Tomkins

[Southern Softy]

Well, I'm hardly going to repeat them because that would be rather missing the point. Certainly Medlocke's posts were rude and the comment about drawing salary and sitting on a phone was unnecessary. It's not just this thread but others where a stack of abuse was heaped on Sam (one of the GF threads, ostensibly about Sarge comes to mind)and it seems as if players are being lined up one at a time to come in for not just criticism about their performance in a match (or matches) but about them personally. SOL & Matty Smith have come in for personal comments. Compare it to Gelling and FPN, where the criticism has been for what happened (or didn't happen) on the field.
I wish posters would pause and think a bit before they post - I know that might miss the point about this being an instant response forum but it's not very pleasant reading sometimes.
I guess the criterion might be - would you boo the player on the field or if he is in the stands? If not, then think twice before you post.

[Wigan_forever1985]

but he is drawing a huge salary sat in the stands and quite often when the camera has cut to him he has been on his phone - the phone comment is neither here nor there the fact of the matter is he is in the stands not on the pitch.

I don't think anything that is being said is personal apart from a few comments about Sam's attitude which is very poor on the pitch and certainly if i were coach id be telling him to shut it.

Forums are about debate and players will come in for abuse especially high paid ones, its parr for the course, happens in every sport and indeed in every walk of life if you're paid more at work expect more attention to be drawn if you are caught not working or off sick a lot.

[Wintergreen]

Well, I'm hardly going to repeat them because that would be rather missing the point. Certainly Medlocke's posts were rude and the comment about drawing salary and sitting on a phone was unnecessary. It's not just this thread but others where a stack of abuse was heaped on Sam (one of the GF threads, ostensibly about Sarge comes to mind)and it seems as if players are being lined up one at a time to come in for not just criticism about their performance in a match (or matches) but about them personally. SOL & Matty Smith have come in for personal comments. Compare it to Gelling and FPN, where the criticism has been for what happened (or didn't happen) on the field.
I wish posters would pause and think a bit before they post - I know that might miss the point about this being an instant response forum but it's not very pleasant reading sometimes.
I guess the criterion might be - would you boo the player on the field or if he is in the stands? If not, then think twice before you post.

SS, seriously that is what forums are about. For people to express their opinions.

Their opinions may be based on factually incorrect information, in which case people have every right to point this out.

Ultimately though they are their opinions. If you can't accept that, then I'm not sure an online forum is for you.

Let me elaborate a little.

If I said "Sam T is a *****" then that would be my opinion. Not a very impressive post, indeed people might (rightly) say "crap post, noted for future posts", but it's an opinion.

However, if I said "Sam T is a waste of money because of X, Y and Z" then I would feel perfectly entitled to post that. People are more than welcome to challenge X, Y and Z, indeed that would be a fundamental reason for my post, to hear alternative views and interpretations, to help me decide if my original position needed changing or not.

It would be a very dull forum if everyone agreed with everyone.

[jobo]

I've still not forgotten the uncalled for stick he gave Bilko.

What did he say about Bilko WW? The last thing Bilko is is controversial, he just speaks the truth usually

Bilko spoke about it being an awful, awful season. Sam had a little dig after the GF, saying something along the lines of, I hope Saturday wasn't too embarrassing for you and fingers crossed, next year is better than this awful, awful season.

Nothing much to it imo, certainly not the vitriol that he's been met with from some quarters.

It would probably have been better if he'd kept quiet but that's social media for you.

[Wandering Warrior]

OK - got it now. It's fine for us to be rude about players and make slighting comments but it's outrageous for a player to respond to comments made about him.
That all makes perfect sense. How about getting that nice Donald Trump in as a Forum mascot?

The comment by bilko wasn't made about ST but the team in general.
My gripe with him is that you come back crocked from NZ as top earner and fail to live up to expectations, then 'hurt yourself', I use that term loosely given rumour and innuendo, thus missing another pre season, and choose to draw attention to yourself by having a public pop at a "known" is an act of numbness in the extreme.
We still await a returning prodigal son to return to past glories, I stated I would wait and see on ST next year before I write him off, however I seriously doubt that the situation will improve given the latest vibes from the club?
Please clarify any rudeness in that and hope my comments help?

[Wandering Warrior]

I've still not forgotten the uncalled for stick he gave Bilko.

What did he say about Bilko WW? The last thing Bilko is is controversial, he just speaks the truth usually

Bilko spoke about it being an awful, awful season. Sam had a little dig after the GF, saying something along the lines of, I hope Saturday wasn't too embarrassing for you and fingers crossed, next year is better than this awful, awful season.

Nothing much to it imo, certainly not the vitriol that he's been met with from some quarters.

It would probably have been better if he'd kept quiet but that's social media for you.

Unfortunately ST'S comments to Bilko resulted in the latter getting grief from other fans, indeed I got involved with one half wit which I mentioned in another post.
As I said at the time, why not have a word in private? We all know the line "I hang on every word you say", some take that rightly or wrongly as gospel when said by their hero. That is another part of my gripe.
Anyway who knows when he'll pull a shirt on again?

[The booze hound]

What did he say about Bilko WW? The last thing Bilko is is controversial, he just speaks the truth usually

Bilko spoke about it being an awful, awful season. Sam had a little dig after the GF, saying something along the lines of, I hope Saturday wasn't too embarrassing for you and fingers crossed, next year is better than this awful, awful season.

Nothing much to it imo, certainly not the vitriol that he's been met with from some quarters.

It would probably have been better if he'd kept quiet but that's social media for you.

Unfortunately ST'S comments to Bilko resulted in the latter getting grief from other fans, indeed I got involved with one half wit which I mentioned in another post.
As I said at the time, why not have a word in private? We all know the line "I hang on every word you say", some take that rightly or wrongly as gospel when said by their hero. That is another part of my gripe.
Anyway who knows when he'll pull a shirt on again?

Sam WAS an amazing talent. World class. Injuries have changed his game and his future potential. He, IMO, needs to knuckle down and work harder than ever before if he wants to be anywhere close to his pre-injury self. I just hope his ego doesn't become greater than his ability to play rugby. Another lack of a pre-season will not help his cause.

[Wandering Warrior]

Think you mentioned what his big problem is there. Needs to get a grip and buckle down and try not to live on past glories.

[medlocke]

Well, I'm hardly going to repeat them because that would be rather missing the point. Certainly Medlocke's posts were rude and the comment about drawing salary and sitting on a phone was unnecessary. It's not just this thread but others where a stack of abuse was heaped on Sam (one of the GF threads, ostensibly about Sarge comes to mind)and it seems as if players are being lined up one at a time to come in for not just criticism about their performance in a match (or matches) but about them personally. SOL & Matty Smith have come in for personal comments. Compare it to Gelling and FPN, where the criticism has been for what happened (or didn't happen) on the field.
I wish posters would pause and think a bit before they post - I know that might miss the point about this being an instant response forum but it's not very pleasant reading sometimes.
I guess the criterion might be - would you boo the player on the field or if he is in the stands? If not, then think twice before you post.

Which ones where rude?

[DaveO]

Unfortunately ST'S comments to Bilko resulted in the latter getting grief from other fans, indeed I got involved with one half wit which I mentioned in another post.
As I said at the time, why not have a word in private? We all know the line "I hang on every word you say", some take that rightly or wrongly as gospel when said by their hero. That is another part of my gripe.

Exactly. The bit in bold is why those same "heroes" need to think twice before having a pop at fans on social media. It can have wider consequences than fans having a pop at the players or fans arguing amongst themselves.

Players just have to take the stick I am afraid. It goes with the territory. If fans disagreed with Bilko I am sure they said so at the time.

And the time is important. Bilko's comments were made five weeks before the GF and up until that time bar a few good games the season had been pretty much as he described.

For Sam to then drag apost up from five weeks ago to score a point, taking the post out of context to boot, was childish.

If you followed the twitter conversation you would see several fans responded saying Sam was out of order to which Sam himself responded "Am I not allowed to defend myself" or a similar comment. So he was actually having a go at Bilko, not just ribbing him which in my opinion just made matters worse.

Bilko also mentioned his Dad was seriously ill in his response to Sam and so despite someone clearly commenting while at a low ebb (to put it mildly) Sam still couldn't resist.

So all in all a pretty poor show from Sam and a good example why players need to think twice before engaging in social media. It certainly hasn't done Sam's standing much good with quite a few fans who now, even subconsciously, won't be so forgiving if future performances are not so good.