BELITTLE LEAGUE

Read Greg Baum's article from Saturday's Age, then tell me if you think Stuart Wenn ought apologise to Daniel Connors:

Umpire sorry for Tiger spray

UMPIRE Stuart Wenn has apologised to Richmond midfielder Daniel Connors after telling him he was batting out of his league on the field on Saturday.

"You are batting out of your league, pal ... so far out of your league."

“My comments to Daniel and my body language were not in line with how I normally communicate and manage players. I pride myself on remaining calm and composed, even when involved in the most heated on-field situations,” Wenn said.

“I have spoken to Daniel and I acknowledged that I should have handled the situation more appropriately.

“On-field relationships between players and umpires have improved dramatically in recent seasons, and I regret what occurred on Saturday.”

If Wenn sledged Connors unprovoked, then he ought to apologise. If Connors popped Wenn first, then Wenn is within his rights to take a shot.

Comments

[m0nty]

Wenn should have bopped him one, as that's more Connors' go.

[Tony]

Maybe Wenn ought apologise for using an Americanism to do with a bat and ball game.

[Tony]

EVERYONE should apologise for using mod-biz speak.

[m0nty]

Would Daniel go alright in the Big Bash?

[Adsy]

Umpires don't spray players for fun.

When you have to be put in line by Ben Cousins of all people, I'd be slightly more reticent about spraying other blokes for their performance. But not him by the sounds.

[RT]

Connors is a potential star. Love that word "potential".

[TKYCraig]

If Wenn sledges Commors, he can get away with an apology.
If Connors sledges Wenn, then waht do we look at? 50m penalty, report for 'conduct unbecomming'?

Lots of 'ifs' there but just one Wenn (pardon the pun).

[Yobbo]

He's taking advantage of a power imbalance where the player cannot say anything in return without being penalised.

He should never umpire again.

[Tony T]

Saw the footage on Footy Classified last night. It's clear Wenn lost the plot. He reminded me of a teacher who goes over the top when getting stuck into a student.

[Tony]

Wenn's outburst was nothing like what Baum described, where Glenn James took the heat out when he chipped Crackers Keenan with a funny come-back.

[Big Ramifications]

That's because a lot of AFL umpires are as gey as a row of hatstands.*

When you push a gey man too far, this is the result: A man behaving like a woman having a hissy fit.

Gey or not. Totally forgivable. "There but for the grace of God, go I," and all dat. Apology smelt of a script but still sounded more sincere than not. However, I'd like to see the footage. Sorry Yobbo, we disagree again.

*I have a extremely good gey-dar so you can, um, speak to the hand if you want to debate this. We're talking honed, truffle smelling pig, freakish gey-dar.

[Big Rammer's mum]

You idiot.