I won't judge Stokes on his behaviour as i don't know all the facts and who provoked who! And I won't guess who started it.
Growing up in Slough that scene looks very familiar to me, both from viewing a scene like that whilst sitting across the street with mates eating a doner kebab and from actually being part of it.
Also the so called "mocking a disabled kid" was obviously an imitation which they found funny (and no mocking involved!). Having teenagers who have instagram, facebook and other social media stuff - most of the teenagers I met were talking about Harvey's words on TV. They were imitating it when conveying it to me although they didn't use the C word in front of me. But they all found it fantastically funny and none of them mock disabled kids! To me Stokes was doing the same. The press have jumped on the bandwagon and making it big - gutter press trying everything to get a story!
But saying the above, there are a few points I would make!
- Imitating Harvey, which is not mocking disabled kids as the press are trying say, is still something which shows a bit of an immature sense of humour! Teenagers may find it amusing but Stokes is not a teenager!
- I suspect the imitation was fueled by alcohol! He seemed pretty drunk and lets face it, we all spout total rubbish sometimes when we have had a skinful! Then we are reminded next day and feel like hiding!
- Most violence involves alcohol. The Ambulance documentary stated that 80% of injuries or call-outs they get are drink related! Alcohol is a mind-altering drug which gets rid of inhibitions, changes behavior and alters your perception of what is acceptable! 99% of humans act very differently when drinking excessively! So when people are saying he should have stopped 1 minute earlier please remember this!
Even with the above points, there are a couple of things I can state!
Stokes is NOT Vice Captain material!! If you look at Strauss, Cook, Root and most other cricketers who have Captained England, they have to be seen as an example by other cricketers. They are in a responsible position and need to act that way, both on and off the field! Therefore although we do not yet know the events leading up to the fight, and we can sometimes forgive excessive behavior caused through alcohol, we still need to ask whether Stokes should have been drinking himself into oblivion!
If he had of been sober or if he had of had 1 or 2 drinks, I suspect the evening would have been very different!
And if he is behaving like an 18 year old out on a lads night out on payday, then that isn't then kind of example an International cricketer should be showing!
I hope he loses his Vice-Captain status. And whatever the Police investigation shows, he needs to be punished for drinking excessively as this led to other events taking place! Punishment? Hit him where it hurts - in his wallet!
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Topic: Ashes 2017-18 (Read 407158 times)