Guest Nanks Report post Posted June 7, 2003 (edited) EDIT: People, please take a moment to read this, it is a truly inspirational story which you have probably been denied of. I have an awful feeling this story won't have broken through the self-interested news reporters over there, which is truly fucked up. Jason McCartney is an AFL footballer who was nearly killed in the tragic events of last October in Bali when terrorists blew up the popular Sari nightclub, killing 202. McCartney, who also saved the lives of two women in the club when he carried them out, was burnt to the extent that is own parents did not recognise him. His heroic story continued as he repeatedly sent others home to Australia on planes in his place as he judged them to be in greater need. He finally arrived home where he was all but dead, to the point were he had The Last Rites administered, yet amazingly, fought back and lived. After extensive plastic surgery and skin grafting he became recognisable once more and set his sights on achieving his first goal, to get up and out of hospital to marry his fiance, as planned, in January. And he did just that. If that wasn't inspirational enough for you, he went on to make the decision to return to AFL football. A full contact, high paced, highly skilled game, for the unintiated. He gradually worked his way back to competitive condition and made it into the 2nds team where he played the first 7 rounds of the season, with the ultimate goal to returning to senior football. It all appeared to have been brought to a tragic halt when he tore his calf muscle, due largely to injuries sustained by shrapnel which had been embedded all throughout his body. Once again, he fought back and last night made his inspirational return to AFL football, wearing the numbers 88 & 202 over his heart in recognition of the Australians killed in the tragedy and the total death toll respectively. His team won a thrilling match with a late goal, thanks to an assist by none other than Jason McCartney. I sincerely hope this story has gained coverage in the US, UK & Canada. It is one of the most amazing stories in sporting history and you can be absolutely sure that if he were playing mainstream sport in any of your countries the name would be internationally recognised. If anyone would like me to find articles for them on this inspirational story, let me know. Edited June 7, 2003 by Nanks Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MaxPower27 Report post Posted June 7, 2003 Sadly, no. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Nanks Report post Posted June 7, 2003 Surely you fucking jest. America blows. Did anyone there even realise 202 people were killed in a terrorist bombing in Bali in October?? Wouldn't fuckin' surprise me if not, unless an American was killed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest alkeiper Report post Posted June 7, 2003 Yes, the terrorist attacks got coverage. Generally, American sports covers very little outside the US, and even some American events (boxing especially) are ignored. The inspirational story that has gotten a little coverage is Alex Zanardi (sp?). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MaxPower27 Report post Posted June 7, 2003 Surely you fucking jest. America blows. Did anyone there even realise 202 people were killed in a terrorist bombing in Bali in October?? Wouldn't fuckin' surprise me if not, unless an American was killed. Actually, yes I did know that. No need for country bashing though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Nanks Report post Posted June 7, 2003 Zanardi is an amazing story, but you'd think the US press would pick up a success over terrorism story like this. It just really irks me that if this had been an NFL or NBA player he would now be a household name. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MaxPower27 Report post Posted June 7, 2003 There was a good deal of publicity for the guy on the Arizona Cardinals that quit the team and went to Iraq for the war. I think it was Pat Tillman(?) might be wrong though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Agent_Bond34 0 Report post Posted June 7, 2003 There was a good deal of publicity for the guy on the Arizona Cardinals that quit the team and went to Iraq for the war. I think it was Pat Tillman(?) might be wrong though. Yeah, that's who it was, and I believe he had a brother that went with him as well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest alkeiper Report post Posted June 7, 2003 As an Arizona sympathiser, I can safely say that may have been an improvement for him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MaxPower27 Report post Posted June 7, 2003 I know next to nothing about football, but I found it to be noble of him to do that. One of the few football players that actually sets a good example. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Nanks Report post Posted June 7, 2003 And the inspirational story of survival and fighting back against the odds is hijacked by an NFL roid monkey going to America's war against the guy hogging the oil....... So infuriatingly typical. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MaxPower27 Report post Posted June 7, 2003 Well, you're on an American based message board. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Nanks Report post Posted June 7, 2003 Still, to think that someone leaving for war would be construed as anywhere near as special as McCartney's story, just ridiculous. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Agent_Bond34 0 Report post Posted June 7, 2003 Either way, I don't think anyone is gonna dispute that it took balls, courage, etc, to do what Jason McCartney did. What Jason McCartney did was indeed special and heroic and should be highly commended. Nobody is gonna deny that at all, myself included. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest nl5xsk1 Report post Posted June 7, 2003 While I'm certainly not downplaying McCartney's heroicism, he's basically a player no one in the US has heard of that plays a sport that few people in the US follow. So, it's no different than Mr. X of company Y did something heroic, and since everyday heroicism happens, well, everyday, I don't know why it would get too much press over here. And Tillman left the NFL before the war with Iraq (I think he joined sometime right before or after Sept. 11) so it didn't have anything to do with oil, but with a desire to defend his country And in regards to your NFL/NBA player doing this would make them a household name, they'd most likely already BE a household name here ... and the story most likely wouldn't have gotten too much press outside the US. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Nanks Report post Posted June 8, 2003 I totally disagree. An NBA or NFL player doing the same would be a household name here. Christ, most people in Australia are familiar with the whole Sosa debacle, ridiculous. And if you call McCartney's story 'everyday' then you're kidding yourself. How many instances of athletes being administered their Last Rites and returning to top level competition within 8 months have their been???? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest croweater Report post Posted June 8, 2003 Jason McCartney. He is a fucking legend and a fucking amazing and inspirational person. I came onto this bored to start a topic about him myself... but it appears I was a little bit late. I don't think there was one person in Australia watching the game on Friday night who didn't want the roos to win, regardless of who you support. To come back from such injury and trauma...... it's just unbelieviable. He has become my new hero. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Lightning Flik Report post Posted June 8, 2003 You know that's quite an inspirational story. Sadly, even in Canada, I haven't heard about his story except through what I read. Edit: Gotta admit, he's definitely a true hero. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Adam 0 Report post Posted June 13, 2003 If an amazing mark can get on CNN a few years back, then this amazing story should be top news in the states too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Nanks Report post Posted June 13, 2003 Whose grab got on CNN?? I assume Ablett's or Smith's. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest the 1inch punch Report post Posted June 14, 2003 I totally disagree. An NBA or NFL player doing the same would be a household name here. Christ, most people in Australia are familiar with the whole Sosa debacle, ridiculous. And if you call McCartney's story 'everyday' then you're kidding yourself. How many instances of athletes being administered their Last Rites and returning to top level competition within 8 months have their been???? Oh for god sake get over yourself. People talk about Sosa all over the world because Sosa was an icon to millions who was revealed to be a cheater. No-one gives two shits about an Aussie Rules footballler, regardless of his "boo-fucking-hoo" story. And yeas, if it was an American sportsman, it would have made news everywhere because people outside America, like myself, play American sports. No one plays AFL and thats coming from an Irish guy, considering Aussie Rules and Gaelic Football are practically the same Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Nanks Report post Posted June 15, 2003 BOO FUCKING HOO STORY?!?! Are you fucking mad???? It doesn't matter if people don't play AFL, that's their loss. If you can't see his story as amazing and inspirational then you're just bloody stupid. I'm stunned America didn't pick up on this purely for its overcoming terrorism value. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Your Paragon of Virtue 0 Report post Posted June 15, 2003 I love how you completely disrespect Tillman by calling him a "Roid monkey", while bombarding us with ignorant political beliefs. Who cares what I think of McCartney, I think that you sound like a complete jackass. Seriously, how can you expect people to respect your opinions when you generally whine whenever people disagree with you? Grow up. By the way, I don't know of many Ironman participants that are juicing it up, do you? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Your Paragon of Virtue 0 Report post Posted June 15, 2003 And on top of all that, Tillman didn't get alot of coverage, he got maybe half a segment on NFL Countdown from what I remember. Besides, I personally think that someone sacrificing a multimillion dollar salary (He is that DAMN good) in favour of defending their beliefs and the rights of many is much more honourable than being paid to come back from injury (No matter how severe) only to play a sport again. Care to disagree? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Nanks Report post Posted June 15, 2003 McCartney didn't come back from injury because he was paid to, he came back for one match for god's sakes, and AFL footballers do not make that much money. He came back to play another game in the name of all the victims and fellow survivors of the terrible tragedy in Bali. A lot of those people had really attached a lot of their own emotional healing to Jason's amazing comeback and it was one of the most emotional matches I've ever seen. He retired immediately after the game and there was not a dry eye in the house. Oh, and I like how you tried to make your point more valid by demeaning me too, very clever....... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest kane3212321 Report post Posted June 15, 2003 Calm down Nanks man, I'm Australian and i didn't really worry too much about him coming back to play a game of AFL. Maybe because I don't really care about AFL, but I'm sure there was alot of other people in the Bali Bombings whose stories are more tragic then his and made comebacks too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Your Paragon of Virtue 0 Report post Posted June 15, 2003 I don't demean you, you really *do* come off as a jackass, by basically insulting a man who gave up a MULTIMILLION DOLLAR salary to join in the Marines and serve his country, a belief which he believes in, even if you don't. "You're just bloody stupid." You're one to talk about insulting other people though eh? Being a professional athlete involves more fame and fortune than being an American Soldier does. Sure, you get all sorts of people saying I wish I had the courage of these guys, blah blah blah, but that's it. We don't look at them as heroes, we look at the fact that Jason Taylor says they're heroes. They don't get any recognition. I've been waiting to hear an update on Tillman, yet I haven't. Perhaps because he's not a star athlete? Admittedly, if a story like McCartney happened in the US, they'd be all over it like the second coming of Jesus. Still, this is a different story, and don't talk through your ass about a story that you haven't even heard of. I also love how you didn't address ANY of my points. Typical of you to whine about how we're all wrong rather than explaining WHY we're all wrong... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest the 1inch punch Report post Posted June 15, 2003 /\.... agree with everything he said Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest bob_barron Report post Posted June 15, 2003 I pretty much agree with what YPOV and 1inch have said. The fact you brushed off Tillman's courageous story by calling him a 'roid monkey' is ridicilous and pretty damn low. Your whole- OMG USA DOESNT CARE ABOUT MCCARNETY BAN PLEAZ!~ isn't really helping people become inspired by this guy. It just makes you sound like a jackass- which you're acting like. Speaking of famous people going to war- I remember reading at wwe.com that former ECW wrestler Chilly Willy was over there in Iraq- I hope he made it out okay. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest the 1inch punch Report post Posted June 16, 2003 OMG, I'm just after seeing this McCartney guy on the AFL show on the irish language channell we have here Thats how much people care about this loser, giving two seconds on a show no one watches on a station designed for 4% of the population Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
