Murphy
Great White
good to see he took the time to respond to you fitz well deservd
Scott Porter's Round One Jersey Project
- Thread starter Megashark
- Start date
SharkBoy
Great White
Yeah that's awesome. Very sincere email.
Sixgill
Moderator
Yep Sharkafar. Nice club with quite a few grounds around it.
And Buz, there's plenty over 50 who are madmen and don't wear those shorts. And they hit like a truck and land on you like a brick wall.
And Fitz, thanks for posting the email.
For a strong fan who can't always make it to these things, it's nice that everyone remembers to 'report' back.
Bundy
Hammerhead
Was good to finally meet you the other night Fitz. To put a face to the name and the phone conversations!
Without turning this thread into a love in, I would like to mention a couple of things if it's not too much to ask...
I know you put a lot of time, effort and energy into both this place and the Sharks and to your credit, you are genuinely humble when your efforts are recognised. Perhaps a little too humble IMO and perhaps your commitment and sacrifices to our Club are not recognised as strongly and as often as they should be.
I don't by any means, mean to take away from anyone else in here, or any other Sharks fans anywhere for that matter, but you do go that extra yard and as a Sharks fan, I thank you too.
Ironshark. Wow. What a speech. Unfortunately I can't put words together in such a fashion so I'll leave it at that. Wow.
To everyone on Sharksforever who had anything to do with putting this jersey presentation together. What you guys collectively acheived on Saturday night, with the guidance of Iron and Fitz, is something that only time will show the benefits of. I hope you all can look back in the not too distant future with a sense of great pride that you were a part of such a moment in Black, White & Blue history.
Without turning this thread into a love in, I would like to mention a couple of things if it's not too much to ask...
I know you put a lot of time, effort and energy into both this place and the Sharks and to your credit, you are genuinely humble when your efforts are recognised. Perhaps a little too humble IMO and perhaps your commitment and sacrifices to our Club are not recognised as strongly and as often as they should be.
I don't by any means, mean to take away from anyone else in here, or any other Sharks fans anywhere for that matter, but you do go that extra yard and as a Sharks fan, I thank you too.
Ironshark. Wow. What a speech. Unfortunately I can't put words together in such a fashion so I'll leave it at that. Wow.
To everyone on Sharksforever who had anything to do with putting this jersey presentation together. What you guys collectively acheived on Saturday night, with the guidance of Iron and Fitz, is something that only time will show the benefits of. I hope you all can look back in the not too distant future with a sense of great pride that you were a part of such a moment in Black, White & Blue history.
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SharksOnline: Sharksforever.com present Scott Porter with his Round One jersey in respect and admiration at the post match... http://bit.ly/9jSAmP
More...
More...
Great job Fitz you have done us all proud. Nice speech Iron, I loved your work. I managed to get a look at the Jersery back stage and had the honour of being able to talk to my 9 year old daughter about it. I told her what it was about and what you blokes had done. I told her that I put some money in for it and my name was on the back. When I turned it around to show her my name "lumpy" she just smiled and said "oh dad!"
I am smiling now just thinking about. Well done again you blokes.
I am smiling now just thinking about. Well done again you blokes.
Megashark
Jaws
Great stuff, and a big well done to Fitz, Iron and all involved.
SharkBoy
Great White
Awesome!
gregr
Bronze Whaler
awesome work guys, good to be a part of
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The Better Side Of Sport
The Better Side Of Sport
By Jardian Ormsby
27th April 2010
sportsneo.com
I’m standing in the auditorium of the Sharkies Leagues Club surrounded by happy, jubilant Sharks fans hollering at the top of their voices. My head hurts like hell. My voice is dwindling with every passing word uttered from the deep clutches of my exhausted lungs. My veins are coursing with Pepsi. I’ve put down five in the last half hour just to prevent my eyelids from giving in to the will of my brain, desperately trying to convince my retinas to shut down for the night. I want to cave in and crash. I know I’m going home to a three week-old son that’s going to turn my ear drums into punching bags just to teach me a lesson for going to the footy without him.
So why am I still here, you ask? Because I’m covering a story you won’t read anywhere else; at least not in the details it deserves anyways. You see...
On March 13th 2010, shortly after the Melbourne Storm and Cronulla Sharks had taken the field for their Round 1 NRL clash, the hearts and minds of the 11,820 fans in attendance all turned to diminutive Sharks half back Scott Porter. Less than 24 hours earlier, Porter tragically lost his sister, Lisa, to a sudden heart attack. It was a cruel and crushing blow not just to Scott, but for the entire Sharks family still licking the fresh wounds of the “Season From Hell” that had unfolded the season prior. Days before Lisa’s passing, the Daily Telegraph ran a story on a tattoo that Porter had gotten in the offseason; a giant portrait of his mother, Sharon. Eight months prior to this latest setback, Porter had also lost his mother under equally tragic circumstances only six weeks after Scott had made his first grade debut in 2009. That fate would deal Scott such a devastating blow so soon after losing his number one fan was heartbreaking to say the very least.
We shouldn’t have seen Scott Porter for that season opener against the Storm that night. Nobody who supported the Sharks would’ve blamed him for being with his family that night or any other time in the coming weeks. But Scott felt differently. He showed up, ran out for his club and played his little heart out. If you were looking for a modern day Hercules in 2010, you didn’t have to look further than the bloke wearing the number seven for the Cronulla Sharks on this cold, wet night. There was a moment right on half time where the Sharks drew a penalty on the right sideline. Instead of regular goal kicker Luke Covell stepping up to attempt the penalty conversion, the ball was instead handed to Porter, charged with the task of slotting home a goal in honour of Lisa. It wasn’t an easy kick in the best weather conditions, let alone in the pouring rain. Scott never flinched. He looked at the posts, then the ball, then slid the pill right over the black dot. On the run back to the sheds, he was embraced by each one of his teammates with either a hug or a pat on the back. The Sharks lost the match 10-14, but it didn’t matter. It wasn’t about winning. It was about something bigger and more valuable than two competition points. It was about character.
But this piece isn’t about Scott and his character. That story has been written. This is about a small group of fans who turned Scott from a player they cheered into a brother they supported.
When the Sharks left the field at the completion of the aforementioned match, their match-worn jerseys were auctioned off online to the highest bidders. That’s when a small group of fans from the SharksForever.com forums banded together in a bid to purchase Scott’s jersey which would, in turn, allow them to present that same jersey back to the one person who would appreciate it the most; Scott Porter.
Led by Brendan FitzPatrick -- the spiritual Godfather of the Sharks Forever forum -- fans jumped on board a ship that was driven by gratitude and anchored by appreciation, in an attempt to rally around the brother they knew only through association. Strangers to each other and to Scott pledged money as best they could. Some pledged hundreds, others their widows mite. Regardless, all donations came from the same source that allowed Scott to take the field that night when so many others would have shied away – the heart. Nobody knew just how much money would be needed to win back the jersey. Chances were there would be some ardent collectors willing to pay top dollar for the jersey. So people pledged and pledged and pledged. Donated and donated and donated. When it seemed that the bidding was destined to hit a figure higher than expected, people who had already given generously gave again. As the bidding drew closer and closer to a close, the price of the jersey grew higher and higher. People kept pledging and pledging until, finally, this group of strangers who hung out on an internet forum had raised enough money amongst themselves to purchase something that most of them would never even see. It was a true show of character from a small sampling of a fan base often criticised for being “fair weather fans”. There was nothing fair weather about this bonding of the Sharks family.
That’s why I’m standing here in the auditorium right now. It’s very loud in here. It’s been an emotional day for everyone that bleeds black, white and blue (after all, the Sharks didn’t just beat the Newcastle Knights, they beat them down!) and it’s about to get even more emotional for everyone in the room.
Nobody knows I’m here. The organisers of this project would be embarrassed to know I’m writing about this. Notoriety was never a driving force behind the project. I don’t care. On a weekend where we celebrate the spirit and courage of those who went before us, this story deserves a mention even if my higher ups thought I was covering something else. As the Toyota Cup side walk off the stage at this particular player presentation, the noise grows ever louder. And louder. And louder. Then it’s announced that a special presentation would be made to Scott Porter.
Silence.
Heading to the microphone with a piece of paper in hand is a member of the Sharks Forever forum named Brad, but known to those on the Sharks Forever forums as ‘IronShark’. He’s been just as instrumental in some of the grass-roots Sharks projects that you never hear about as anyone else and he’s been chosen to represent all those who donated for the jersey. As he plants himself in front of the microphone, the deafening silence continues to echo through the auditorium. It’s the kind of silence reserved for people like the Pope or the President. That’s how much respect everyone in this room has for Scott Porter.
“I think it is only fitting that we make this presentation tonight, on the eve of ANZAC day, when we honour those whose courage and loyalty in the face of terrible adversity have become legend” starts this IronShark.
Reverent applause.
“Scott Porter is the epitome of the traits that we honour on ANZAC day. Courage, honour, loyalty and sacrifice in the face of adversity. These very traits are also the foundations that the Sharks have been built on since 1967. Scott is a local junior who, like most players, has had show extraordinary commitment and overcome injury to represent his club in the NRL. However, when Scott chose to take the field against the Melbourne Storm in Round 1 this year, he did so under the weight of tremendous personal tragedy. But not only did he find the strength to pull on this jersey on that night, he went on to perform with distinction.”
As these remarks flow, I flash a look to my 15-year old cousin who I’d taken to the game because of his religious support for the Newcastle Knights (poor kid!). He knows a little bit about adversity. Last year, he lost his father to cancer despite his Dad’s very young age. He knows what it’s like to lose a loved one and expresses a look on his face that seems to approve every word spoken about Scott. So much for a young mind to digest. The speech continues...
“So, whilst we may not be able to fully understand just what it took for Scott Porter to play that night, we can all express our gratitude and admiration by presenting him with this jersey.”
There wasn’t a bum left on a seat as Scott emerged to receive the jersey this small group of fans had purchased for him. Everyone in the auditorium stood, applauded and thanked Scott for what he had done for everyone that supported the Sharks. As Scott receives the jersey, he runs his fingers through his hair in a little disbelief. The jersey he wore on the field less than a day after he lost his sister that he once thought he’d never see again is now back in his possession. It’s since been framed. As the framed jersey is handed over to Scott, one can’t help but to notice the word COURAGE in big block letters towards the bottom of the frame. Accompanying the jersey are two images; one of Scott thanking the fans after the Melbourne game, the other of Scott’s penalty kick that was dedicated to Lisa. On the back of the frame is a plaque that reads;
“This has been funded entirely by the voluntary donations of fans who love their club and the players. The courage to play under such tragic circumstances will forever be remembered by us all. We present this in recognition that there is nobody for whom this jersey would hold greater significance.”
As Scott steps to the microphone, he is evidently moved to an emotional point where all one can muster up is continual thanks to everyone. He thanks once and then twice then gracefully steps down from the microphone with all in attendance still upright.
Back on the floor, Scott justifies his status as a club favourite by standing and posing in photos with fans of all ages – young and old. Nobody that requests a photo or signature leaves empty handed. It’s the mark of a true modern day hero.
And that’s the thing about this whole ordeal that can’t go missed. The effort by those from the Sharks Forever forums wasn’t about what the fans could do for Scott nearly as much as it was about what Scott had done for the fans that particular night when he stood for something more. Scott may have been moved by the generosity of his fans, but it doesn’t hold a candle to how much Scott moved everyone that supported the black, white and blue. It’s why we follow sport in the first place. We continue to follow sport not for what we can give nearly as much as for what we can get. We live our dreams vicariously through those who take the field in our colours week in and week out, perhaps wrongfully at certain points; and in a week where we’re about to hear endless amounts of player-money abuse in lieu of the Melbourne Storm salary cap scandal, it’s refreshing to know there are players and fans who continue to operate in a morally uplifting way.
On a weekend we salute the courage of those who went before us, I too salute the courage of those who live amongst us; Scott Porter being one of those shining beacons of light.
Lest we forget.
Source: http://www.sportsneo.com/articles?id=67
The Better Side Of Sport
By Jardian Ormsby
27th April 2010
sportsneo.com
I’m standing in the auditorium of the Sharkies Leagues Club surrounded by happy, jubilant Sharks fans hollering at the top of their voices. My head hurts like hell. My voice is dwindling with every passing word uttered from the deep clutches of my exhausted lungs. My veins are coursing with Pepsi. I’ve put down five in the last half hour just to prevent my eyelids from giving in to the will of my brain, desperately trying to convince my retinas to shut down for the night. I want to cave in and crash. I know I’m going home to a three week-old son that’s going to turn my ear drums into punching bags just to teach me a lesson for going to the footy without him.
So why am I still here, you ask? Because I’m covering a story you won’t read anywhere else; at least not in the details it deserves anyways. You see...
On March 13th 2010, shortly after the Melbourne Storm and Cronulla Sharks had taken the field for their Round 1 NRL clash, the hearts and minds of the 11,820 fans in attendance all turned to diminutive Sharks half back Scott Porter. Less than 24 hours earlier, Porter tragically lost his sister, Lisa, to a sudden heart attack. It was a cruel and crushing blow not just to Scott, but for the entire Sharks family still licking the fresh wounds of the “Season From Hell” that had unfolded the season prior. Days before Lisa’s passing, the Daily Telegraph ran a story on a tattoo that Porter had gotten in the offseason; a giant portrait of his mother, Sharon. Eight months prior to this latest setback, Porter had also lost his mother under equally tragic circumstances only six weeks after Scott had made his first grade debut in 2009. That fate would deal Scott such a devastating blow so soon after losing his number one fan was heartbreaking to say the very least.
We shouldn’t have seen Scott Porter for that season opener against the Storm that night. Nobody who supported the Sharks would’ve blamed him for being with his family that night or any other time in the coming weeks. But Scott felt differently. He showed up, ran out for his club and played his little heart out. If you were looking for a modern day Hercules in 2010, you didn’t have to look further than the bloke wearing the number seven for the Cronulla Sharks on this cold, wet night. There was a moment right on half time where the Sharks drew a penalty on the right sideline. Instead of regular goal kicker Luke Covell stepping up to attempt the penalty conversion, the ball was instead handed to Porter, charged with the task of slotting home a goal in honour of Lisa. It wasn’t an easy kick in the best weather conditions, let alone in the pouring rain. Scott never flinched. He looked at the posts, then the ball, then slid the pill right over the black dot. On the run back to the sheds, he was embraced by each one of his teammates with either a hug or a pat on the back. The Sharks lost the match 10-14, but it didn’t matter. It wasn’t about winning. It was about something bigger and more valuable than two competition points. It was about character.
But this piece isn’t about Scott and his character. That story has been written. This is about a small group of fans who turned Scott from a player they cheered into a brother they supported.
When the Sharks left the field at the completion of the aforementioned match, their match-worn jerseys were auctioned off online to the highest bidders. That’s when a small group of fans from the SharksForever.com forums banded together in a bid to purchase Scott’s jersey which would, in turn, allow them to present that same jersey back to the one person who would appreciate it the most; Scott Porter.
Led by Brendan FitzPatrick -- the spiritual Godfather of the Sharks Forever forum -- fans jumped on board a ship that was driven by gratitude and anchored by appreciation, in an attempt to rally around the brother they knew only through association. Strangers to each other and to Scott pledged money as best they could. Some pledged hundreds, others their widows mite. Regardless, all donations came from the same source that allowed Scott to take the field that night when so many others would have shied away – the heart. Nobody knew just how much money would be needed to win back the jersey. Chances were there would be some ardent collectors willing to pay top dollar for the jersey. So people pledged and pledged and pledged. Donated and donated and donated. When it seemed that the bidding was destined to hit a figure higher than expected, people who had already given generously gave again. As the bidding drew closer and closer to a close, the price of the jersey grew higher and higher. People kept pledging and pledging until, finally, this group of strangers who hung out on an internet forum had raised enough money amongst themselves to purchase something that most of them would never even see. It was a true show of character from a small sampling of a fan base often criticised for being “fair weather fans”. There was nothing fair weather about this bonding of the Sharks family.
That’s why I’m standing here in the auditorium right now. It’s very loud in here. It’s been an emotional day for everyone that bleeds black, white and blue (after all, the Sharks didn’t just beat the Newcastle Knights, they beat them down!) and it’s about to get even more emotional for everyone in the room.
Nobody knows I’m here. The organisers of this project would be embarrassed to know I’m writing about this. Notoriety was never a driving force behind the project. I don’t care. On a weekend where we celebrate the spirit and courage of those who went before us, this story deserves a mention even if my higher ups thought I was covering something else. As the Toyota Cup side walk off the stage at this particular player presentation, the noise grows ever louder. And louder. And louder. Then it’s announced that a special presentation would be made to Scott Porter.
Silence.
Heading to the microphone with a piece of paper in hand is a member of the Sharks Forever forum named Brad, but known to those on the Sharks Forever forums as ‘IronShark’. He’s been just as instrumental in some of the grass-roots Sharks projects that you never hear about as anyone else and he’s been chosen to represent all those who donated for the jersey. As he plants himself in front of the microphone, the deafening silence continues to echo through the auditorium. It’s the kind of silence reserved for people like the Pope or the President. That’s how much respect everyone in this room has for Scott Porter.
“I think it is only fitting that we make this presentation tonight, on the eve of ANZAC day, when we honour those whose courage and loyalty in the face of terrible adversity have become legend” starts this IronShark.
Reverent applause.
“Scott Porter is the epitome of the traits that we honour on ANZAC day. Courage, honour, loyalty and sacrifice in the face of adversity. These very traits are also the foundations that the Sharks have been built on since 1967. Scott is a local junior who, like most players, has had show extraordinary commitment and overcome injury to represent his club in the NRL. However, when Scott chose to take the field against the Melbourne Storm in Round 1 this year, he did so under the weight of tremendous personal tragedy. But not only did he find the strength to pull on this jersey on that night, he went on to perform with distinction.”
As these remarks flow, I flash a look to my 15-year old cousin who I’d taken to the game because of his religious support for the Newcastle Knights (poor kid!). He knows a little bit about adversity. Last year, he lost his father to cancer despite his Dad’s very young age. He knows what it’s like to lose a loved one and expresses a look on his face that seems to approve every word spoken about Scott. So much for a young mind to digest. The speech continues...
“So, whilst we may not be able to fully understand just what it took for Scott Porter to play that night, we can all express our gratitude and admiration by presenting him with this jersey.”
There wasn’t a bum left on a seat as Scott emerged to receive the jersey this small group of fans had purchased for him. Everyone in the auditorium stood, applauded and thanked Scott for what he had done for everyone that supported the Sharks. As Scott receives the jersey, he runs his fingers through his hair in a little disbelief. The jersey he wore on the field less than a day after he lost his sister that he once thought he’d never see again is now back in his possession. It’s since been framed. As the framed jersey is handed over to Scott, one can’t help but to notice the word COURAGE in big block letters towards the bottom of the frame. Accompanying the jersey are two images; one of Scott thanking the fans after the Melbourne game, the other of Scott’s penalty kick that was dedicated to Lisa. On the back of the frame is a plaque that reads;
“This has been funded entirely by the voluntary donations of fans who love their club and the players. The courage to play under such tragic circumstances will forever be remembered by us all. We present this in recognition that there is nobody for whom this jersey would hold greater significance.”
As Scott steps to the microphone, he is evidently moved to an emotional point where all one can muster up is continual thanks to everyone. He thanks once and then twice then gracefully steps down from the microphone with all in attendance still upright.
Back on the floor, Scott justifies his status as a club favourite by standing and posing in photos with fans of all ages – young and old. Nobody that requests a photo or signature leaves empty handed. It’s the mark of a true modern day hero.
And that’s the thing about this whole ordeal that can’t go missed. The effort by those from the Sharks Forever forums wasn’t about what the fans could do for Scott nearly as much as it was about what Scott had done for the fans that particular night when he stood for something more. Scott may have been moved by the generosity of his fans, but it doesn’t hold a candle to how much Scott moved everyone that supported the black, white and blue. It’s why we follow sport in the first place. We continue to follow sport not for what we can give nearly as much as for what we can get. We live our dreams vicariously through those who take the field in our colours week in and week out, perhaps wrongfully at certain points; and in a week where we’re about to hear endless amounts of player-money abuse in lieu of the Melbourne Storm salary cap scandal, it’s refreshing to know there are players and fans who continue to operate in a morally uplifting way.
On a weekend we salute the courage of those who went before us, I too salute the courage of those who live amongst us; Scott Porter being one of those shining beacons of light.
Lest we forget.
Source: http://www.sportsneo.com/articles?id=67
Attachments
Ibanez
Great White
Beautifully well-written article and delivered with somewhat grace. We didn't need the recognition, but it's still undeniably sweet that a project such as this displays to the public the nature of both the Cronulla Sharks club and fans. Congratulations on all that were involved once again.
hitman124
Jaws
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Jardy mate that was the most beautiful sporting article ive ever read, my eyes werent dry by the end of it!
I might not be much at all, but one thing I am is proud to be apart of that cause, and as such I am very proud to be apart of sharksforever!
I might not be much at all, but one thing I am is proud to be apart of that cause, and as such I am very proud to be apart of sharksforever!
SharkBoy
Great White
Yeah that article pretty much had me teary. Gah!
It's so wonderfully awesome that so many people are proud of the Sharks. I can't say this enough, so again, a very well done to all those involve with this project.
It's so wonderfully awesome that so many people are proud of the Sharks. I can't say this enough, so again, a very well done to all those involve with this project.
Jardian.
That has to be the best article I have read in a long time.
I don't think anyone could of summed it up better.
You show the passion and respect that we have for our club, not just forum members but all Sharks supporters.
I even had to walk away from the computer for a minute.
The forum site says it all.
"SHARKSFOREVER'
That has to be the best article I have read in a long time.
I don't think anyone could of summed it up better.
You show the passion and respect that we have for our club, not just forum members but all Sharks supporters.
I even had to walk away from the computer for a minute.
The forum site says it all.
"SHARKSFOREVER'
SharkBoy
Great White
I love it. Even reading the replies in this thread gives me goosebumps. It's great to see the feeling of passion amongst us supporters.
Source: http://www.sportsneo.com/articles?id=67
"Article ID 67" ?
How's that for a coincidence?
It's a sign!
"Article ID 67" ?
How's that for a coincidence?
It's a sign!
