In order for our sport to be viewed as a sport by the public, allowing it to be embraced into the mainstream, there are serious issues which need to be addressed.
i am not talking about format, or any of the problems discussed by people like Robbo and Nick on these forums, i am talking about something which is far easier to fix, which would allow widespread media interaction to unprecedented levels in this great sport.
I observed at Huntingdon, a lady who was impressed by the action, and intensity of the games, but appaled at the language that could be heard from those around her. For the first time, i fully understood what she was referring to , the language of everyone, watching, playing and generaly in the area was foul! This may have been an acceptable aspect of the game when the Tournaments around the world were only attended by 'ballers, but MUST stop if fathers on a weekend afternoon decide to take the family down to a local tourney to watch, only to be disgusted by what their children are exposed to.
If Chuck is after media interaction, and television, and outside industry sponsors , which i know he is because i had a brief chat with him recently, then the game must be seen to be 'squeky clean', as cameras and mikes pick up EVERYTHING. Nobody wants the sport to suffer becasue of this inability to broadcast the games during midday times because the language content is X rated. Even fellow Pros were screaming obscenities after and during the games to vent anger and show displeasure.
Even flicking through a copy of PGI at the moment, the language in sections, is not the kind of thing that mothers want their kids to read, what kind of image does this put accross to the youth of the sport, and anyone else who happens to flick through the mag on a news stand? People should know better, as should the people on these forums who happily throw around obscenities at each other, either ignorant or unwilling to act responsibly.
Now i am no saint, and have to blown my top at descisions that have gone against my team, and things like that, but i am making a special effort to be more restrained for the benefit of the sport, and so should all of you.
If this does not change, then the sport will never be embraced into the mainstream, and will be left to languish by the side of the highway, collecting dust, and stagnating!
Thoughts please
i am not talking about format, or any of the problems discussed by people like Robbo and Nick on these forums, i am talking about something which is far easier to fix, which would allow widespread media interaction to unprecedented levels in this great sport.
I observed at Huntingdon, a lady who was impressed by the action, and intensity of the games, but appaled at the language that could be heard from those around her. For the first time, i fully understood what she was referring to , the language of everyone, watching, playing and generaly in the area was foul! This may have been an acceptable aspect of the game when the Tournaments around the world were only attended by 'ballers, but MUST stop if fathers on a weekend afternoon decide to take the family down to a local tourney to watch, only to be disgusted by what their children are exposed to.
If Chuck is after media interaction, and television, and outside industry sponsors , which i know he is because i had a brief chat with him recently, then the game must be seen to be 'squeky clean', as cameras and mikes pick up EVERYTHING. Nobody wants the sport to suffer becasue of this inability to broadcast the games during midday times because the language content is X rated. Even fellow Pros were screaming obscenities after and during the games to vent anger and show displeasure.
Even flicking through a copy of PGI at the moment, the language in sections, is not the kind of thing that mothers want their kids to read, what kind of image does this put accross to the youth of the sport, and anyone else who happens to flick through the mag on a news stand? People should know better, as should the people on these forums who happily throw around obscenities at each other, either ignorant or unwilling to act responsibly.
Now i am no saint, and have to blown my top at descisions that have gone against my team, and things like that, but i am making a special effort to be more restrained for the benefit of the sport, and so should all of you.
If this does not change, then the sport will never be embraced into the mainstream, and will be left to languish by the side of the highway, collecting dust, and stagnating!
Thoughts please
