Last Thursday 22nd April, Samuel had his first ever swimming lesson. He was just shy of 7 months.
I started Thomas when he was about 6 months but had to get in with him. Anyone who takes a baby swimming and then has to stand there freezing and dripping while they first change the baby into dry clothes will know what a drama this is! When Daniel arrived, he was so close in age to Thomas that I couldn't possibly take them both for a swimming lesson in which I had to get in with both of them. So we kind of stopped for a while.
Then when Daniel was just over 1 year old I found someone to give them private lessons! Not only is she wonderful and patient (and believe me, this is a definite requirement of the job with my boys) but there is the added bonus of me not having to get in the water! Yay!
Some people think I'm silly for starting Samuel so early but I'm not a strong swimmer myself and wish I myself had started swimming lessons at a younger age. I also worry about the boys falling into pools, dams, ponds, creeks etc. Being adventurous little souls, you just never know where they may end up! If they have some basic survival skills under their wings, they'll at least stand a chance if any of the above scenarios occur.
Samuel's first lesson was only a short 10 minute introduction to the water but I was so proud of him!
Thomas and Daniel were super excited that Samuel was going swimming. Samuel just looks worried...a common state when his big brothers are around lol
Here he is with the wonderful Karene. He didn't particularly like back floating and shed some tears after a few minutes...
But hey, kicking he can do! It's his thing! Oh so cute!
And holding on for dear life! God bless him!But big as Samuel's first swimming lesson was, an even bigger story was breaking across the country and talkback radio was consumed by it! I only heard it as I finished the lesson and got in my car. This story probably doesn't really matter to anyone other than those living on the Eastern side of Australia (excluding Tasmania) and maybe a few countries abroad...but if you follow Rugby League and are passionate about the game and your team, then this story was and remains HUGE! The Melbourne Storm, superstars of the game and a team who have dominated the game for at least the past 5 years were revealed to have rorted the salary cap in a massive and calculated way... they kept two sets of books and were illegally paying their superstars way over the salary cap! 2 million dollars over in the past 5 years! No wonder they were the team to beat!
But more shocking than the revelation that everyone's suspicions were confirmed was the extraordinary punishment handed down by David Gallop (a grey hairs expert by now) and the National Rugby League. Not only were the Storm fined and docked the 8 competition points they had earned thus far in the competition this year, but they were also stripped of 3 minor premierships and the 2 premierships they won in 2007 (against Manly) and 2009 (against my beloved Eels)!
But wait, there's more! Being stripped of premierships meant they also had to pay back hundreds of thousands of dollars in winnings...and then the killer blow - they could continue to play this year but would not be able to accrue any points! This last piece of punishment has divided fans, players, coaches, officials and anyone else who has a stake in the game. To me it seems silly, but unlike those who think they should be allowed to play for points as a motivation factor, I think it's stupid because as they stand they are still an illegal team...they have a playing roster that was put together through deceit and under the table payments! Taking a pay cut ain't gonna cut it in my book either! Get rid of some players and get under the cap then be allowed to play...I know, easier said than done. But for opposition teams still having to play them, how is it fair to let them continue on?
Some have also taken this opportunity to argue the merits or otherwise of the salary cap...I think most people agree the salary cap needs to be overhauled but an unfair system doesn't excuse a club from breaking the rules (in a major way)! Sorry, but just because the rule is unfair doesn't mean one team gets special permission to do as they please.
Of course Melbourne's former CEO, Brian Waldron, who has been squarely blamed as the mastermind behind the fraud, is claiming that salary cap rorting is widespread and that everyone is doing it. (He claims that a few years ago every single team was definitely rorting the system with the exception of Canberra, and they were only clean because they wouldn't afford to pay players more). Another fine excuse - everyone else was doing it so we did as well! How old are these people again?
I want to believe that my team are squeaky clean. The reality is probably far from it. But again, an unfair system doesn't excuse breaking the rules.
The drama continues to unfold...and loving league as much as I do, I'm glued to every piece of new (and not so new) information that comes up. What's your opinion? Even if you aren't a league fan, from the little I have shared, what would you have done?
