The story isn't about football although the MCG serves as a backdrop but it's by one of the finest football writers going around and about people near and dear to him so congratulations Martin Flanagan - A big occasion at the MCG (not the one you might think)

Martin Flanagan comes across as a genuine human being, someone who's company one could enjoy in almost any situation.

As a writer he is almost as good as his brother Richard ( that's high praise from me) and a squillion times better than Andrew Bolt.

... and more from the maestro in Bright moments in sport's dark year

This wasn't one of the bright moments ...

The AFL season was overshadowed by the Essendon supplements saga, which even put the federal election off the front pages of the newspapers. Without doubt, the most dramatic figure in the game this year was James Hird.

Hird is the closest thing we have in footy to a prince. Once he was a prince filled with limitless promise. Now he's a prince like Hamlet, trapped in a drama that challenges him to his full being. And it's a drama that continues to build.

... nor was this but it sums up 2013 well for me

Sport's annus horribilis might be said to have begun in January when Lance Armstrong appeared on Oprah Winfrey's television show and admitted to taking performance-enhancing drugs. Lance was more than a cyclist. He was an American hero, which meant the issue promptly dominated the global news and entertainment industry.

I said to a friend at the time, ''This'll change sport.'' He replied, ''Nothing changes sport,'' and I said ''It will change the way people look at sport.'' And what they expect from it. Sports like

the football codes and cricket evolved around the idea of a private or secret code among the players. Nothing is secret any more.

Flanagan would like a lowly club from Melbourne to make a tilt for the finals. He suggests the Bulldogs as worthy but what about the team that beat them once during the year and came close in the final game with a depleted line up and which should be much stronger next year with an altogether new coach, new midfield and Jesse Hogan?

Martin Flanagan comes across as a genuine human being, someone who's company one could enjoy in almost any situation.

As a writer he is almost as good as his brother Richard ( that's high praise from me) and a squillion times better than Andrew Bolt.

what the f has andrew bolt got to do with flanagan

bolt is not a writer, he's a journo and party political

flanagan is a writer and not very party political

you sound like someone with an agenda and on the wrong board

There's no shortage of people with agendas on this board either but I'm stumped at the comparison with a highly political commentator like Bolt as well.

Flanagan writes stories about people, not politics and power.

what the f has andrew bolt got to do with flanagan

bolt is not a writer, he's a journo and party political

flanagan is a writer and not very party political

you sound like someone with an agenda and on the wrong board

There's no shortage of people with agendas on this board either but I'm stumped at the comparison with a highly political commentator like Bolt as well.

Flanagan writes stories about people, not politics and power.

Ah well there you go!Read Flanagan often enough and he does write about the human side of politics.He has an agenda like all good writers and that's more often than not to put a human face to that which Bolt and others of his ilk attempt to de-humanise!

Martin Flanagan comes across as a genuine human being, someone who's company one could enjoy in almost any situation.

As a writer he is almost as good as his brother Richard ( that's high praise from me) and a squillion times better than Andrew Bolt.

So Andrew Bolt's writing about football now is he? WTF has he got to do with Martin Flanagan?

Go to the General Board and pedal your crap there.

So Andrew Bolt's writing about football now is he? WTF has he got to do with Martin Flanagan?

Go to the General Board and pedal your crap there.

Peddling crap (as you vulgarly put it) I do not do!

I like the writing of the Flanagan brothers and find it interesting that both Martin and Richard are attacked from time to time by Mr Bolt in blog and newspaper.

I merely pointed out and quite correctly in my opinion that Mr Flanagan is a better writer than Mr Bolt!

And, should you take time to read Martin Flanagan's essays in the Age you will I'm sure concur with me that his subject matter is wide and varied and often covers the same subject matter as Mr Bolt, but from a more humane perspective!

What was it that Richard Flanagan said about Mr Bolt a couple of years ago? Something like "there are two objects on earth that can be seen from the moon, The Great Wall of China, and Andrew Bolt's enormous self pity"

if you had a bit of martin flanagan's humility you would admit it was inappropriate to introduce partisan politics into a non political thread on a football forum

as pointed out there is a separate board on demonland if you wish to politically vent

In DDs defence I dont think he bought in the political comment, partisan or not.

"Martin Flanagan comes across as a genuine human being, someone who's company one could enjoy in almost any situation.

As a writer he is almost as good as his brother Richard ( that's high praise from me) and a squillion times better than Andrew Bolt."

His comment was about the writing and while I am uncertain of the quantitative value I tend to agree with him as I do with the comments of others.

as this was a thread about an article written by Flanagan I reckon it was the appropriate place for this comment to be made.

hahaha dp "none are so blind as those who refuse to see"

hahaha dp "none are so blind as those who refuse to see"

Too cryptic for me I'm afraid.

If there's a power outagage and a fuel strike do they all stop on your desk ?