someone had their part of their clothing set alight or the fact that it was a dwarf that hired himself out to a group of drinking men?

I don't care how long I've followed St. Kilda, I hope someone goes to jail for this.

What's the charge? What's the crime? Nobody was hurt. Nobody was discriminated against. All this would do is clog up the legal system further and prevent genuine victims receiving justice. And it would be thrown out of court in an instant (or at least it should be).

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.

Vulnerable people? Give it a rest. The dwarf sold his services for the amusement of others. That doesn't sound like the actions of a vulnerable person. In fact, it sounds like he is more comfortable about what he is and is using his differences to his advantage.

I am disgusted, and seriously considering whether I should cancel my membership next year. This is a big deal to me. Huge.

With all the crap that has gone on at this club in the past, this is what tips you over?
FFS, Andrew Lovett beats a rape charge when he assumed a snore was a sign of consent and you want a prankster locked up? You seriously need to address your priorities.
It says a lot more about you than it does about anyone involved in the incident.
I am sure you won't be missed.

[WinnersOnly]

Settle people no ones going to goal or being charged it was a stupid prank by a young immature male who was probably full of sauce. Yes it was a ridiculous thing to do but the media love beating things like this up!

[Dr Spaceman]

Settle people no ones going goal or being charged it was a stupid prank by a young immature male who was probably full of sauce. Yes it was a ridiculous thing to do but the media love beating things like this up!

Lucky we didn't hurl him towards some skittles or shoot him out of a canon

[joffaboy]

Settle people no ones going goal or being charged it was a stupid prank by a young immature male who was probably full of sauce. Yes it was a ridiculous thing to do but the media love beating things like this up!

Lucky we didn't hurl him towards some skittles or shoot him out of a canon

Much funnier and less distasteful when you set them on fire first.

[markinUSA]

I'm contacting the press and offering to give a disability rights perspective on this matter. I am 100% certain on this; I've seen it many times before... this is not just unacceptable; it's not just abuse; it's criminal and its got to be condemned.

[matrix]

What?
How many dwarfs have you seen get set on fire ffs?!!!!

[joffaboy]

I'm contacting the press and offering to give a disability rights perspective on this matter. I am 100% certain on this; I've seen it many times before... this is not just unacceptable; it's not just abuse; it's criminal and its got to be condemned.

So you know all the facts?

Good on you BFUSA, you might even get your name in the paper.

Contact Neil Mitchell, he loves this sort of stuff.

[Eastern]

I think I'll just wait until ALL the facts are known before passing judgement !!

[joffaboy]

I think I'll just wait until ALL the facts are known before passing judgement !!

C'mon Eastern, thats not the spirit.

Hang, draw, and quarter, not just the dumb bastard who thought it was a good idea to set cloths on fire, but the whole STKFC.

Why do you need all the facts?

[magnifisaint]

How do we know it was a player?

[Life Long Saint]

I'm contacting the press and offering to give a disability rights perspective on this matter. I am 100% certain on this; I've seen it many times before... this is not just unacceptable; it's not just abuse; it's criminal and its got to be condemned.

Perhaps you can tell us all the entire story first.
Better yet, write a book on the incident and we can all read about it.

[SuperDuper]

Cant see how anyone can find a way of defending this. Iv been pissed after our local side winning GF and havent even seen a fight let alaon lighting another person clothes especially a person who has been invited into to the club to do a gig. Its actually pathetic and no wonder some people just laugh at our club.

Spot on Plugger. I don't know the full story but It another opportunity created by the absolute stupidity of a small number of players to laugh and cause embarrassment to our club. I know entertainers put them selves out there but what moron thinks its funny or even slightly ok to set anyone on fire.

Agree guys. Really annoying. The club was highly praised for the way it conduted itself on Saturday and within a couple of days all the good undone. It is extremely frustrating.

3 points:

1. it seems several people were setting fire to several other people. Not a good idea. But it was not some anti dwarf thing. It was drunken idiots doing something that is "funny".... until it ends in an "accident" and is no longer funny at all... we have all seen it at some stage in our lives...

2. The club should have a couple of people there who do not drink and can have a quiet word to people who do this sort of teenage thing... a lot of these guys probably have not drank excessively in a long time and dont acclimatise to drinking as much as some of us (we know there are exceptions to this!) so some just dont handle alcohol well... have someone there! They do not have to be overbearing. Be subtle about it. Cross to management on this.

3. Demetiou has gotten involved now. His laughing fit means he is in a jam. if he does nothing it may emphasise that he was insensitive.. but if he does anythung it will just appear to be a reaction to his own behaviour and an attempt to save himself by cracking down on the saints... I dont think this is a good situation for the saints to be in and this could get bigger than it deserves... it could also be the start of the end for Demetriou....

[fingers]

Looks like the AFL are taking it very seriously.

[maverick]

I'm contacting the press and offering to give a disability rights perspective on this matter. I am 100% certain on this; I've seen it many times before... this is not just unacceptable; it's not just abuse; it's criminal and its got to be condemned.

Why don't you contact Vic Police, why go the classic US media route?

[Dis Believer]

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."

Right - so "dwarf my party" is a movement about reinforcing their dignity is it???

What a lot of sanctimonius drivel. Here is a show based around the size of the performers - that's its catch. A group of pissed blokes (who just happen to be footballers, and not behaving a lot differently from most bucks turns) were reported to be messing around with a lighter trying to set EACHOTHERS costumes on fire. Sounds to me like the enterntainer got a little too close to the audience, not like he was targeted because of his height. But his height is apparently going to be the centre point of the story in the press because it's an attention grabber for the masses. As a side issue is being especially short actually categorised as a disability?

[Moods]

I'm contacting the press and offering to give a disability rights perspective on this matter. I am 100% certain on this; I've seen it many times before... this is not just unacceptable; it's not just abuse; it's criminal and its got to be condemned.

Are you taking the piss?

[Bluthy]

I've got everything crossed that this has been beaten up and will blow over but here's the cost of one day's worth of idiotic drunken shenanigans:

- Lead items on the news, papers and footy shows
-- Journos now on the hunt for all the facts
-- Club having to investigate and do damage control when it should be focusing on recruiting and preseason plans
-- Reading the comments from the mans friend about his humiliation - he will sue the club and good on him. If I was set alight while working I would take them for everything I could. Hopefully it can be settled out of court with confidentially agreements to stop a tell all. This could cost the club 100,000's.
-- After yet another scandalled plagued year we needed a quiet off-season to get back some credibility in the comp.
-- Reinforcment to the young players that this is a "muckup" club.
-- You think sponsors enjoy seeing "Dwarf set on fire by St Kilda player" headlines. Some may want to get out of this club. Hope the board can do some quick talking

We need supporters to start getting on their high horse instead of being content to roll around in the mud.

[Life Long Saint]

Looks like the AFL are taking it very seriously.

Fair enough, too.

As it was stated.
It was an accident.
No one was hurt.
Blake (the dwarf) was not targeted.
Move on.

The big question, though is...If it had of been a player's clothing accidentally set alight and extinguished would the dwarves have found it funny? I'm tipping they would. I'm tipping they would have thought, stupid, drunk footballers...

[joffaboy]

Just got some inside news from a police contact.

Really bad....

could be a lot worse than first thought...

the news is...

both dwarfs were wearing lifts in their shoes

[Life Long Saint]

I'm contacting the press and offering to give a disability rights perspective on this matter. I am 100% certain on this; I've seen it many times before... this is not just unacceptable; it's not just abuse; it's criminal and its got to be condemned.

Are you taking the piss?

Not if the PM I received after my post in response to his is any guide.

[dragit]

But the clubs with good cultures curtail the extremes of the said wankers - such as setting fire to people (allegedly)

Greatest myth ever… tell me who these clubs are with good cultures & I will reel off a list of disturbing incidents…

Every football club has dickheads, always have been, always will be, just like a cross-section of society… the difference is, when they stuff up, it becomes a news story.

Some clubs are better at hiding indiscretions than others, probably the biggest factor in how much bad publicity StKilda gets.

I'm not defending the ridiculous actions of these guys, but I am not surprised either.

footballers ≠ good people