Steve 'crocodile hunter' Irwin Dies
 

Apparently killed by a stingray (hit in the chest by a stingray 'barb') while shooting an underwater doco.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060904/..._tv/obit_irwin

at least he went the way he lived.

Let's hold off on the crikey jokes.

Here in the States this is currently the lead story on CNN and USA Today.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapc...win/index.html

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2...it-irwin_x.htm

Paul why is it that you always have bad news for me. First the Oils breakup and now this. Any way I hope you and your family are doing well. Hopefully the next time we get to meet again, it'll be on your turf down there in ACT.

Man this is a shame. He leaves behind a wife and two kids. Very sad.

I really enjoyed the programs Irwin did but I knew from the very start he was asking for it big time. It's a shame that he took such drastic measures to get attention. We wouldn't know his name if not for his highly dangerous antics. I realize he believed in what he was doing but he was obviously a danger junkie too. And the attention he got from his acts made it worse. It's like watching the X Games or even car racing. You know a lot of people are watching hoping to see someone get hurt. That's one of our worst instincts if you ask me. I like to think that I enjoy nature video and I do watch them even without wildmen asking to be killed. But I wonder if I didn't fall into the same danger voyeur category more than I want to believe.

Let's just say nice things, ok?

Besides, there's a ton of people who can wrestle a crocodile. Everybody knows who Steve Irwin is not because of that, but because of the enthusiasm he had for nature. I think that's a much better thing to say upon one's passing.

G'day Chris,

"Paul why is it that you always have bad news for me. First the Oils breakup and now this. Any way I hope you and your family are doing well. Hopefully the next time we get to meet again, it'll be on your turf down there in the ACT."

Must be something about being 'lubricated'....nah it's only 4.30 in the afternoon..sorry about the bad news items.

Mate, everone's great down here...plans for a visit down under?? be sure and let me know, I'd be looking forward to it..

If Irwin had limited himself to wrestling crocs he wouldn't have been where he was when he got speared by a stingray. He did far more than just wrestle crocs.

Look I really liked the guy but his fame really had very little to do with his attitude. It was his dangerous antics. He tackled a live wild boar. He grabbed a black momba by the tail and yanked it around. People thought he was nuts for doing that and he stopped being so dangerous for a while after that because he knew how bad his danger jones had gotten.

His early shows didn't revolve around his attitude. They showed him allowing incredibly dangerous snakes to crawl down his shirt 5 hours on foot and a motorcycle from the nearest hospital. That was his first show he did for Discovery. He then went on a quest to handle the 10 most dangerous snakes in the world. I saw him sweating bullets before I ever heard him say crickey.

I enjoyed his shows and I enjoyed some of the danger but it was obvious he went too far to gain notoriety. Lots of people have good attitudes. They don't become famous for it. Irwin became famous for the danger. The attitude became almost a clown act after the danger aspect became too much for him.

I'm trying not to be too critical here but the guy led us all down a dark path IMO. We paid him to risk his life and he paid for it dearly. He did die doing these things. Isn't that proof he was going too far? Was he pushing the limit to renew sagging ratings?

I truly hope you're not saying he deserved to die, because that's how it sounds like. If you are not, what is your point?


Steve R.I.P.

My point was he shouldn't have been so reckless and we shouldn't have rewarded him for it. If I had meant "he deserved to die" then that's just what I would have said.

Just so you know. I hated to see the guy get killed because I really liked him and his attitude including his devil may care approach to reality. It closely matches my own in many ways. You have no idea how much this is true.

I don't like the feeling I'm responsible in any way for encouraging the guy to get too carried away. I didn't want him to be that reckless. I'm mad at him for being too reckless. I'm mad at myself for encouraging him.

Okay, I had to seriously edit the 2 posts above this one.

Michael: just because someone has a different point of view or opinion is no
reason to shoot him down for it. This behaviour is NOT tolerated here
on DV Info Net!

Jeff: I edited your post as well since you commented on stuff that's now gone.

I understand everyone may get into a bit of heated discussion over the death
of such a colorful person, but do stick to the board's rules!

KEEP IT CIVIL!

As to Steve, rest in peace and all the best to the people who he left behind
in these difficult times.

I just removed a meta-discussion post. Locking the thread for now; Chris can decide if and when to unlock it.

Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin dead
 

According to NY Times, he took a Sting Ray Barb through the chest while diving in Australia.

Joe I'm afraid you're about twelve hours late with this news, so I've merged your post in with the original thread started by Paul Hackett late last night.

Thread re-opened for now.

The best thing about Irwin's copious library of videotaped adventures is that his wife and children now have hundreds if not thousands of hours of images and sounds with which to remember him.

Irwin's great legacy will not be his televised exploits, but rather his tireless efforts and notable successes in the realm of wildlife conservation not only in his native Australia but also throughout the world. He has done more than his share to promote effective and sensible conservation as well as environmental awareness and I for one look forward to Irwin's family and staff (and hopefully many other folks) picking up his work in that realm and expanding his significant contributions which are helping to preserve a broad variety of natural animal habitats and other ecological concerns.

Reports are that the barb pierced his heart. If so, there was probably nothing that could be done, as the poison of the barb would have seriously stressed the heart even if the hole could partially close and slow the bleeding and real help had been near.

He will be missed by all. What a great guy and great personality! His work, films and legacy will live on.

Mike

Just so people don't think I'm all alone in thinking what I do here's an article where people say the same things I do. Some quotes from the article are:

He (survival expert Ray Mears) said: "He clearly took a lot of risks and television encouraged him to do that.

"It's a shame that television audiences need that to be attracted to wildlife.