The " Standards " issue !

Todd Carney is a broken man.   This twenty-eight year old Cronulla Sharks star has been sacked by his club and Rugby League has made it clear that he will not be allowed to join another club in the League.  Other sporting codes had also slammed their doors in his face, and it looks like his playing career is over.  From a financial point of view, this will cost him about three million dollars.

There is no doubt that Carney has talent.  He is what is called a " play maker " -  a player who is constantly " reading " the state of play and seizing the opportunity to start a scoring move when the opportunity presents itself.    He has many followers who attend games simply because of his brilliance on the field - but he also has a sorry history that has seen him sacked in disgrace from three League clubs.

The reason he has been given his marching orders from Cronulla stems from a picture that appeared on Facebook.    It seems that Carney was socialising at a club when in the men's room the subject of what is called " The Fountain " arose.    This seems to be a form of insanity from a movie called " Jackass " in which bizarre actions are performed in the search for humour.

Carney performed the " Fountain " for the amusement of his friends.   This consists of directing the urine stream upwards and leaning forward, enabling him to catch the urine in his mouth.   It seems that one of his friends had the ever present Smartphone in his hand - recorded the event - and it was soon attracting a high volume of " hits " on Facebook.

Rugby League immediately took offense at what it called a grave departure from " standards " !   The League has been plagued by well paid young men with high levels of testosterone drinking to excess and bringing the game into disrepute.   Players are role models and in recent years the League has come down harshly on sex scandals, drunken brawling and any act that attracts adverse media attention.   Todd Carney has been at the forefront of a long string of such scandals - and this was deemed to be " the last straw " !

Public reaction to the " Fountain " incident will be mixed.   Most will think it  repulsive , dirty or a long list of derogatory words, but some will find it funny.   Others will note that it was not Carney that put this picture on Facebook.   If it was a friend, he probably had no idea the storm and financial loss he was putting in motion.
It also raises the dangers of the world we now live in.

There are few who do not live with an active smartphone in their hand every hour of the day - and that instrument has a camera.   Couple that with the host of social media outlets that seem to be " impulsive viewing " for millions of people - and you have an explosive mix.

Carney pushed the limits once too often - and now he is paying the price.  Many people will have sympathy for him, and imposing a final and world wide ban on playing further sport is certainly an extreme punishment. It will have others who make their money on the sporting field take a more cautious approach to where - and with whom - they conduct their social life !