The Short Stuff June 2010

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:03:22:12:24:04 by Grockle.

I was luckier than most and watched Cameron White in the nets before we paid him for his short visit.

I am not sure that we would have paid the costs of Cameron White to fly over here to play for us, Grockle, as he was already in England playing for Australia.

No doubt though, Somerset paid for his earlier than expected return home, plus a stay at the Castle Hotel in Taunton, plus whatever other amount for his (presumably) rescinded contract.

And all of that for "a couple of thousand pounds" I believe Mr. Gould was quoted on here as saying?

"Apologised profusely", Grockle? Not to the club's membership as far as I am aware.

Thanks for that - we paid for his return then I'll alter it this evening.

I don't think I said anything about apologising to the supporters (?).

Although I heard two apologies, one at the Taunton area AGM and one for what was described (I think) as a cock up at the end of the full AGM - open to supporters in both cases and reported here I believe (I'm sure you'll check).

Other than writing it in a programme (which we aren't having any more anyway) under a picture of someone in sackcloth and ashes or broadcasting it at a match while whipping someone across the pitch, I'm not sure what you expect the management to do really CP.

Albert Trott, Grockle: not Trumper.

Scorecard here

I said that no apology had been given to the club's membership, Grockle - in effect the owners of the club.

I am a member of Somerset CCC, and as I have said on here previously, I don't expect or indeed ask that heads should roll on this particular issue. Everyone makes mistakes, but they should be acknowledged as having been made, whenever they are. What I would have expected was a simple and sincere apology from the club's hierarchy that club funds were squandered on what the 'Western Daily Press' reported in an article on 17th July, as "the administrative faux-pas of the summer."

A couple of thousand pounds, whilst only a fraction of the club’s annual income, takes a lot of effort and hard work by the various club’s area committees, to raise such a sum in order for it to be donated to the club. I just hope that the club’s CEO and Chairman, amongst others, are cognizant of that.

I have indeed checked your reports on both the Taunton Area and the club's full AGM - neither of which I attended on account of not being eligible to attend the first, and being away in Ireland for the second - but can find no reference of any apology being made by anyone. In fact, Cameron White is not even mentioned in your report of the club's full AGM, so I assume that no reference was made to the matter. Perhaps the “apologies” that you seem to remember, Grockle, were uttered in a private conversation that you may have been privy to, at the end of the public business of the meetings in question?

There have been ample opportunities for the club’s management to apologise either at the Area and full AGM’s, or via a statement to the local press, or indeed via the Club’s Almanac which was sent to every club member prior to the club’s AGM.

Anyway, after the period of time that has elapsed, there will be no reference to it now by the club’s officials, as the matter has been conveniently swept under the carpet.

The “cock up” had been pushed to the back of my mind (but not entirely forgotten) until rather belatedly you raised the matter again in your article of today.

Well, there you go. I hope this answers the question in the last paragraph of your last posting, Grockle.

I said I reported on the two AGM's CP not the apologies. If you wish to infer that I am mistaken I'm afraid its your word against mine and I WAS there.

If I'd heard them in private conversations then I would have said I heard them in private conversations. I'm not going to write a book on everything I go to simply to pander to your pandantic and occasionally snide insinuations about what you feel is true and what is not. I sometimes don't take the comments made by some posters all that seriously. :-)

The apology was once given by Brian at the Taunton AGM when he accepted that the Cameron incident had been unfortunate and I think you'll find that you picked up on the point at the time that when Richard apologised at the full AGM he said that Cameron remained a friend of the club (I think you used that in some implied slight within the last month). What was said at the other AGM's where I'm sure this came up I have no idea - again much like yourself.

I haven't read all the local reports on the incident or seen the local TV coverage of it at the time. I have no idea whether in any of those intreractions the club made any kind of apology...and I suspect neither do you. I know that both men when talking about the issue mentioned it in in a conciliatory and sincere way and were clear that the club was accepting responsibility for the mistake.

I reported it as part of an assessment of the year. I did write I wasn't going to say anything about it because I was summarising the season and where you say one thing about 'everyone makes mistakes' and it doesn't bother you while then going on to criticise the people who made them I'm simply writing from my own perspective about 2010.

You brought up the issue of apologies and cost I simply said we cocked it up and apologised to Cameron for that.

Quote:

Grockle
The apology was once given by Brian at the Taunton AGM when he accepted that the Cameron incident had been unfortunate and I think you'll find that you picked up on the point at the time that when Richard apologised at the full AGM he said that Cameron remained a friend of the club (I think you used that in some implied slight within the last month).

Oh dear, oh dear.

Firstly, Brian Rose (I assume that is who you meant by Brian) was not in attendance at the Taunton Area AGM was he? Not only did you not include his name in your report of that meeting on here as an official who was in attendance, but his absence there has been confirmed to me by a Taunton Area member who was indeed there like yourself. Secondly, this same Taunton member recalls Richard Gould, in a response to a question posed by a committee - member as to how much the Cameron White debacle had cost the club, replying - “A couple of thousand. He is a friend of the club”, in what this member anyway remembers as not being delivered in a particularly ‘contrite manner.’

Furthermore, you now say that Richard (Gould, I assume) apologised at the full AGM when he said that Cameron “remained a friend of the club”, yet you reported him as having said that after the Taunton Area AGM. Are you saying that he repeated this (without apologising) at the full AGM, or perhaps there is some confusion as to who said what and where? And how could I have “picked up on the point at the time that Richard apologised at the full AGM” when it was never reported by either yourself or any other poster on here, who was at the meeting?

Straightforward enough questions I would hasten to suggest.

Of course, when Brian Rose went to the Castle Hotel to tell Cameron White of the faux – pas, he would have apologised to him. What a pity it is that no explanation, or apology was subsequently given to the membership as a whole.

Were you a member of Somerset CCC last year, Grockle? I was, and if you care to look back through my previous comments on this subject, you will find that they accord very much with what I have written above.

Mistakes happen, but in the case of Somerset CCC when a mistake costs the club money, then an apology to the membership (owners) is warranted in my opinion, if not yours.

Your comments above appear in some ways to contradict what you have said on here previously. That is why I am unable to take them seriously.

Touché.

Lets stick to the cricket and get off this boring AGM crap.

Fine by me Sam :-)

Ha Ha - let's deal with your lovely post (and mightly well researched piece - well done) though shall we?

Touche? Strange reference - I think he was a turtle in a Hanna Barbara cartoon from the 60's wasn't he? Not sure what he has to do with this conversation but then most of it is pointless so he probably is appropriate

Firstly - so it was Richard instead of Brian (whoopee little victory :-) go and buy yourself a bottle of champagne to celebrate:-) - the acceptance and manner was there.

I didn't see this as vitally important so I didn't refer back to "Hansard" for the actual info (as I didn't mention it at the time anyway I don't think).

Your colleague reported what I assumed you already knew about the comments of Richard because you discussed them with me in December as I also reported this at the time. Contrite? He discussed the position and accepted the error....the manner in which he did it is a matter of opinion.

At the full AGM Richard confirmed the info (what was the point of re-reporting it as I already had at the regional meeting)? He again accepted the responsibility. This was not part of the formal meeting because the only way it could have been (in my understanding) was if a member had tabled it as part of the meeting or the club had made some kind of official statement part of the agenda.

The interaction took place during the regular Q and A that happens after the official business has been done when someone asked it as a supplementary. No-one seemed to want to take it further or take the whole thing apart and analyse it in detail so we went on to other things. Hope that clarifies and helps with your confusion. It was definitely on the same night in the same place to the same audience.

I'm not sure what my membership position has to do with anything. I was present at both my regional AGM and the full one.

Did you table or ask this question when you attended your area meeting - the one you were eligible to attend? Maybe if you had you could have got the answer you seem so keen to collect. If you didn't and need closure then can I suggest you write to the CEO and get it sorted. Oh and you can turn up at any of the AGM's I think you'd be most welcome, they aren't exactly pushed for space so don't be shy in future.

It's not that I don't have an opinion CP. The point is I didn't express it in the report I wrote because it was last year and I've moved on to this year. As I say I simply reported it as part of a review of June 2010 and only because it happened there. You brought up the rest. Please don't tell me what I think. You have no idea because I haven't told you :-)

I don't care whether you take things I say seriously. I'm not all that enamoured with your comments at times either. I find them "nit picky", patronising, pedantic and petty in the extreme on occasions. I apologise for my error of recollection about the identity of the speaker but I see no other contradictions or confusion in anything else I've said.

I sometimes think that you mix "confusion" up with disagreeing with your perspective on things.

We differ in opinion at times and on this issue we probably differ in the perception of its importance in February 2011.

But if you want a bit of sword practice at any time then bring it on mon brave?

Adieu :-)





Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2011:03:05:00:47:46 by Grockle.

There are, in my view, a number of posts in this thread which contain sections unworthy of the Grockles site we know and love.

There are some postings I simply do not bother to read, Bobstan. Happily these never include yours, but you will never know that as I am sure you have more sense than to read mine.

LoL

Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter

Thank you for your response, Grockle - the content and tone of which came as no surprise to me as, sadly as far as I am concerned, it was indeed par for the course.

Anyway, I am glad to have been of assistance in sorting out your confusion as to who said what at the Taunton Area AGM.

In fact, it has been my pleasure.

I thought you had tobe a Member of the club to attend Area AGM's and the main AGM

I agree with you Bob concerning posts but there are times when inference has to be faced and things have to be made plain. Anything else I have to say on this matter will be by PM to the relevant parties.

I'll try and finish the article over the weekend - it was slapped on because the server was down for a day and I needed to get the site back on line

Thanks very much for the post on the Durham site Mike. It is a little galling when the network invokes the 14 day rule so quickly on other sites while a site run by a member of their staff is allowed to go without update for months at a time. I'll bring the matter up once again on the publisher's forum

As far as I am aware Mamma. Members can go to any AGM, People sign in at the door at the ones in Taunton. I don't think there is a restriction on other people coming to them. I think on the one occasion I attended one as a non member and not in an offical capacity I asked permission and did not vote on any aspect of the meeting - simply observed. The rules at the official AGM are more stringently observed.

You are welcome Grockle, I don't think my voice will have any effect.

I thought I would use the opportunity to have a go at them on the Durham site about the front page issue hoping they would read it, (I see GERRY is on there) Middlesex message page is still not working.

I'll beat LoL to it. Clarence may have been implying that Grockle was mistaken. Or Grockle may have inferred that that was what Clarence was driving at.

* LoL's failure to point this out proves his point that he has declined to read certain posts.

Thanks AGod; your usage is indeed correct, but my failure to comment earlier on this matter is
a) as inferred by you;
b) I have been otherwise occupied for most of today;
c) if I commented on every slippage encountered here (including my own), I would lose even more friends than I already have.

LoL

Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter

I have to confess that I have read some of your posts,LoL.
Does this mean that nobody will speak to me in future?

I've thought of two possible responses to this already, one of which would be very labour-saving.

COYB

Hello, Bobs.
Who is this LoL fella you talk of?
This new ignore feature is brilliant.

I don't know, Jim. But that's unimportant.
Does he know?

Anyhow, you're certainly not on ignore. Criticism of English fly-halves could change that though.

Good morning, BobStan.

Did you enjoy our customary win in South East Wales?

Aye, a brilliant result for Ipswich yesterday, they were celebrating long and hard in Swansea last night.
I wouldn't be critical, Bobs, I enjoy good rugby, and only one team is playing that at the moment.

Llanelli?

Wash your mouth out with soup young man.

You're right, Jim. Bedford are playing well.

Yes, AG, almost the Portsmouth game in reverse. Impressive control of the game once Bullard had scored the first goal.

Yes. Under you know who there would have been a nervous attempt to hold out at 1-0. Which would not have worked. It was good to see us assertive once in front.

I'm not surprised to hear that Mr Jewell was unhappy with the first half - we looked like we were just waiting for them to score.

I must say it is very nice to have somebody of the calibre of Bullard in our midfield.

How long has Bullard been with you lot?
A tidy player, another West Ham academy player.

Bedford?
I saw them a few weeks ago at the Gnoll, Bobs.
A good side, proper rugby played by players that think like rugby players.
Not the steroid laden robots we see in the professional game.

The reason I enjoy going to Bedford for the occasional match, Jim, is that the players seem to actually enjoy playing rugby, and play it in the right spirit.

Plus the spectators are always pleasantly chatty, whether home or away followers.

Bullard arrived on loan in January. Doesn't tackle because of injury fears, but adds a touch of class and is well worth his place.

Paul Jewell was asked whether he would make Bullard captain when the regular captain was injured. He said there was no chance of that. Bullard would probably forget to go for the coin-tossing, but even if he remembered he wouldn't be able to decide whether to call heads or tails!

He's an excellent player, watch him drag you, kicking and screaming, into a play off place.
Mark my words, stranger things have happened.
I think.

I almost hope not, we're just not ready for the Prem.
I'm not too concerned about that possibility, though!

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:04:12:11:46:58 by Grockle.

Many many apologies for the lack of access over the last three days people.

The automatic de-activation protocol came into action on Friday afternoon but there was no way I could update until Saturday. This I did and by 2:00 I expected normal service to be resumed.

Unfortunately there seems to be no automatic system for RE-activating sites and I along with a number of others found ourselves mailing SN almost continuously as there seemed to be no-one on duty over the weekend OR on Monday.

I finally mailed the main office this lunchtime to ask what was going on and we seem to have been read this time.

I've also made the point about the Durham site which does not seem to have to pother about this - last update April 2010 - in the hope that there is some discussion about the flexibility of this system which is not the easiest thing to work around with a full time job and other things to do.

Anyway here we are and the first report will be sometime later this week hopefully when we take on Worcestershire at Taunton Vale I believe.





Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2011:03:22:13:43:18 by Grockle.

Thanks, Grockle.

Yes I tried to thank you yesterday for your write-up on last seasons “Short Stuff” the site wouldn’t accept my post.

Mo complaints from me, Grockle, only thanks that the service is back once more. Actually a few Grockles-free days don't actually do any harm when there is so much else in life to interest one.

LoL

Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter

Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

I can talk in cliches till the cows come home.

Grockle,
We all appreciate your time and efforts.

Thanks for your persistence in sorting out the problems, Grockle - and for an excellent summary of some of the one-day matches.