Give Jan the red card
23 Mar 2009
Keo, in his weekly Business Day newspaper column, writes Vodacom’s Player 23 campaign is an insult to the cosmopolitan South African rugby supporter.
For 10 years South African rugby’s marketing team did everything to reflect that in a new South Africa there was a new South African rugby culture far removed from the brandy and coke potbellied types that stereotype the traditional white Afrikaans male’s bond with the game.
Zulu dancers were introduced as part of pre-match entertainment at Tests, playing quotas ensured black representation on the field and slowly blacks were enticed to experience an afternoon at the palace of what was once a white’s only affair.
There was an effort being made to change perception and to kill off stereotyping, but South African rugby could guarantee nothing outside of their control – and they don’t control who pays to go to a ground. They could not foresee Piet van Zyl, dressed in jeans and a Springbok jersey that couldn’t accommodate his barrel gut, casually wondering onto the field and assaulting Irish referee Dave McHugh when the Springboks played the All Blacks in Durban in 2002, and they could not be accountable for the actions of an unidentified individual who racially abuses another at a game.
All that South African rugby can control is that over which it has influence, and that is why the endorsement of Vodacom’s 2009 rugby campaign is baffling because all it has done is reinforce that the South African rugby fan is everything the organization has tried to convince us is no longer the case.
Vodacom, as the primary sponsor of rugby in South Africa, is celebrating the year of the fan. His name is Jan, he is player 23 in the team and he is a clone of the 1970s white Springbok rugby supporter – a walking caricature of what has always repulsed. Only they’ve given Jan a personality of being a jovial and hugely popular bloke, but perception is stronger than fact and the physical appearance of Jan and what he represents in the stands adds to the perception that rugby in South Africa is still a game supported only by grossly overweight brandy and coke potbellied types.
I have sympathy for the well-traveled and likeable modern Afrikaans-speaking South African who loves his language, loves his rugby and loves living in South Africa. This modern Afrikaner certainly doesn’t look or act like Jan and he must cringe every time he sees the advertisement.
In an evolving South African rugby audience market, Jan is in the minority at Stormers and Sharks matches, which says player 23 should be a celebration of something more than a pot-bellied Afrikaans speaking supporter. What of Gert, who is sophisticated, lean and intelligent? What of Sipho, who digs his rugby almost as much as he does soccer? What of Alice who never misses a game? What of Peter, who has always put the Springboks first on a Saturday afternoon?
Vodacom will defend their choice of Jan as good natured fun and SA Rugby will see nothing offensive in it, yet continue to wonder why the perception that their game caters only for conservative and racist whites.
The game in this country is more cosmopolitan in support than it has ever been and that is the pity of the advertisement because it reflects the past when there is so much of the current to be showcased when the British & Irish Lions visit in June.
This is not about being politically correct, but about accuracy in who supports the Springboks. There is more to South African rugby than Jan, but thanks to Jan it will take another 10 years to convince critics of South African rugby that there is life beyond the 23rd member of the team.
Things off the field have changed in our rugby and innovation would be celebrating this in the same way the Bulls and Sharks celebrated what hasn’t changed on the field, which is the ability of a good South African team to turn defence into the most lethal form of attack.
The Bulls and Sharks were brutal in defending their line against the Hurricanes and Force respectively, and the skill in maintaining defensive composure is equal to anything a team does when given the ball.
Rugby is a game played as much without the ball as with it, and at the weekend we saw two very good South African sides reinforce the stereotype that South African teams are more dangerous without the ball.
And, unlike Jan, that is a stereotype the cosmopolitan South African rugby fan should never find offensive.
1,374 Comments
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23 Mar 2009, 15:45 pm
#442 ashley: who’s going to ban him from his own website? Or do you mean “banned” like in the old days…
23 Mar 2009, 15:45 pm
lol, the clash of cultures returns.
23 Mar 2009, 15:46 pm
#447 robdylan:
You mean to say – there was actually debate as opposed to kids trying to out-swear each other?
23 Mar 2009, 15:46 pm
447 – Yea but when the Jans get involved it all goes for a ball of ****
23 Mar 2009, 15:47 pm
#441 WP Till I Die Thinks For Himself:
Jy is kinderagtig, regtig.
Gaan Donderdag na die Fireman’s, moenie dat Dawn weer alleen daar sit en wag nie…en gesels die storie uit.
Jy het jou naam diep gat gemaak hier vandag, en jy is te DOM om dit raak te sien….
En dan wil jy nogal die SAS gaan join, in Afghanistan van alle plekke….eishhh, ou seun, jy is n dromer….bly net daar waar jy is, onder tannie Dawn se rok, jy weet nie waarvan jy praat nie.
En doen jou werk daar by die bank n slag, want lyk my jy le heeldag op hulle rekenaars rond en kukpraat op keo…
23 Mar 2009, 15:47 pm
#449 Ed_the_PROUDLions:
You’re a fine specimen Edward.
So much panache, so articulate, so much class.
You sure your name’s not Jan?
23 Mar 2009, 15:47 pm
#447 robdylan:
Then get back to your own site.
23 Mar 2009, 15:47 pm
#448 Vinnie: nice… will make it easier to visit each other. Ag swiet!
23 Mar 2009, 15:48 pm
#455 Pietman: Ek stem saam, Prins moet bietjie werk doen!!1
23 Mar 2009, 15:48 pm
#457 Dawn: some people tend to find a way to sink to the prevailing level regardless…
23 Mar 2009, 15:48 pm
#449 Ed_the_PROUDLions: Put on your nappies and go back to bed.
23 Mar 2009, 15:49 pm
#450 Dawn:
Comments Dawn….which ones on that list are your friends….?
Honest question.
Ok, Harry we know, but the others…..
23 Mar 2009, 15:49 pm
#456 Vinnie: My name is not Jan, I might change that though. You are a very good judge of charater though.
23 Mar 2009, 15:51 pm
#462 Pietman:
Why is that important?
And stop attacking people personally.
23 Mar 2009, 15:52 pm
what i find strange is that keo, this engelse journo from the cape, is the very site that attracts the most Jan’s, am not saying there is anything wrong with Jan, quite the opposite, but one thing Jan could never be acused of is having the tolerance or understanding to acknowledge the irony of it all.
23 Mar 2009, 15:52 pm
#461 pommie: ****…..u sound like ur 12 years old
23 Mar 2009, 15:52 pm
As ek nou ook in my lewe n pot snot gelees het……
23 Mar 2009, 15:53 pm
#464 Dawn: Is jy ‘n ANC politikus? Want jy dodge vrae soos ene.
23 Mar 2009, 15:53 pm
#451 robdylan:
i will
…
ok keo, you little b@stard, you are banned
and
you
will not show your ugly mug here
till
i
say you can!
…..
ok
i think thats long enough
you can now show your ugly mug here again
but
be warned
..
keep it real
….
i’m watching you!!
23 Mar 2009, 15:54 pm
#455 Pietman:
Ek het nooit gesê ek wil by die SAS aansluit nie, jy sit weer woorde in my mond!
Ek mag dalk kinderagtig wees op tye – soveel sal ek erken – maar sien, dis die verskil, ek is bereid om my foute te erken.
Dit kan nie gesê word vir almal hier nie.
En ek het jou al voorheen gesê, respek word verdien, en verloor. Ek het nie jou goedkeurig nodig nie – ook nie Dawn s’n nie. Ek is my eie mens, en ek is onder NIEMAND se rok nie.
En ek is jammer as dit jou pla.
Julle is so oorsensitief op tye, wil ‘n verskoning hê vanaf mense wat blykbaar met julle skoor soek of watookal dan – maar as die situasie omgekeer is, is daar geen verskoning van julle kant af nie?
Ek gee nie om as ek my naam gat gemaak het nie volgens jou. Ek is nie ‘n skaap wat die res van die trop volg soos meeste hier nie…
23 Mar 2009, 15:54 pm
“Give Jan the Red Card” – what a load of bullshit. It’s about the idea of centralising the fan and placing the spotlight on the fan to emphasize his/her importance to the game. Do we now really have to go and look at the physical appearance, skin colour of the person they used to personify this “fan”. Please keo dont be so insecure. There is no person on this planet that they could have used that would have represented the whole spectrum of the rugby public in this rainbow nation of ours! Maybe Jan is english speaking, very intelligent, well travelled (whatever), his father an old Inkatha comrade and maybe he can speaks Xhosa and Zulu fluently…BUT unfortunately his from a bad gene pool and therefore the bear bellie etc.
Please keo dont make politics out of actions which should be applauded by us the rugby fans. At least they are acknowledging us – which also happens to be the same hand that feeds you.
23 Mar 2009, 15:54 pm
#467 Staal:
Jy bedoel seker na jou matriek eindeksamen antwoorde?
23 Mar 2009, 15:55 pm
#468 pommie:
Why does he want to know who on that list are my friends.
It’s of little importance here, and none of his business.
23 Mar 2009, 15:55 pm
Keo you must write more nonsense articles like your Jan story here, it might entice more of the old timers out of the woodwork.
Who knows, St Michael might even put in an appearance, although I doubt it with the way England is playing.
23 Mar 2009, 15:55 pm
#464 Dawn:
haven’t you seen the ad on tv(reeds delta ret tag sale)?
23 Mar 2009, 15:55 pm
#464 Dawn:
Hmmm, now you are Mother Theresa all of a sudden….ok then….
23 Mar 2009, 15:55 pm
#463 Ed_the_PROUDLions:
Alright chum, you’ve had your 5 minutes in the sun. Now back in your box and we’ll give you a shout when we need to give soemthing the idiot-proof test.
23 Mar 2009, 15:56 pm
#466 K9 the Lion: King of Beasts: King of the biets – you don’t sound very clever, rather save your posts for bloggers of your stature. Not me.
23 Mar 2009, 15:58 pm
Keo has nothing to write about now he goes and writes about **** like this…
Sounds like something Luke would say!
23 Mar 2009, 15:58 pm
#472 Vinnie: Julle raak al hou flouer……
23 Mar 2009, 15:58 pm
why are sites like ‘RUGBY, SADF & NGK’ or ‘ekBlynBulDotCom’ not popular?
Nope its Keo, the oke who writes these leftwing articles, who exposed kamp draadtrek and on and on. And yet these okes ***** and moan about keo and all these other ‘insane’ village idiots that do not share their views. what a country.
23 Mar 2009, 15:59 pm
#455 Pietman: pietman, laat jy my nou skuldig voel… sal so n bietjie gaan werk nou…
23 Mar 2009, 15:59 pm
#480 K9 the Lion: King of Beasts:
That doens’t even make sense buddy.
Is Afrikaans your third language or soemthing?
23 Mar 2009, 15:59 pm
Another thing – am i the only cynic who thinks the player 23 campaign is a crock of **** – they call us fans but they really see us as customers and nothing more. A cash cow to be milked witjh mediocre prodcustw e sap up year after year? Regardless if Jan is a dumb *** boer or a gin swizzling soutie or a black football fan who likes men playing with odd shaped balls – we being suckered royally.
23 Mar 2009, 16:00 pm
ok – this just stopped being fun.
Later guys
23 Mar 2009, 16:00 pm
#470 WP Till I Die Thinks For Himself:
Lyk my al wat jy desdae doen is foute erken….
Moet dit jou toegee, jy is nie skaam om verskoning te vra nie, telkemale….
Jy moet regkom boet, begin rook en drink en eet reg, soos n man, jy raak n regte bleddie poefter deesdae…
23 Mar 2009, 16:00 pm
#481 cab: Nothing left wing about this article only about being insecure.
23 Mar 2009, 16:00 pm
#481 cab:
Lol. The irony is tangible cab.
But I know the answer – it’s the easiest url to find! Only three letters!
23 Mar 2009, 16:00 pm
#476 Pietman:
Oh shut up.
You boring me now.
23 Mar 2009, 16:01 pm
#481 cab:
Keo is a microcosm of the greater South African society (and by greater I do mean in its entirety, inclusive of the great South African diaspora).
Unfortunately it does not bode well for our country’s fractured psyche.
Personally, I suspect the anonymity that a blog like this brings, along with the inherent protection against retribution to your person, allows views to surface which might ordinarily stay hidden.
Not a bad thing, however, it is important for views – however extreme they might be – to be let loose in the marketplace of ideas to be discussed, and, if need be, torn to shreds.
23 Mar 2009, 16:01 pm
#484 Ig:
Yip, and that add probably just lobbed another ten ront onto the price of test match ticket.
23 Mar 2009, 16:01 pm
#482 Veltie:
Nee, bly Veltman…jy poraat ten minste sin…jy en Genis!
23 Mar 2009, 16:01 pm
#484 Ig: I think Jan is a great guy.
23 Mar 2009, 16:02 pm
hulle praat van nasie bou maar hoe?
23 Mar 2009, 16:02 pm
#483 Vinnie: Seems English not ur strong point is it?
23 Mar 2009, 16:02 pm
#486 Pietman:
A, die persoonlike aanvalle duur voort.
Mooi so, bring hulle.
23 Mar 2009, 16:03 pm
#472 Vinnie:
Matriek?????…..nooit daar uitgekom nie!
23 Mar 2009, 16:03 pm
#479 canafunk:
lol
23 Mar 2009, 16:03 pm
#489 Dawn:
OK mother, shut up I am….
But the list is still hanging out there, I will not let you forget that….
23 Mar 2009, 16:04 pm
#480 K9 the Lion: King of Beasts: ok….jy kan nou asem uitblaas dat daai bors bietjie sak, asb!
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