Bye Bye Bakkies…

People have a tendency to look at people’s careers through rose-tinted spectacles upon their retirement.

It’s ok though, I don’t struggle with that sort of thing:

bakkies

I was at Newlands for the 2010 dangerous play incident, when 120kg Bakkies cleared his 75kg Springbok teammate Gio Aplon out of a ruck, shoulder first. [Video]

Because of his suspension for that incident, Bakkies fans had to wait a full 7 weeks for his next misdemeanor – this, a full 29 seconds into the Tri-Nations game against New Zealand:

(Which prompted this rant from JD Bryce.)

When we’re being regularly reminded how sports stars must act as role models, I can’t say that Bakkies’ retirement will be a big loss to rugby. Less of that sort of example, please.

Great player? Perhaps.
Thug? Most certainly.

And it’s that latter category that I  and many others will remember him for.

4 thoughts on “Bye Bye Bakkies…

  1. Bokke Fan > Thanks for the comment, but I think you’ve misunderstood my post. I wasn’t remarking on the success (or otherwise) of the South African egg-chasing team; I was saying that I think rugby is better off without Bakkies Botha and his repeatedly thuggish behaviour.

  2. Was rugby better off without Tana Umaga, despite his benevolent treatment of BoD? Was rugby better off without Joost, despite his off-field antics? Will rugby be bettter off without McCaw and his nontreatment of the laws at ruck-time?

    Do yourself a favour and read a transcript of his retirement speech. Everybody is flawed; but you cannot belittle his contribution to the sport.

    Even worse than ignorance is feigning knowledge. Idiot.

  3. Fan > Everybody has flaws. Yes, of course they do. But some are more flawed than others, aren’t they?
    And it’s difficult to provide any contribution when you’re constantly suspended, isn’t it?
    I guess it was a good way of showing how much he was missed, like in the 2010 TriNations and earlier in the playoffs of the Currie Cup. Maybe it was just his logic that was flawed?

    Leave a Reply