New Sydney Swans captain Craig Bolton - not just a beefcake with a big ego
February 20th 2008 01:06
Despite the fact that I am only too quick to lose my cool should women be stereotyped in any way including stupid, hysterical, bad drivers or sexual objects I am, I confess, flawed when it comes to stereotypes in reverse. For instance, I am prone to the assumption that men who play sports are – I guess there is no easy way to say this – stupid.
I battle to appreciate the point, never mind the waste of precious time, involved in chasing a ball around a field. When it comes to men in long white pants standing for DAYS on a pitch, counting runs… let’s not even go there (these people clearly don’t have laundry or housework to do).
I have, for my erudition, a husband who is a sports fanatic, who has succeeded in turning my son into one too. I have, for my sins, a study that overlooks the Coogee Oval where on any given Saturday or Sunday, games are played, with annoying cheers from the crowds. My husband has, with painstaking grace, tried to explain the rules of rugby, cricket (I think I get soccer), I even know what LBW stands for, though have no idea what it actually means (and please, don’t even THINK of leaving a comment here explaining it.)
This stereotype has, unfortunately been confirmed over the years by reports of various sports stars harassing, assaulting and abusing women, being caught drink driving, and engaging in a range of behaviours you’d expect from seditious teenagers with more testosterone than common sense. I do not believe in valorizing sports stars, much as I don’t support the whole cult of obsessing over other kinds of celebrities. (I mean I REALLY don’t care who Paris Hilton is bonking, whether Suri is the result of surrogacy, alien invasion or idiocy nor how much weight Oprah has put on or lost).
However, my husband has, on occasion, pointed out that various sports heroes are – good, decent… even at times, clever people. There are those who use their status to raise money for children’s charities, others who speak out against violence against women, some who try to educate the public about depression. They’re not all just beefcakes with outstanding gross motor skills.
So when a player in the Sydney Swans moved in next door to us a few years ago, I didn’t get the fuss. My son did. He was beside himself. CRAIG BOLTON is moving in next door!!!! I met the fellow, a very well-mannered charming young man from Brisbane who engaged with the effusive fawning of fans (mostly my husband) and the requests to sign various body parts, t-shirts and balls with good natured humour.
Okay, so this is where my education about sports heroes really began. What truly surprised me, were the few conversations I had with Craig as we pulled up next to one another in our side-by-side driveways. Not only is he a modest and down-to-earth guy, he’s … smart. He told me about his studies, about how he wanted to have something to fall back on when his sports career was over. The more he spoke, the more my perception of what sports heroes are supposed to be like, got knocked back. He even asked to read my first novel. (Sports heroes read?) And when he returned the book with a lovely note about the book, indicating that he had, in fact, read it, I felt, well, a little ashamed. (Sports heroes can write?)
When we had to move out of our last home, my son refused point blank. ‘I don’t want to move away from Craig Bolton,’ he declared. But we did.
And since then, I have, if I am to be truthful, watched the occasional AFL match where the Sydney Swans play and have surprised myself with the odd screech from the couch when Craig saves or scores. And though I don’t ‘get’ it, I have a particular interest in seeing Craig Bolton do well, being such a nice fella ‘n all with an ego very much smaller than his biceps.
So when he was recently made captain of the Sydney Swans, I was, I admit, overjoyed, if only because he’s been recognized by his peers as such a nice fella ‘n all, with a bigger heart and brain than his biceps. (Have I mentioned his biceps?)
I bumped into him walking his dog yesterday in Coogee and could barely contain my excitement when I congratulated him. ‘I couldn’t think of a better bloke for the job,’ I said, having absolutely no idea what the job involves nor who the other candidates might have been, given that he’s the only Sydney Swan I know or give a toss about.
But, ok, I’m going public with it: not all sports heroes are boorish, ego-maniacs. Some of them, are rather great role models for what a combination of intelligence, modesty and great biceps on a man can yield.
www.joannefedler.com
I battle to appreciate the point, never mind the waste of precious time, involved in chasing a ball around a field. When it comes to men in long white pants standing for DAYS on a pitch, counting runs… let’s not even go there (these people clearly don’t have laundry or housework to do).
I have, for my erudition, a husband who is a sports fanatic, who has succeeded in turning my son into one too. I have, for my sins, a study that overlooks the Coogee Oval where on any given Saturday or Sunday, games are played, with annoying cheers from the crowds. My husband has, with painstaking grace, tried to explain the rules of rugby, cricket (I think I get soccer), I even know what LBW stands for, though have no idea what it actually means (and please, don’t even THINK of leaving a comment here explaining it.)
This stereotype has, unfortunately been confirmed over the years by reports of various sports stars harassing, assaulting and abusing women, being caught drink driving, and engaging in a range of behaviours you’d expect from seditious teenagers with more testosterone than common sense. I do not believe in valorizing sports stars, much as I don’t support the whole cult of obsessing over other kinds of celebrities. (I mean I REALLY don’t care who Paris Hilton is bonking, whether Suri is the result of surrogacy, alien invasion or idiocy nor how much weight Oprah has put on or lost).
So when a player in the Sydney Swans moved in next door to us a few years ago, I didn’t get the fuss. My son did. He was beside himself. CRAIG BOLTON is moving in next door!!!! I met the fellow, a very well-mannered charming young man from Brisbane who engaged with the effusive fawning of fans (mostly my husband) and the requests to sign various body parts, t-shirts and balls with good natured humour.
Okay, so this is where my education about sports heroes really began. What truly surprised me, were the few conversations I had with Craig as we pulled up next to one another in our side-by-side driveways. Not only is he a modest and down-to-earth guy, he’s … smart. He told me about his studies, about how he wanted to have something to fall back on when his sports career was over. The more he spoke, the more my perception of what sports heroes are supposed to be like, got knocked back. He even asked to read my first novel. (Sports heroes read?) And when he returned the book with a lovely note about the book, indicating that he had, in fact, read it, I felt, well, a little ashamed. (Sports heroes can write?)
Craig Bolton in action
When we had to move out of our last home, my son refused point blank. ‘I don’t want to move away from Craig Bolton,’ he declared. But we did.
And since then, I have, if I am to be truthful, watched the occasional AFL match where the Sydney Swans play and have surprised myself with the odd screech from the couch when Craig saves or scores. And though I don’t ‘get’ it, I have a particular interest in seeing Craig Bolton do well, being such a nice fella ‘n all with an ego very much smaller than his biceps.
So when he was recently made captain of the Sydney Swans, I was, I admit, overjoyed, if only because he’s been recognized by his peers as such a nice fella ‘n all, with a bigger heart and brain than his biceps. (Have I mentioned his biceps?)
I bumped into him walking his dog yesterday in Coogee and could barely contain my excitement when I congratulated him. ‘I couldn’t think of a better bloke for the job,’ I said, having absolutely no idea what the job involves nor who the other candidates might have been, given that he’s the only Sydney Swan I know or give a toss about.
But, ok, I’m going public with it: not all sports heroes are boorish, ego-maniacs. Some of them, are rather great role models for what a combination of intelligence, modesty and great biceps on a man can yield.
www.joannefedler.com
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