Dean Jones - What do you think?

[Mrs Muppet]

From the Australian http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/love-child-costs-jones-top-father-title/story-e6frg6nf-1225893666592Love child costs Jones 'top father' title Peter Kogoy and Lanai Vasek Australian cricket star Dean Jones has been stripped of his Victorian Father of the Year title.
The move comes after revelations he fathered a love child during a decade-long affair with a Sydney model.
 
Jones was awarded the title in 2007 by the Fathers Day Council of Victoria, on the strength of his fundraising work for the Bone Marrow Donor Institute.

The 49-year-old former Australian batsman has two daughters - Phoebe, 19, and Isabella, 14 - with his wife of 24 years, Jane.

It was revealed on the weekend that Jones's Sydney mistress - flight attendant and part-time model Kerri-Anne Hamilton - gave birth to their son, Koby, last August.

The affair began in the late 1990s when the pair met at a golf day, where Ms Hamilton, from Harrington Park in Sydney's southwest, was working as a model. The relationship soured just months before Ms Hamilton gave birth when Jones was asked for child support payments.

Fathers Day Council of Victoria Don Parsons told The Australian yesterday Jones's award would be "immediately revoked" after a discussion of the council's committee yesterday.

"It's an essential action on our part as it doesn't fit with our credibility or our charter," Mr Parsons, who has been president for 22 years, said.

Jones had not been informed yesterday of the decision to rescind his award, but Mr Parsons said it was "a done deal".

"We take it very seriously and we are all quite distressed about it," he said.

In a paid interview to be aired on the Nine Network's A Current Affair program tonight, Ms Hamilton has revealed the details surrounding the affair.

Ms Hamilton told the program she still loves the cricketer despite his allegedly never having met his son and agreeing to child support payments only after a paternity test.

"Yeah I do, I do still love him," she said.

When contacted by phone yesterday, Jones pleaded for privacy, before confirming in a statement he was the child's father and was paying child support.

"I can confirm Dean Jones is currently supporting a child he fathered during an extra marital relationship," a statement from Peter Szabo, a partner in Melbourne suburban legal firm Moores, said.

At his peak, Jones was rated as one of the world's best one-day international batsmen.

He played 164 ODIs between 1984 and 1994, scoring 6068 runs at an average of 44.61. He also appeared in 52 Tests between 1984 and 1992, scoring 3631 runs at an average of 46.55.


So what do you think?

[SuperLilly]

Getting a tad sick of the sporting letdowns and evenworse that the media on one hand will crucify them..but then BAM they are back on TV getting paid more money. Its a bit sick.

Anyway..back to Dean..a 9 year affair that worse still ended with the birth..what a tosser..it was good til she got preggy.

What did he expect she would want?

It is just awful.

[smeggy]

Do you mean what do we think about him having the affair etc or about getting stripped of his award?

[Mrs Muppet]

Just opening up the discussion.

I do think its pretty harsh he hasnt bothered to see the child. That I suppose is the thing that stands out the most for me. Also being so high profile that kid is going to know that this guy is his dad. Its not like some faceless nobody.

If it was my husband that did something like that I dont think I could support him having no contact at all.

Seems like the child may be better off with out him if this is the sort of man that Dean Jones is.

[Lou]

Hmmmmm......

I think it's extremely harsh that he hasn't formed any sort of relationship with the child and TBH I just think that is cruel to the kid.

However, both of them were duplicitous as they both were involved in the affair - not just him.   He's not the only "baddie" (so to speak) as she also knew he was married.  One thing I don't get in our society is everyone says "Oooooooooh such and such had an affair".  Well they had to have it with someone didn't they?  And why is this coming out now?  Or even at all?  She's getting child support, yes it's crappy of Dean Jones, but they only person/s who is going to be really hurt by this is ALL of the children.  Why do the Australian public need to know? 

Additionally, sportspeople aren't infallible.  They're human.  We build them up (happily) when they succeed for our country and then (just as happily if not more so) tear them down when they prove that they are just like everyone else. 

Sorry to be so grumpy about it all, but I am really over the way that Australians are embracing the constant voyeurism into so-called "celebrities" lives.   I don't read the mags, noting the latest break up/down/kids blah blah and think it's sad that we are so consumed by what some D lister is doing.  And it seems that the media is more inclined to report the bad rather than the good.  Give me a great "fireman saves a kitten" story any day!!!

And then (as Slil says) people like Matty Johns have been crucified in the media (not talking about fairly or unfairly) but now he's on bloody television and the media are all over him again, but this time in a good way.  Rargh!!!  Makes me grumpy! 

Off soap box now........

I do hope he does try to form some type of relationship with the poor kid.  Hopefully it's not too late for them. 

[smeggy]

I'd never even heard of the guy til this thread.

I can see why he was stripped of the award though, hardly the image they would want.

Poor form not seeing the kid but who knows the real story.

[SuperLilly]

The other thing is: That before they give the award, they interview the recipient. They give them the chance to decline the award well before all the hoopla and ceremony.

So he had the oppertunity to decline it.

I find that really odd behavior.

To take the award because you can't say no is one thing..but to take the award after you have been given the oppertunity to back away from it, knowing you are in a 8 or so year affair..is odd.

[Mrs Muppet]

I agree Lil its pretty arrogant to know that you aint no father of the year and still accept it. Its not like he stops to pick up a can of drink and is 2 min late to pick up the kids. He is having an affair!

These celebrity/sports types deserve to be outed. They get all sorts of sponsorship because of the wholesome image if it isnt true they dont deserve it.

[Karzii]

but if he had said no when they asked - his family and friends and the media might of questioned why....

[IAmNotAnAnimal]

Additionally, sportspeople aren't infallible.  They're human.  We build them up (happily) when they succeed for our country and then (just as happily if not more so) tear them down when they prove that they are just like everyone else. 

Sorry to be so grumpy about it all, but I am really over the way that Australians are embracing the constant voyeurism into so-called "celebrities" lives.   I don't read the mags, noting the latest break up/down/kids blah blah and think it's sad that we are so consumed by what some D lister is doing.  And it seems that the media is more inclined to report the bad rather than the good.  Give me a great "fireman saves a kitten" story any day!!!

I'm with Lou on this one, this stuff is all very interesting from a human perspective but it takes priority in the news at the cost of the important stuff.

Some guy I'd never heard of had an extra marital affair that resulted in a child he does not really want to acknowledge.  Meanwhile, on the same day, 16,000 children die for want of food, 69,000 acres of rainforest is destroyed and 130 species are lost forever.  What is going to get more coverage?

[earthmother]

Some guy I'd never heard of had an extra marital affair that resulted in a child he does not really want to acknowledge.  Meanwhile, on the same day, 16,000 children die for want of food, 69,000 acres of rainforest is destroyed and 130 species are lost forever.  What is going to get more coverage?

 

[SuperLilly]

but if he had said no when they asked - his family and friends and the media might of questioned why....

Exactomondo.