$onny Bill Bails On The Dogs

[fcukernaut]

<div class='quotemain'> Man i would chase the money over loyalty any day, good on sbw for moving on. [/b]

Obviously, but what a lot of people can't seem to fathom (this group seems to include you) is that he was tied to a legally binding contract that had no get out clause at all. He also had promised to attented multiple charity functions over the next few weeks which he subsequently did not contact about not being able to attend.

Complete, total and utter bastardery. Coward.
[/b][/quote]

The thing is, this type of **** happens in business and in other sports leagues across the world. This is just going to end in a small buyout of the contract. Whoopidy f***ing do. This shouldn't be such a big deal. If SBW was half smart he would have had his agent walk into the Bulldogs front office and negotiate the buyout and have the Toulon owner pick up the tab. That is still going to happen, but it would have been far less fuss.

 

[melon]

<div class='quotemain'> <div class='quotemain'> Man i would chase the money over loyalty any day, good on sbw for moving on. [/b]

Obviously, but what a lot of people can't seem to fathom (this group seems to include you) is that he was tied to a legally binding contract that had no get out clause at all. He also had promised to attented multiple charity functions over the next few weeks which he subsequently did not contact about not being able to attend.

Complete, total and utter bastardery. Coward.
[/b][/quote]

The thing is, this type of **** happens in business and in other sports leagues across the world. This is just going to end in a small buyout of the contract. Whoopidy f***ing do. This shouldn't be such a big deal. If SBW was half smart he would have had his agent walk into the Bulldogs front office and negotiate the buyout and have the Toulon owner pick up the tab. That is still going to happen, but it would have been far less fuss.
[/b][/quote]
Exactly! However he is as dumb as a door frame and has no morals at all and even if he was smart enough, he wouldn't have his agent negotiate a buy out anyway.

Therefore, as said in my previous post, "Complete, total and utter bastardery. Coward."

 

[esoj]

some interesting developments.

http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/1318360/1963930
Williams moves closer to France
Sonny Bill Williams is a step closer to joining French rugby club Toulon after collecting his travel visa in London on Wednesday.

A French Embassy spokesman told AAP the former Bulldogs rugby league star picked up his visa at the French General Consulate.
"His visa has been handed to him," the spokesman said.
Williams had flown to London on his Samoan passport, meaning he needed a visa to enter France.
He landed in London on Monday but immigration officials at Heathrow airport stopped him transferring to a flight to France because he did not have a visa.
After being escorted into the consulate in the upmarket London suburb of South Kensington through a secret entrance to avoid the waiting media, Williams met deputy consul general Jean Paul Bossuge.
Bossuge, a former rugby player, personally handed Williams his visa and chatted with the New Zealand-born star who then chatted happily with consulate staff.
"(Bossuge) wanted to meet the player in person and shake his hand," the spokesman said.
"He was also met by seven members of staff who wanted to shake hands with him. A few of them were rugby fans."
The spokesman refused to reveal what type of visa was given to Williams or if he revealed when he planned to travel to France.
"It's an individual confidential procedure," he said.
"He was granted the visa but I will not get into the technicalities of which visa it was."
Williams flew out of Sydney at the weekend, reportedly enroute to Toulon in the south of France for talks about a two-year, $3 million deal with the city's rugby club.
The move sparked outrage within the NRL and amongst Williams' fans.
The Bulldogs and NRL are attempting to impose an injunction to stop Williams from breaking his five-year contract with the club.

http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/417227/1964353
Fight turns into farce over Sonny
A legal fight over runaway rugby league star Sonny Bill Williams turned into a farce at a boxing event in Newcastle on Wednesday, The Daily Telegraph newspaper reports.
The private investigator who tried to serve controversial adviser Khoder Nasser his court papers required police protection at the Anthony Mundine fight at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre, the Sydney newspaper says.
The newspaper published a photo today of the investigator but covered his face at the man's request for his own safety.
The investigator who needed protection from two police officers at the fight, told The Daily Telegraph: "I was only trying to do my job, but at the end of the day it was just too dangerous.
"I had one fellow following me everywhere and there were all these threats being made...
"That's when I had to call the police to escort me out of there."
Investigator surrounded
The investigator was surrounded by several supporters of Nasser when he tried to enter the VIP area just before Mundine's fight, the newspaper said.
Nasser wasn't even at the fight and the newspaper says he is planning to escape to the United Kingdom today to join Williams.
Williams last night received his visa from French Consulate officials and today will travel to France where he hopes to begin a new $3 million career with rugby union club Toulon, according to the newspaper.
The incident in Newcastle is a major blow to the NRL and the Bulldogs, given they were hoping the court papers would force Nasser to come clean about the overseas location of the former Bulldogs star, the newspaper adds.
Lawyers for the NRL will again attempt to serve the papers on Thursday, possibly at the Sydney airport before Nasser boards a plane for England, according to the report.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports today that Williams' father John was sitting ringside at Mundine's fight.
Afer Mundine's unanimous points win over Japan's Crazy Kim in the 10-round catchweight bout, Mundine told the crowd: "I want to send a message to Sonny Bill Williams overseas.
"You all support Sonny Bill. He's my main man. Don't you boo him because he's a great man and he has great heart."

 

[fcukernaut]

This is just embarrassing for both parties. What the hell were the bulldogs thinking? Oh let's just make this into a bigger public farce than it already is. They were the ones who everyone sympathized with and now they look childish. They should have never threatened the lawsuit in public, like they did. Horrible PR decision. All they had to do was call him up after the news was leaked that he was leaving, ask his lawyer to come in and work out a buyout which is good for both parties involved. Who are these idiots running the Bulldogs? And how did the NRL not see how poorly this would reflect on them if it got messy like this? Some people have no idea how to run a business.

 

[ak47]

SBW needs to be punished for his actions
there is a correct way to do things, and flicking off in the dark of the night is not the way
i am in all support for the NRL taking this all the way, otherwise this sets precedent in all codes of football in australia, that u CAN GET AWAY WITH IT
well u should NOT
SBW is that dumb - he signed a 5 year deal - should have signed for 2 or 3
now even dumber for knowingly making the wrong decision to sign for 5 years, and backdooring it
mistake after mistake
what a sh*t for brains this idiot is.
**** off and eat snails -
he is in camp mundine now - that never a good thing - another mistake

 

[fcukernaut]

SBW needs to be punished for his actions
there is a correct way to do things, and flicking off in the dark of the night is not the way
i am in all support for the NRL taking this all the way, otherwise this sets precedent in all codes of football in australia, that u CAN GET AWAY WITH IT
well u should NOT
SBW is that dumb - he signed a 5 year deal - should have signed for 2 or 3
now even dumber for knowingly making the wrong decision to sign for 5 years, and backdooring it
mistake after mistake
what a sh*t for brains this idiot is.
**** off and eat snails -
he is in camp mundine now - that never a good thing - another mistake [/b]

But there's also a way for a corporation to go about seeking legal action, and it is not this way. This is a complete disaster from a PR front and makes the Bulldogs look like a childish, amateur organization. You never air out your business in this way, ever. In situations like this you want to remain the "good guys" so to speak. Instead of a situation where you have childish millionaire turning his back on the franchise that was not only loyal to him but gave him his platform to perform, you now have a situation of a childish milti-million dollar corporation seeking their vendetta in the media against another childish millionaire.

 

[melon]

But there's also a way for a corporation to go about seeking legal action, and it is not this way. This is a complete disaster from a PR front and makes the Bulldogs look like a childish, amateur organization. You never air out your business in this way, ever. In situations like this you want to remain the "good guys" so to speak. Instead of a situation where you have childish millionaire turning his back on the franchise that was not only loyal to him but gave him his platform to perform, you now have a situation of a childish milti-million dollar corporation seeking their vendetta in the media against another childish millionaire.
[/b]

The Bulldogs aren't the only club with these feelings. All 16 NRL clubs voted unanimously to have him banned for life from professional rugby league in Australia and they all, and the governing body too, agree that legal action is to be taken, which it is.

It seems you're pretty out of touch with everything and you go on the littlest bit of new snippets and you assume the rest and come out all guns ablazing (I could be wrong though).
So.....How much money do you think it takes for an average Sydney based NRL club to stay alive each year? Hint: Much less than what Shaq makes each year in basketball.
Episodes like this are a massive deal to clubs who are currently battling to stay alive. Their livelihood hinges on doing the right thing by everyone and not jeapordising a pot of gold.

 

[BLR]

I can't believe league can be professional for 100 years yet still not get the basis of proffesionalism...hillarious this is.

 

[melon]

Unfortunately BLR, there is just not enough money. Eventually the NRL and ARL will be one governing body and sponsorship restrictions will be opened up.

Its a shame things are the way they are but things will start to improve in 2010 when newscorp's share of the competition is bought out (I think its 2010, possibly 09???).

 

[ak47]

yep
the current NRL TV rights deal is considerably under valued...like SBW
but the NRL has to stick to this deal until it expires..like SBW should have done, or atleast seek permission
if the bulldogs sit back and did nothing...this would open up a precedent deeming all this fiasco is o.k........walking out is ok - my ass
imagine if Ricky Ponting high tailed it to India in the middle of a TEST series
imagine Gits or Robbie Deans backdooring it to France
by doing nothing in regards to SBW - it would be disastrous, and the exodus across alot of sports would use the SBW case as an example that it can be done - when it shouldnt

 

[harry_kewell]

I just hope Money Bill Williams has not opened up a can of worms that will be the end of the NRL. You can just imagine the AFL rubbing its hands togeather about this. At least they dont have to worry about players leaving as no where in the rest of the world want to play AFL, but the power they wield here is amazing.

 

[fcukernaut]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE("melon")</div>

The Bulldogs aren't the only club with these feelings. All 16 NRL clubs voted unanimously to have him banned for life from professional rugby league in Australia and they all, and the governing body too, agree that legal action is to be taken, which it is.[/b]

Of course they have the same feelings, they're in the same business and no one wants to see talent leave as it devalues the league. But there is still a way a commisioner and league executives should act. If you've come to the decision that he is banned for life at least wait until he's signed the contract in France before you start with the threats. Secondly, legal action should be taken more or less as your last resort. The proper thing to do would to have brought in both the bulldogs front office and the representatives of Sonny Bill and work out a buyout of the contract. There's $1.6mil left on the SBW contract? Call it 800k, have toulon pick up the check. If you're at all aware of the NBA you'll know that NBA franchises buyout the contracts of European players who are contracted to European clubs all the time. After you work out the deal you call a press conference say you have the ole irreconcilable differences and you need to go separate ways. SBW gets his contract to go overseas and Bulldogs not only get compensation but look good in the process. The other bonus is you have the option of an outstanding young ball player coming back to your league. The other worry you have about this type of vengeful actions is that you may simply just **** off the Players Association. I don't know how much power they have but Unions tend not to forget you trying to f*** with one of their comrades.

EDIT: if you do go to legal action, for the love of god don't go hunting a guy down at a boxing match, in front of the public where it can get ugly.

So.....How much money do you think it takes for an average Sydney based NRL club to stay alive each year? Hint: Much less than what Shaq makes each year in basketball[/b]

Of course my friend, they're in the same situation as the Canadian Football League, salary cap of $4.2mil and have your talent poached by the NFL.

Episodes like this are a massive deal to clubs who are currently battling to stay alive. Their livelihood hinges on doing the right thing by everyone and not jeapordising a pot of gold[/b]

Which is why I think acting rationally and in a professional manner should have been their first priority. I guess I've gotten used leagues operating in a more business like manner. Even the horribly dysfunctional NHL is on a different level of opperation.

 

[ak47]

AFL is not safe either

They get offered by the NFL to punt - like 4-5 have in the past

Oh lets **** off mid-season in july for NFL pre-season


Nobody is safe if SBW gets away with this

Contracts mean alot in australia
I dont know what goes on in Canada with CFL and NHL etc
nor NBA
but in australia - a contract means alot, and u need to seek permission to break the contract or face ramifications
its a team sport - he is morally a low act in life - he has let down team mates
he would NOT have left if they were on top of the ladder - stop sticking up for the retard
low act - sore loser, runs away when it gets tough
sure u can get ur worth, but seek permission first
DO NOT IN A TEAM SPORT HANG UR TEAM OUT TO DRY AND CHASE FUNDS, AND NEVER DO IT WITHOUT TELLING ANYONE, AND WHISK OFF ON A COVERT OP IN THE DARK OF THE NIGHT
Seriously his feels so guilty and that is evident by the means of his escape

 

[BLR]

Stop whinging ak47, you're as bad as Gallop.

 

[fcukernaut]

but in australia - a contract means alot, and u need to seek permission to break the contract or face ramifications
its a team sport - he is morally a low act in life - he has let down team mates[/b]

Of course, we're on the same page here. It works the same everywhere in the world, I'm just saying that management could have handled it differently, and Sonny Bill should have handled differently as well.

 

[Caledfwlch]

Looks like this could open up the door for Benji Marshall to play some union footy. Fantastic!

 

[Bender]

I think it's unfortunate that he left, i'm glad he managed to stick around to do the win SBW for a day thing the footy show had runnings.
That would have been the ultimate dogging to let down the kids.

 

[shiznit]

man this makes me laugh.... Good on SBW...

LOYALTY DIED YEARS AGO....
Contracts mean jack **** in the NRL....

if clubs feel like they dont want a player they 'give them permission to negotiate with other clubs'.

which basicly means we need salary cap space so for the remainder of your contract your going to be playing rubbish football either in reserve grade or in a stupid position so you may awell find yourself a new club before everyone forgets about you.

And the bulldogs just gave that ultimatum to Brent Sherwin not so long ago...

the bulldogs are just f*cking annoyed that SBW went out on his own terms before they could file any injuctions on him.

as for the NRL.... are you f***ing kidding me... David Gallop is talking about contracts when he was a News Limited lawyer during the superleague war where he was a massive figure in helping hundreds of players break there ARL contracts.

so tell me why SBW should give a **** about these hypocrites??

 

[shiznit]

ill also point out that the bulldogs club itself broke there ARL contract when they went to SL. all organised by David Gallop of course...

 

[Duckett]

sonny bill should never be able to play nrl again afyer what he did