I see that Tam Cowan has been suspended by the BBC because of derogatory (but obviously tongue in cheek) comments about women's football in his Daily Record column, here:

 

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/tam-cowan-fir-park-should-2314034

 

Now, he'll be the first to admit that his jokes are from a bygone era, and in this article he is particularly guilty of being predictable and unfunny. But there's been a huge reaction, overreaction in fact, across the media, with people queueing up to wet their knickers and express (mock) outrage.

 

My local MSP Roseanna Cunningham, Minister for Community Safety, came out with "All the great work going on to reduce abuse and violence is undermined in this article." Seriously?!

 

But what gets me most is that Cowan has been churing out this kind of guff for 20 years, and I dare say every one of the offending jibes has been used many times before on Off the Ball and in his column, but without any outcry.

 

Is it any coincidence that it is suddenly unacceptable after the BBC has massively ramped up the airtime given to women's football? I presume the BBC has implemented a new policy on women's football in recent months, it seems to get more coverage on the national news than either the SPFL or Scotland national team get. When England sacked Hope Powell it was a far bigger story than any change in Scotland men's manager I can recall. Even this Scotland Womens match, or rather mismatch, v Bosnia was live on both BBC TV and radio.

 

 

 

 

To be fair to Cowan, women's football is pretty sh*te.

Can't believe the fourth paragraph, 1st line, wasn't edited. Mind you, it's hardly the Observer, Independent, et al... But still!!

To be honest, I haven't watched MOTD at all this season. Can't get excited over millionaire players who are greedy whining racist/violent/criminal/morally corrupt idiots. Kind of like paying £35 to go to Golds Gym to shout for Mark Zuckerberg against Bill gates at Squash. has no meaning.

maybe just getting old, but women's football - at least they do it for the love of the game and give it their all. The SPFL has more interest for me than ever for the same reason.

I wasn't aware of this at all! I don't read the Daily Record, so missed it.

Surely an over reaction to an obviously flippant article.

 

The line, "Admittedly, I’ve not seen a lot of women’s football - just a few little snatches"  is typical Tam Cowan!

It's his irreverent style. Always nudge, nudge, wink, wink humour. I used to love his "Take-It-Away-Jock-the-****" 'Offside' program! It's good to have journalists of a different ilk and not all PC correct scribes like Graham Spiers!

 

It's incredible how guarded you've got to be in what you say anywhere nowadays....

 

But what he said was correct. Nobody has any interest in women's football aside from those directly involved.

There are plenty of female ICT supporters who regularly attend games but few, if any, will have gone to watch Inverness City Ladies FC.

 

I've watched a few games on TV - the most exciting it got was when a wee pushing fight developed. But it was just handbags...and the elementary mistakes that were being made..honestly, I've never seen so many boobs!

 

 

Woman's football in Scotland is a growing participation sport if not a spectator sport. It's not fair to compare it to the men's game IMO. It's more skill bases and understandably less physical. Less bad behaviour on the field too, no arguing with officials or play acting!

I'm sorry what Tam Cowan said wasn't funny in the least and bad judgement on his part. However, I respect his right to say what he did and suspending the guy is well OTT.

Woman's football in Scotland is a growing participation sport if not a spectator sport. It's not fair to compare it to the men's game IMO. It's more skill bases and understandably less physical. Less bad behaviour on the field too, no arguing with officials or play acting!

 

It looks more skilful at times because it's so slow. Like watching men's fitba from the 50s. And the goalies are terrible.

Seen a few games on telly but can't summon up the motivation to go to a game, maybe next time there was an international at Easter Road.

I'd defend their right to play it and develop it though.

I'd rather watch women's football than Tam Cowan. Met him a couple of times when I lived in Glasgow. Roaster.

I've made a point of watching women's International matches here in the wild west.

 

Teams like Mexico, U.S. and  Canada and so on have some very good footballers that would do credit to many a men's team.

 

And one thing I do like about it is the fact that there is a lot less histrionics, diving and deliberately rough play. AND these ladies are very fit too, athletic and have a lot of skill.

Frankly, for anyone who loves the game of soccer  you could do a LOT worse than to watch a good international match on the  T.V.

Check out the Olympics as well--they are usually very competitive and skilful.

 

As for Mr T. Cowan.....Neanderthal, retrograde and desperate to be controversial .

No self-respecting journalist would think  of writing such filthy, puerile and ill-informed stuff in any form of public communication newspaper, IMHO at least.          And not our very own Chas for sure.

Well my friend Scarlet, there are pretty good football playing ladies here in olde Europe, too. Despite the poor result at the last Championship, England has some decent players, and some countries like Sweden, France, the one I was born in or even Norway stand even better. IIRC correctly, the German national team even beat a fifth tier men's side in a test before the 2011 World Cup.

If I didn't have to join a meditational walk this afternoon, I'd switch on (German) Eurosport to watch the women's Bundesliga top match.

 

Oh, and Yngwie, England wasn't the only team to put 9 past the opponent's goalie a fortnight ago. Ask the Russian girls

Getting a wee bit off subject here, guys.  The thread is about the treatment of Tam Cowan and not the merits of women's football per se.  I happen to think Cowan is funny.  I don't think he ever intends to offend people but his tongue in cheek humour can be cutting at times.  In truth, I doubt that Cowan has any ill will towards women's football.  What the article was doing was actually celebrating his beloved Motherwell and it just so happened that women's football was the butt of his humour.

 

It really annoys me that people these days are so sensitive about the slightest thing.  There seem to be some subjects you can no longer make jokes about and womens football seems to be the latest thing.  Personally I am all for the promotion of the women's game.  Of course it is not as good as the mens game in general but that is mainly a reflection of the number of women who play and the length of time they have played.  But what annoys me is these people who, rather than defend the game or better still, respond in kind with a tongue in cheek attack on the mens game, instead try to gag those who dare poke gentle fun.

 

Clearly the womens game will never be as physical as the men's, but as a consequence, it can be argued that to excell at the game women need to be more skillful.  In time, the women's game could potentially display more skill than the mens game.  And let's face it the real heroes of the mens game are not the big powerful guys, they are the small skillful players - Best, Maradonna, Cooper, Messi, Mckay, for example. Why can't those humourless morons who want to gag Cowan simply enter into the banter and laugh about it?  For instance, the humourless Roseanna Cunningham could have retorted that if Cowan's Motherwell played more like the Scottish Women's team they might still be in Europe.  Or could they not simply have said "Ha ha Tam. Very funny.  But actually it was a great night and the first time the home side has scored so many at Fir Park for many a long year!"

 

It should be clear to all that this was meant to amuse and not to offend or to be a serious critique of the women's game.  After all, if Cowan seriously thought it was inappropriate to play a women's match at Motherwell's ground, he would have mentioned the most important reason which is, of course, that the high heels ruin the playing surface.

 

But coming back to the BBC's action, I am seriously concerned about what it says about the attitudes in this country these days.  He is taken to task for his obviously tongue in cheek remarks about women's football but not about something else in his column which to me, people might have genuine reason to feel offended about.  The BBC and those that back their actions seem to be saying that it is fair game to suggest that men from Aberdeen may have an unnatural affection for sheep but not to make gentle fun of women's football.  What sort of moral leadership does that offer?

 

We really do need a sense of perspective here and certain people need to get a sense of humour.

Get back behind the ironing board...........

 

 

:slapme:

The BBC. Siphoning off millions into salaries of the few, millions from public money, and not a suspension proferred. Hires muscle to get its TV licence fees that then get spent on massive salaries for executives.

Asides from opinion on women's football, the BBC need their own moral compass found, and to stop trying to find it in other areas of the media.

I actually didn't like his article, I think it was base and crude, but that's what the DR is, so one can't really be surprised. But a word in his ear would have been suffice.