"Taking the Piss" is Just Part and Parcel of Christmas Presents?

There's that phrase "part and parcel" again

When my youngest son asked me what I wanted for Christmas last year I told him Paul Gallen's new autobiography 'Heart and Soul' , because I've been a mad Sharks fan since I was about 13 years old, and Gallen is one of my all-time favourite NRL players -
#13: Just Part and Parcel of Synchronicity?

My son did buy me the Paul Gallen book, but he also bought me another "surprise" book ... a book about Todd Carney's life called 'Hard Truth'.
When I opened my "surprise" present to see the Todd Carney book while my two sons were having a good laugh, I said, "why did you get me this, are you just taking the piss?"
The not so funny joke here was that Todd was fired from the Sharks for urinating into his own mouth:-P
And as much as I thought Todd was a great player, my son knew that I was extremely pissed about Carney dragging my Sharks even further into the gutter in the eyes of the press and social media in general at the time.
And as great as a player for the Sharks that he was at the time, if I had have been on the board of the club I would have been voting to sack him also.
Sorry Todd, even after reading your book and feeling a little more sympathy for your life I still haven't changed my mind that the Sharks did the right thing for the future of the club, not that I'm saying they went the right way about it, but it was the right decision I feel.

"Taking the piss is a Commonwealth pejorative term meaning to take liberties at the expense of others, or to be joking, or to be unreasonable.

It is a shortening of the idiom taking the piss out of, which is an expression meaning to mock, tease, joke, ridicule, or scoff.

It is not to be confused with "taking a piss", which refers to the act of urinating."

Todd Carney literally taking the piss out of himself

Carney's book was never a book I would have bought for myself, but since my son bought it, I thought I should have a read to see what Todd had to say for himself.
I wrote a post back in 2013 featuring Todd and his tattoos, which was posted way before his "bubbler picture" sacking -
Dr Lakra And Tattoos

After I finished reading the book I searched Apple podcasts to see if there was any current podcasts featuring Todd to hear what he was up to now.

I found one Todd had done one last year on 'The Ice Project' podcast -
The Ice Project podcast: Todd Carney

I also stumbled across a hilarious podcast episode of 
'Crimes in Sports' featuring a comedy piss-take of Todd's football career and "crimes", as told by two American comedians, which had me metaphorically pissing myself with laughter -
Crimes in Sports Podcast #169: Trouble Keeps Bubbling Up - The Photogenicness of Todd Carney

Those American guys take the piss out of everything from Australia to Todd's hometown of Goulburn, to Rugby League and everything in general about the Australian culture. 
Lucky that we Aussies have a good sense of humour and see the funny side as well, I guess:-)

I've been to Todd's town of Goulburn a few times now, as I usually stop to get petrol and something to eat at the big sheep.
And I did write a post about my visit in 2016 when driving to stay down in Canberra for the week before the 2016 NRL grand final -
Goulburn: A Walk in the Park in the Home of the Big Sheep

My t-shirt with the Goulburn big sheep on it

I'm actually wearing a t-shirt now with the big sheep from Goulburn on it coincidentally.

Russell Crowe, part owner of the Rabbitohs

I had to laugh when in that 'Crimes of Sport' podcast the Americans had just told how Todd had won "Man of the Match" against the South Sydney Rabbitohs and then got in trouble for leaving his Canberra Raiders teammate Steve Irwin in the car to face the police, while Todd, who was driving the car did a runner, with the pod-casters laughing that Todd's teammate had the same name as the famed late Aussie Crocodile Hunter.
They probably didn't realize that Russell Crowe is the part owner of the Rabbitohs football club, and was a good mate of the late
Steve Irwin (Croc Hunter) when they made the joke about next you'll be hearing Todd is married to a Nicole Kidman and his coach is named Russell Crowe:-)

Not being an angel Todd now plays for the Byron Bay Red Devils:-)

Todd's book was sure a contrasting read compared to Paul's book, but it appears that idiotic behaviour is just "part and parcel" of the game of Rugby League:-)

NRL star's brother admits he's an 'idiot' as he's busted with four bags of cocaine - after he was banned from footy for slur against 'gay refs' and he was accused of posting THAT photo of Todd Carney

Looks like we have another idiot at the Sharks who needs sacking, too?-)

But in all fairness to ScoMo, I would have gone to the game too, if I had have been in Sydney on the weekend instead of Brisbane.

My youngest son and I at the 2016 NRL Grand Final

So maybe I'm just another idiot when it comes to the game of Rugby League ... all be it one who doesn't piss into my own mouth:-)

UPDATE: January 7th, 2021

I told my son at dinner the other night that I gave the Todd Carney book away when I was last up at Bribie Island, so someone else could "piss themselves" laughing at just what a fool Todd is -

It's Not the Number of Moments That Make Up Life ...?