"What's happening to bloke-ism? In the TV newsthe last few days Dustin Johnson, Lewis Hamilton & Puma rugby players & coach all crying their eyes out. Would the sight of All Blacks wearing pink boots have moved Pinetree Meads? I doubt it. Harden up - blokes of today," the broadcaster posted.
The backlash against Keith Quinn's "bloke-ism" tweet has been swift. Photo / NZME
"It was a huge factor in jeopardising my career because all my feelings I had inside had no way to come out, except when I was drinking and when they came out, they came out in a bad way."
While not directly replying to Quinn's tweet, All Blacks icon Sir John Kirwan also made his stance clear, posting, "My highlight from the weekend was the team and Mario Ledesma crying, made me cry. Beautiful," he wrote.
My highlight from the weekend was the team and Mario Ledesma crying, made me cry. Beautiful
Dozens of other Kiwi Twitter users replied to Quinn's tweet expressing their disappointment at his views.
"No Keith you've got this exactly backwards," one Twitter user replied. "It's great to see top sportsmen unafraid to express emotion, and explicitly rejecting the 'harden up' ethos of years gone by. More of this please."
No Keith you’ve got this exactly backwards. It’s great to see top sportsmen unafraid to express emotion, and explicitly rejecting the “harden up” ethos of years gone by. More of this please
"This makes me really sad. I grew up watching rugby with my dad by my side and you in our ears. Dad's gone now but he was learning to mellow as he aged and be less repressed about his feelings. I hope you can learn that too," another Kiwi said.
This makes me really sad. I grew up watching rugby with my Dad by my side and you in our ears. Dad’s gone now but he was learning to mellow as he aged and be less repressed about his feelings. I hope you can learn that too. 😢
Quinn eventually backtracked from the initial comment, posting: "Point taken everyone. For the record and in all seriousness I think it's great these days that men can openly express their emotions. I often do myself. I was really just thinking of the differences from earlier times."
