Excellent. Seems the media has decided it's going to pretend to be morally outraged

[Burney]

As a high profile sportsman he has to behave in a way that normal blokes don't, that will have been told to him over and over by management and some of the "experts" now employed by national teams. So basically it is his own fault and he deserves all he gets

But he only 'has' to behave like that in order to avoid sanctimonious, hypocritical finger-wagging of exactly the type you're currently indulging in.

[Pokster]

But he only 'has' to behave like that in order to avoid sanctimonious, hypocritical finger-wagging of exactly the type you're currently indulging in.

As SW says, if he was a foootballer he would be given even more grief than he has so far.

Do you think he should be allowed to go on the Ashes tour after this?

So you think knocking some bloke out while he was backing away is "normal" behaviour???

If it wasn't an England player and we were about to play the Ashes you wouldn't be getting your knickers in a twist

[Burney]

As SW says, if he was a foootballer he would be given even more grief than he has so far.

Do you think he should be allowed to go on the Ashes tour after this?

So you think knocking some bloke out while he was backing away is "normal" behaviour???

If it wasn't an England player and we were about to play the Ashes you wouldn't be getting your knickers in a twist

I doubt he would, actually. If he were a footballer, it would be expected and a bit meh. It's precisely because he's a cricketer that this is unusual.

I think he should be allowed to go on the Ashes tour because he hasn't actually been convicted of anything yet and because - even if he is - it's not actually that big a deal. I wouldn't say knocking people out is 'normal', but if every bloke who as a young man has got pïssed and punched someone were to be convicted for it and have their professional life blighted for it, we'd have an awful lot of criminal records knocking about. Getting into fights isn't particularly clever or dignified, but it happens, has always happened and will always happen. Throwing our hands up in horror about this one instance of something you can see in any town centre on a Friday night is just silly.

[Pokster]

I doubt he would, actually. If he were a footballer, it would be expected and a bit meh. It's precisely because he's a cricketer that this is unusual.

I think he should be allowed to go on the Ashes tour because he hasn't actually been convicted of anything yet and because - even if he is - it's not actually that big a deal. I wouldn't say knocking people out is 'normal', but if every bloke who as a young man has got pïssed and punched someone were to be convicted for it and have their professional life blighted for it, we'd have an awful lot of criminal records knocking about. Getting into fights isn't particularly clever or dignified, but it happens, has always happened and will always happen. Throwing our hands up in horror about this one instance of something you can see in any town centre on a Friday night is just silly.

GLWTP imo....

[Peter]

I doubt he would, actually. If he were a footballer, it would be expected and a bit meh. It's precisely because he's a cricketer that this is unusual.

I think he should be allowed to go on the Ashes tour because he hasn't actually been convicted of anything yet and because - even if he is - it's not actually that big a deal. I wouldn't say knocking people out is 'normal', but if every bloke who as a young man has got pïssed and punched someone were to be convicted for it and have their professional life blighted for it, we'd have an awful lot of criminal records knocking about. Getting into fights isn't particularly clever or dignified, but it happens, has always happened and will always happen. Throwing our hands up in horror about this one instance of something you can see in any town centre on a Friday night is just silly.

Can we just get real for a moment. If this were england's best footballer and the competition coming up was a World Cup there is no ****ing way the player would end up missing it over this incident. A footballer would be playing for his club this weekend.

I dont like him smacking the geezer when he was backing away but.....it appears this chap was threatening some gay men, wielded a bottle and there are also separate reports of them trying to start fights elsewhere earlier in the night.

If all of that is true, and I stress IF, then the chap deserved a kicking and can consider himself fortunate it wasnt a lot worse.

I have little sympathy for him. Stokes's needs to appreciate he cant get himself in these situations and needs to grow up. But the guy on the floor worthy facial injuries- **** him.

[redgunamo]

Can we just get real for a moment. If this were england's best footballer and the competition coming up was a World Cup there is no ****ing way the player would end up missing it over this incident. A footballer would be playing for his club this weekend.

Well, obviously; football, and footballers, is worth alot more money than cricket. Punish the miscreant, not everyone else.

[Luis Anaconda]

Can we just get real for a moment. If this were england's best footballer and the competition coming up was a World Cup there is no ****ing way the player would end up missing it over this incident. A footballer would be playing for his club this weekend.

I dont like him smacking the geezer when he was backing away but.....it appears this chap was threatening some gay men, wielded a bottle and there are also separate reports of them trying to start fights elsewhere earlier in the night.

If all of that is true, and I stress IF, then the chap deserved a kicking and can consider himself fortunate it wasnt a lot worse.

I have little sympathy for him. Stokes's needs to appreciate he cant get himself in these situations and needs to grow up. But the guy on the floor worthy facial injuries- **** him.

Happened in rugby (sort of) with Manu Tuilagi missing out on a home world cup at that. He had been charged and pleaded guilty admittedly (pleaded guilty to get the charge out of the way before said world cup but got kicked out anyway).

[Peter]

Happened in rugby (sort of) with Manu Tuilagi missing out on a home world cup at that. He had been charged and pleaded guilty admittedly (pleaded guilty to get the charge out of the way before said world cup but got kicked out anyway).

Some **** is going to wheel out the one argument that really gets me wound up- that these people are role models and should act like it. What sort of example is this for our kids etc??

Utter nonsense.

[Luis Anaconda]

Some **** is going to wheel out the one argument that really gets me wound up- that these people are role models and should act like it. What sort of example is this for our kids etc??

Utter nonsense.

I think Pokster already did that - are you calling him a ****?

Just seen the same argument re Delle Alli and the ban for using the finger. Now of course he was naughty and deserved a slap on the wrist but if people see him as a role model for their children they are ****s of the highest order

[SWv2]

I doubt he would, actually. If he were a footballer, it would be expected and a bit meh. It's precisely because he's a cricketer that this is unusual.

I think he should be allowed to go on the Ashes tour because he hasn't actually been convicted of anything yet and because - even if he is - it's not actually that big a deal. I wouldn't say knocking people out is 'normal', but if every bloke who as a young man has got pïssed and punched someone were to be convicted for it and have their professional life blighted for it, we'd have an awful lot of criminal records knocking about. Getting into fights isn't particularly clever or dignified, but it happens, has always happened and will always happen. Throwing our hands up in horror about this one instance of something you can see in any town centre on a Friday night is just silly.

Indeed.

I am tempted to add "end of" in order to bring this debate to a conclusion.