Stop bagging Billy

When Billy Bowden first appeared on the scene he was lauded for adding a bit of personality to the dourness of cricket umpiring. In fact, when the Australian commentators got stuck into him for his 'silly antics', we leapt to his defence much as we would do when a bully is picking on one of our own.

So at what point was the decision made to become the bully ourselves and start bagging Billy for the very same antics that endeared him to so many for so long? When he gave Ross Taylor that horrible decision in the first match against Australia, that's when.

New Zealanders find it nearly impossible to forgive and forget when it comes to sport, and when Billy sent Taylor packing it was almost as if he had offended the whole country with his decision.

Since that match, poor Billy has not been able to do a thing right. Every exuberant signal or gesticulation has become an object of scorn to the point where people are suggesting he would umpire better if he toned down his 'act'. The commentators in Hamilton the other night went so far as to comment negatively on the form he showed when signaling the batting power-play.

We much prefer the staunch approach in this country, and as long as you keep your head well below the parapet, you can get away with a lot. The staunchest of them all, Rudi Koertzen, seems to never have to carry the baggage of poor decisions around with him. He made some nightmarish game-changing decisions at various times over the Australian cricket summer, but all is forgotten Rudi as long as you never smile and keep taking half an hour to raise your finger. It also helps if you can make your bad decisions against anyone except for New Zealand, because other countries will forget about it, New Zealand never will.

It is one thing to turn on someone else when they make a mistake, but surely we shouldn't turn on one of our own with such vitriol?

I was speaking with a colleague who laments constantly on the lack of flair that New Zealand sports people are allowed to show. Being a passionate soccer man he sees little hope of New Zealand ever being truly competitive on the world stage because the sort of flair that is required in his sport is stripped away from players at an early age.

If you dare show any flair in this country you are branded a 'show off' or simply 'a dickhead'. The concept of 'team' is pushed to the nth degree in New Zealand to the point where acts of individuality will incur the wrath of all and see you unlikely to progress in your sport.

I am certain that this psyche impacts negatively on New Zealand in many facets of society, but this is a sports blog so I won't go on.

But let us not jump on the Billy Bagging Bandwagon and let him and others with a bit of individuality make the mistakes that we all make, whether we are staunch or not.

- © Fairfax NZ News