Shayne Philpott - Tumblr Posts
Above is a picture of an auction for an All Black test cap. I was alerted to this late last night and, like everyone else who found out about it, was quite saddened by this.
All Blacks test caps are extremely prestigious and rare. They're only ever given to those who play an All Blacks test match. To date, only 1,108 caps have ever been given out in the 127 year history of the All Blacks. These caps have to be earned, and they are only given out to the very best. To be given one of these is an honour. Which is why it was so sad to see one of these up for auction last night.
Shayne Philpott was the All Black who put this cap up for auction. Google his name and the first thing that comes up is an article deriding him as one of the worst All Blacks ever. He played 2 test matches in the 1991 Rugby World Cup and was never a considered a starting player. His games was criticised to the point where he still gets given abuse by the public. It got to the point where he no longer wanted this memento of his time spent as an All Black. How awful is that?
Philpott would have devoted hours upon hours of time training and slogging away until he reached his ultimate goal, only to be called the worst person to have ever played in his position. Ever. And he still hears about it 20 years later. That's gotta be heartbreaking. Unbelievably so.
Sure, you could tell him to harden up. He's already hard. He's taken crap from All Blacks/New Zealanders (there isn't a difference. Don't kid yourself) fans since 1991. You put up with that shit and see how you handle it. What he put with was bullying. It was abuse on a national level. And you can bet that there were dickheads who came up to him in the street or while he was by himself and let him have it. The worst part is that you still see this today. Look at the crap Stephen Donald goes through. Google his name and it's distressingly easy to find people throwing death threats at him or screaming for him to leave the county and never come back. Fuckin hell.
Have we forgotten that these players are people too? As it really so damn hard to be polite and respectful/not act like an asshole? Sure, have your opinion don't be a dick about it. I'm not gonna stop that. I'm guilty of going too far as well. Some of it's on this blog. But surely we know where to draw the line? Please don't prove me wrong.
I don't have any answers here. I just think it's sad that a guy who worked and sacrificed for years to achieve a incredible goal received so many knocks that he decided to sell a something that symbolises his achievement. His since withdrawn the auction, but that was only after the kind words of some people in the question and answers section.
I really fucking hope that the All Blacks win the 2011 Rugby World Cup. I don't want to think about what this country and their 'fans' will do to them if they don't.