Now take for example the case of Scott Chisholm, a Te Puke and former Steamers rugby player kinghit during a match against Te Puna last year.
The cowardly blow left him unconscious and with a brain injury. He now has daily headaches and cannot take to the field ever again because he has been warned another hit to the head could well kill him.
So a bloke can't play his beloved sport again, possibly ruining future earnings and career, and all because of a cheap shot by someone who says he was provoked by being sworn at and being taunted.
And the fact the brutal attack occurred on a sporting field doesn't mitigate anything. Assault, is assault, is assault.
When Uenuku Pieta appeared before Judge Louis Bidois over the incident he was given a tap on the wrist and sentenced to 200 hours' community work on a charge of assault with intent to injure and ordered to pay $500 reparation.
I wish I could say unbelievable. however, in all honesty, it really isn't surprising.
Reparation of $500 and 200 hours' community service!
That sort of sentence won't stop sports violence for a second.
***
"A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him."
So said long-serving American television newscaster David Brinkley and, boy, didn't he get that right.
How many people have been vilified before doing something only to not only prove themselves, but be so good at the job it makes the doubters eat humble pie.
It's with that in mind I watch the kneejerk roasting that Dame Susan Devoy is copping from some on her appointment as Race Relations Commissioner.
She hasn't even started and yet the Mana Party and other left-leaning groups are putting the boots in, calling for her to step down.
It can't be that she hasn't done a good job - she's not even clocked in yet.
They say it is because of comments from the former world champion squash player about burqas being "disconcerting" and Waitangi Day "divisive" and hijacked by radicals. She added it was time to change to a more unifying day of national celebration.
She made the comments while a newspaper columnist and dare I suggest that, as such, she was putting forward a suggestion to start a public discussion.
I see the people biffing brickbats at Dame Susan as being those with vested interests, who see the appointment of a non-radical as reducing their hold on the politics of race in this country.
And I'm sure Dame Susan will bring back a bit of middle New Zealand to the commissioner's office.
Her predecessor, Joris de Bres, could have been stronger when Hone Harawira blatantly spewed forth anti-whitey language calling Europeans in this country "white ********" who practised "puritanical bull***" for expecting him to follow the rules.
After due deliberation, de Bres said the email was offensive, but did not breach the Human Rights Act.
So well done Dame Susan, I think you are going to bring some sense to the role with your down-to-earth good sense.
***
OMG, some superstars were in town at the weekend and I like totally missed them. If only I had known socialite Sally Ridge and her daughter, Jaime, would be at the Tauranga races I would have been there in my Saturday best, waving an autograph book, yelling "yoo-hoo!"
If I had the chance to talk with the glam pair my first question to Ridge senior would have been "what are you actually well known for?"
richard@richardmoore.com
Richard Moore is an award-winning Western Bay journalist
