Archive for December, 2021

DID SPORT BUY A CASTLE BUILT ON SAND?

Monday, December 13th, 2021

Raelene Castle’s made great play of her experience during her application to become CEO of Sport New Zealand. This is what she told “Locker Room” in an interview shortly after her appointment.

“But that’s where you hope your experience comes to the fore because you have faced similar changes before.”

Given the shambles of Olivia Podmore’s death, Alan Thompson’s impeachment and my judicial hearing, I resolved to check out the experience of Ms Castle. Had it equipped her handle business problems or was she a castle built on sand – “and it fell, and great was the fall of it?”

The best indicator of Castle’s reaction to stress is found in the case of her handling of the Israel Folau dispute when she was CEO of Rugby Australia. The most balanced report on what went on in that case was published in “The Sydney Morning Herald”.

This delightful paragraph summarises the paper’s position:

How can she (that’s Castle) sack a player on “principle”, preach about the importance of “inclusiveness”, talk about her code “standing for something”, insist that Rugby Australia has “a strong legal footing” … and then slither out the back door of mediation for the sake of “moving on”?

“The Sydney Morning Herald” expanded on that general theme with the following clarifications:

She took over from the gibbery Bill Pulver and the general consensus at the time was things couldn’t get any worse for rugby. Somehow, on her watch, they have. She should never have re-signed Folau to a $5 million, four-year deal after he had made a series of anti-gay social media posts. Sure, she’d buggered a few things up. She’d sacked Folau before speaking to him. She didn’t insist on a social media clause in his contract.

So why did Castle and Rugby Australia roll over and settle with Folau? Why did they apologise? If they were right, if they had come this far, why not take it to the end of the line? Once again, Castle didn’t make the tough call of taking the matter to court. Even if Folau won, she’d have left with her head held high. If you start a fight like this, you have to finish it.”

Wow – doesn’t that speak volumes. It is basically saying Castle chickens out. Her preferred option is to pay in the hope the problem will go away. She dresses that up with terms like “providing certainly” and insurance will cover most of the cost, but that is all lipstick on a pig. She screwed up and in the Folau case was happy to roll-over and have Rugby Australia pay to get her out of a hole.

The lessons as they apply to Podmore, Thompson and my case are clear. Stick to what is right. Sport New Zealand will make offers and come up with plastic bags of money – anything to avoid being held responsible for the stuff-ups that caused the problem. At least from what I can see, that is the experience Castle has made so much of after her appointment to Sport New Zealand. After all Sport New Zealand have already paid Podmore $20,000 “hush money”. At least that was what Podmore and her friends were calling it. Folau all over again.

In other words, hold Castle responsible for Podmore’s death. Make her carry the can for Thompson’s impeachment. Eventually her experience with Folau has taught us she will roll over and pay – especially if it saves her own skin. Use that knowledge, benefit from it, because as sure as God made little green apples, she would hang you out to dry if the boot was on the other foot.    

And so, what did Sport New Zealand buy when it hired Raelene Castle? An Australian cast-off? Probably. Another foreign failure? There is that concern. The scriptures (slightly modified) in Matthew explain it better than me:

A foolish man built his castle on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that castle, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

However, whatever you do, whatever the outcome you know Castle will tell the world its purpose was to achieve “the maximum impact against its strategic outcomes.” She tried to convince Australia that was her Folau victory. They didn’t believe her and within weeks she was here hunting for New Zealand’s top job in sport. And she got it. Clearly you can fool some of the people all the time.

FULL OF S**T

Sunday, December 12th, 2021

The first sentence of the first page of the Sport New Zealand web page says:

“Sport NZ invests in ways that will achieve maximum impact against its strategic outcomes.”

Please for all that’s good in the world, what does that mean? Did we pay to have someone write that stuff? I suppose we must have. It is the product of a government agency paid for by the New Zealand taxpayer. Is it supposed to impress? Do they really think New Zealand wants to do business with people who produce such claptrap?

But the most upsetting feature of a sentence like that is the symbolism of what it represents. While swimmers are struggling with blood oozing from chlorine burns, while runners are close to exhaustion near the summit of the Waitakere Ranges and while Olivia Podmore was preparing to die, some Wellington bureaucrat worked out that their most important contribution to New Zealand sport was to invent the phrase, “maximum impact against its strategic outcomes.”

The CEO and Australian born, Raelene Castle, must think that is a cool way to communicate. I’ve been the CEO of a couple of big companies and would never have allowed that appalling communication. But Raelene has. What does it say about the most senior bureaucrat in New Zealand sport? What does it tell us about the person?

I note she has a long-term property developer boyfriend. Perhaps he is one of the few with sufficient learnings leverage to understand Raelene checking in to see if he is prepared to buy-in to her reaching out for some meaningful, strategic input going forward. Should they punt or take it to the next level? I can see how a property developer is probably one of the few that would be empowered by her robust thinking outside the box.  

In an interview Castle did with “Locker Room” shortly after accepting the CEO role at Sport New Zealand she said, “There’s a role that Sport NZ plays in being part of a sector that can deliver great outcomes for New Zealanders, particularly young people.” So far Castle’s principal “great outcome” has been the death of a leading cyclist.

Castle’s handling of that event was indecisive at best. Some, less generous than me, would call it a crass cover-up. She appears to be gun-shy from the chaos that surrounded her departure from Australian Rugby. Lack of courage is a major problem for the CEO of Sport New Zealand.

Castle also told the “Locker Room” that her biggest challenge will be creating a legacy for young women. That is something she doesn’t need to worry about. Already, Olivia Podmore’s death is a Castle legacy. That event will forever be linked to Castle’s time at Sport New Zealand. It will never be forgotten.

Finally, in her “Locker Room” interview Castle addressed the blizzard of investigations into New Zealand sport. Many, possibly even all, the investigations were about the welfare of female athletes. Castle’s response was to say, “There are some (some! she must be joking) investigations underway, and when I get a full briefing then I will get up to speed with them. But that’s where you hope your experience comes to the fore because you have faced similar changes before.”

I’m not sure what experience she is talking about. There has been little evidence of anything worthwhile yet in New Zealand. The stain on her organisation left by the blood of Olivia Podmore will never be repaired. Olivia’s death happened on Castle’s watch. The buck stops, as it should, at Castle’s desk. Grant Robertson’s report to parliament should say, “Since my last report, Raelene has reached rock bottom and has started to dig.”

THE TERRORIST NATION

Friday, December 10th, 2021

America has an impressive history of invading other people’s countries. The civilian deaths caused by American aggression have been huge. Most studies conclude that since WW2 America has invaded about 200 countries. I don’t know the deaths America has caused in total but here are some stunning numbers.

War Deaths
Korean 5.0 million
Vietnam 3.1 million
Afghanistan 0.2 million
Iraq 0.7 million
TOTAL 9.0 million

Nine million, almost twice the population of New Zealand, killed by America in 56 years. Ask any American though who is the worst terrorist in that period, and you would almost certainly be told Osama Bin Laden. 3000 killed on 9/11 puts him close to the top of any terrorist list. We do need to remember though that America has been killing more than that number every week for the past 56 years.

Measured in deaths, the worst terrorist by a huge margin is the United States of America.

Given how good America has been at killing the citizens of other countries, it is ironic how quick Americans are to chastise foreigners for human right’s violations. And it doesn’t seem to matter whether the US President is a Democrat or a Republican. Both have a blind spot when it comes to judging others. There is certainly nothing Christian about America’s approach to moral judgement.

Remember when Jimmy Carter got all bitter and twisted about Russia’s efforts to bring the Afghanistan Taliban under control. Secretary of State Cyrus Vance said, “Let me make my government’s position clear. We will oppose the participation of an American team in any Olympic Games in the capital of an invading nation.” If that was even remotely true, there should have been no Olympics in Los Angeles or Atlanta. The hypocrisy is beyond measure. Especially as America was about to spend 20 years invading Afghanistan. It is impossible to respect any country that behaves like that.

And now Biden is up to the same tricks. He is considering a U.S. diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympic games in Beijing to protest China’s treatment of its Uyghur Muslim minority. I have little knowledge of what is happening to the Uyghur minority. Biden’s reaction though is typical American thoughtless aggression. It will not work. If the Uyghur need help an Olympic diplomatic boycott is of no use. And secondly America is brilliant at the pot calling the kettle black. Biden’s time would be better spent sorting out why he killed a carload of Afghan children recently and why the Black minority in his country are killed at a 2.8 times higher rate than whites.    

Biden might also like to check out why murders per million people are 4 times higher in self-righteous America (42.01) than in China (10.02). Incidentally, New Zealand’s rate per million is 8.85. And so, it seems in terms of how to successfully kill members of its domestic population, America has China and New Zealand well beaten.

With all the data pointing towards America being the world’s leading foreign and domestic terrorist, American Presidents should think twice about preaching to China or New Zealand. But not the Americans. In they go boots and all – sending aircraft carriers to the China Sea, practicing an invasion of China on the beaches of Taiwan and pushing for a diplomatic boycott of the China Winter Games. The American thought process is beyond belief.

China would have to murder an additional 42,000 Uyghur every year just to match the murder rate considered normal in America.

My disgust at American imperialism should not be misunderstood. I also recognise the value of America protecting the freedoms we enjoy. For example, in the 1970’s Alison and I were touring track meets in Zurich, Berlin and Cologne. Alison was running well. She had run a PB 1500 in Zurich (4.11), a New Zealand record 1000 in Berlin (2.38) and was set to compete in the 800 in Cologne. On the drive through East Germany from Berlin to Cologne we were stopped by the East German police. They demanded DM100. I took one look at their machine guns and paid up. The thought of spending time in an East German jail was all the incentive I needed. A few hours later we arrived at the East/West border. Flying over the border were three flags – West Germany, Great Britain and the United States. You have no idea the relief offered by the two foreign flags. They signified freedom in a way I had never appreciated. For that I am sincerely grateful.    

An aspect of American imperialism that is embarrassing is the extent to which Australia will go to grovel at the feet of their American master. Australia’s Prime Minister is a creep. He cheats on France to curry favour. He is prepared to run the wrath of China to stay in America’s good books. Even though he knows America is the most murderous nation in world history. Even though he knows China could learn about torture from Australia’s treatment of minorities in boats off the coast of Brisbane.

Come to think of it, why is the UK playing cricket against a country with such an appalling human rights record. Hasn’t the MCC heard about the “white Australia policy”? Isn’t Boris Johnson aware of the Australian citizen and her two children being stripped of their nationality and shipped to New Zealand? Surely someone has explained the disgusting treatment handed out to the Aboriginals. A minimum of 40,000 Indigenous Australians were murdered in the Australian land wars.

 And that ignores their constant cheating when Australia does get to play sport – yellow sandpaper, underarm bowling, Australians can’t lie straight in bed. Certainly, a cast iron case for a boycott. But oh no, Australians are white. And that excuses everything.

Thankfully New Zealand has a Prime Minister who plots an independent course. The Olympic policy New Zealand has announced is a good one. We should stick to our current position even if it does ruffle feathers in Washington and Canberra. Better to be small and honest that big and fraudulent.

A FASCINATING MONSTER

Wednesday, December 8th, 2021

Some political commentators never tell the truth. Mike Hoskin and Heather du Plessis-Allan are New Zealand’s best examples of dishonesty, lies and fake news. No one should be conned into believing the bile they spread across the country.

From the minute they turn on their microphones to the minute they are thankfully silenced for the day, Jacinda’s sins are debated ad nauseam.

Most of you will have seen those tankers farmers drive around their fields, spraying cow poo, hundreds of feet in the air. I’m sure it’s great for the grass. But for human beings caught downwind on a stormy day, it is just a shower of shit. I’ve misjudged the spread on two occasions. Both times Alison asked, “What’s that smell? Have you been listening to News Talk ZB again?”

Of course, the election of a new National Party leader has caused an effusive Hoskin and du Plessis-Allan celebration. There is clearly no need for New Zealand to have a general election next year. The endorsement of 33 National MPs at last week’s caucus meeting is all the democracy Hoskin and du Plessis-Allan think we need.

Didn’t we see the anointed one, Luxon, drive 150 metres from his apartment to parliament, the day after his ascension? What more evidence do we need? Wasn’t the picture of pensioners on electric mobility scooters spreading palms in the path of the black Mercedes enough? Jacinda may have been born in a manger but the arrival of Luxon and Willis? Now that was a road to Damascus moment, even if it never got out of Thorndon.

Hoskin read a few verses from the King James version in honor of the occasion. Here is what he said.

And as Luxon journeyed the 150 metres, he came near to parliament: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Luxon, Willis, why persecutest thou me? And Luxon said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

I am reliably told that ten minutes later Judith Collins’ was seen ascending through 25,000 feet, evicted from this sacred place.

I know very little of the rough and tumble of National Party politics. However, I think the Hoskin and du Plessis-Allan’s celebrations are premature. The arrival of Luxon and Willis, no matter how divine, is not going to provide long-term stability. Study the photographs, watch the news, wherever Luxon goes, Willis is close behind. And always with that fixed, calculating Marsden Collegiate School stare. Make no mistake she is after the top job.

Her face is worth a thousand words. The thin lips, the even thinner eyes, the 1990’s explosion of hair and the calculating death grin, it was all practiced and perfected in her struggle for power in the Marsden School playground. Her every move is staged. Her every action planned.

“A song she heard

Of cold that gathers

Like winter’s tongue

Among the shadows

It rose like blackness

In the sky” – Robert Fanney

The well-watered children. The husband’s designer jeans – I hate designer jeans – and untucked shirt with sleaves half rolled up the forearm is a look well-prepared for the partner of a killer. Her accessories – including her husband and children – have been bought and paid for with one thought in mind. Do they match the image expected of the boss? No one goes to that much trouble to stand one step behind Luxon for the rest of her life.

Doing the dirty on Luxon is her bread and butter. She has done it a hundred times before. And Luxon trusts her. His naivety will kill him. There is evidence he has a primal and somewhat juvenile response to danger and excitement. He need not worry. He is going to get plenty of that in the next few months. No advice, all those years at Unilever and Air New Zealand, the hired Mercedes, none of it will prevent Luxon joining Muller and Bridges. It is off the subject but can anyone explain why Luxon tells the world he was educated in New Zealand’s state schools when his first year at high school was spent at Auckland’s exclusive and very private Saint Kentigern College.

The National Party has changed. Gone are Holyoake, Marshal, English and Key. Today people like Collins and Willis are its natural right-wing leaders. They are the ones who pray alone in St Thomas Church in Kohimarama but merit the nickname Crusher. They stand respectfully behind their leader, waiting and finding the best spot to insert the stiletto blade. No wonder Hoskin and du Plessis-Allan enjoy their company.

The National Party blood sport will continue. Fortunately, it is live and free to air on TV1 and TV3. Take your seats, put a few dollars on Willis. This is just the beginning.

OVERPOWER OVERTAKE OVERCOME

Tuesday, December 7th, 2021

The title of this post is a quote from Serena Williams. If anyone should know the meaning of overpower overtake overcome, she should. Actually, most female participants in sport understand the struggle more than male competitors. It may be 2021 but the path to success is still more difficult for women. Chauvinism still plagues sport.

In my lifetime I have seen women deal with difficulties no man has to endure.

For example, the New Zealand Athletic Federation boss who justified a 1960’s Olympic selection with: “No female should be selected for the Games if a good male was available.”

In the gym, track and pool men regularly skirt the edges of a heart attack to avoid being passed by a woman.

In the gym my female swimmers were constantly being told their weights were too heavy for a girl. No one says that to a guy.

A well-known New Zealand National Coach told me the women on my team should not be doing chin-ups. It was, he said, bad for having babies.

How long has it taken for women to run a marathon, play rugby, participate in boxing, swim 1500m?

When I was coaching in Saudi Arabia, I found it difficult to understand why the nation’s three main pools had plenty of changing and toilet facilities for female swimmers, and yet prohibited women from entering the pool. Great facilities, no women.

Even visionary coaches, like Lydiard, used to set programmes for women that were less than male programmes. That was odd when there is an argument that says women are probably capable of more.

When I was studying in a master’s program at Victoria University, the Senior Lecturer was Alan Laidlaw. I was explaining my progressive views on coaching using the example of my female runners always doing the same mileage as John Walker. Alan paused, looked at me, and said: “Why was it necessary to make a comparison with a man.” He was right. The comparison was blatant chauvinism. I have never done it since.

Oh, I know you will be thinking all that chauvinism was in the past. In 2021 we have moved on. The anti-chauvinism battle has been fought and won. Some of you may even blame women for the minor chauvinistic attitudes that remain. Mothers, schools and churches that teach that God is a man. Female employees who always negotiate for less pay than men. Criticising women who chose to remain single or child free. Assuming women are in charge of the home and children.

It is a long list. A list that suggests chauvinism is not a thing of the past. Proof of that truth occurred in the United States recently. Here is a story reported in the Bucks County Courier Times a week ago.

https://eu.buckscountycouriertimes.com/story/sports/2021/12/01/running-star-tori-gerlach-reminded-chauvinism-still-plagues-her-sport/8823959002/

Tori Gerlach, got a taste of this still alive-and-well chauvinism while competing in the Turkey Trot recently. Gerlach, 27, a former two-time, two-mile state champion at Pennridge High School, a Big 10 titlist with Penn State and a recent U.S. Olympic Trials competitor in the steeplechase, ran a brilliant time of 16:19 and not only finished first woman but also fifth overall. 

When her name wasn’t announced at the awards ceremony, she went to the desk and asked the assistant director “what’s the deal?” She pointed out she was pretty sure she was the first woman, but the director wasn’t buying it. 

Then, to Gerlach’s amazement, she learned she had been “disqualified.” Why? Because the race director, didn’t believe that a woman could run that fast. So, no listing in the final results and no trophy.

“It really had nothing to do with my running,” said Gerlach. “It was just totally wrong. I didn’t take it like a personal thing. It was more like why would you assume something like that?” 

The race director also had the nerve to ask one of his staff members if Gerlach “looked thin, or real fit.”  Hopefully, these “old school” figures are a dying breed, and we can move on to true equality in the sport of running/track-field.”

Hopefully indeed, but don’t count on it. Male’s will cling on to power for as long as they can. I count myself as fairly liberal. But I can remember being beaten for the first time by Alison in a 16k training run around Windsor Great Park. “How did that happen?” my brain asked.

I remember just as clearly Jane beating me in one width kick across Dunedin’s Moana Pool. Again, the reflexive, “How did that happen?”

Our gender is trying. Slowly we will learn that overpower overtake overcome is where women are at in 2021. And all power to them.