I've always been intrigued by the effect being famous has on people. It's so far out of the normal human experience, that it seems to do funny things to a lot of people.
NicNat has always seemed like a normal guy - a good guy even. It must be hard to keep grounded when you're on the receiving end of that much adulation and sycophancy, and a great deal of your life is lived within the artificial, structured confines of a footy club, while simultaneously being played out across fawning mass-media.
I reckon NicNat's comments and response to the report are a symptom of that. He's been told he can do no wrong, and in the face of a tribunal saying otherwise he's unable to even consider that what he did was dangerous or against the rules. He doesn't even pay lip-service to that idea. Sadly, for him, it's going to play poorly among the umpires, and maybe the AFL itself.
NicNat is 28 years old, relies on his athleticism, and already has dodgy wheels. When the end comes for him it will come fast. I hope he has time to prepare for life outside footy, because the sort of hubris he showed after the tribunal hearing doesn't bode well for him.
*armchair psychology session over*
