hemingway

Oh Picket, how beautifully expressed! How deep was our love and admiration for this mortal man who in our minds has become immortal.

Not sure about that Lucifer but I share your emotional and strong reaction. It is a blow to clean sport but reflects the sordid reality of professional sport and the inherent conflicts of the umbrella organisations running their businesses with all the corporate and individual interests and self interest and the filter feeders at the bottom of the food chain, the individual athletes and those whose livelihoods depend on their success. Sorry I do the athletes a disservice, the filter feeders have to be the media and sports journalists most of whom can't speak the truth. However, it is the people in positions of power who pay lip service to the call for clean sport that should be condemned and called out for their hypocrisy. We see them at international level and we see them at the local level mouthing their platitudes and humbug. And we see the lies and deception at the coal face where coaches and athletes coexist in an unholy alliance.

Heading the same way Old.

On SBS at 8.30. Might be worth a look. Post Tour, Pre Olympics, AFL. Discusses the health implications of doping. A reminder of the dangers from a health perspective.

The highlights on MFC site are definitely the way to go. I find watching the highlights every week means no wasted time and well.........why watch the low lights when you can see the high lights in the space of a few minutes. And you know what, we look really good. We have a real chance next week, if we can increase the number of highlights by a factor of 20. I'm pumped for next week!

An age old tactic that has been used for ever by teams to combat a dominant ruckman. I think this has been used in other games this year, but it is going to become a common feature as Max has become one of the dominant big men of the competition. We need to be able to combat this tactic otherwise Max is going to become a very tired boy.

Last para is spot on Lucifer. Who would have thought 12 months ago that we would see Jack blossom the way he has. As many others have said, it is great credit to Jack and his coaches. He is definitely exhibiting leadership qualities in addition to what he is bringing on the field. We can thank him for the 4 points on Sunday. He is our good news story of 2016.

Doesn't mean I have to like them Bub.

Cats and Hawks are on a par. Arrogant. Full of their own invincibility and their own reality bubble. The end is near. Lingy such a [censored]. No wider view of life.

Cats such an arrogant mob. Take Danger out of the side and they would be ordinary. Let alone the advantage of a lock in crowd at sleepy hollow. What else would they do. Not read the Vedas, the Torahs, Tolstoy or Hemingway. Dangerfield or Stringer is all we need. Let me go to sleep and dream.

Interesting, that despite milestones and recognition, universal recognition and acclaim requires something more. A quality that is not represented by records. Robbie Flower you are a true football god, representing the goodness of sport and humanity.

Sad given his service, sacrifice and leadership but Jack needs to reinvent himself at another place. I really feel for the two Jacks, they deserve so much more but as part of the AFL slaughterhouse of dreams and ambitions they are our Paschal lambs.

I have no love for Jacko but this is pure fictional narrative

Fair enough, everyone's opinion is worthy. I understand your comments. I was trying to paint a broader picture of why he is what he is. Not defend his attitudes. He is what he is.

Selection should be on form and best fit or team balance. You would think it is a given but you wonder at times. Coaches have their favourites and those that have fallen out of favour and that will always be a hidden factor.

Interesting and thoughtful opinions, well done.

Jacko is an interesting figure. Objectionable to some and clearly a person with a lot of grievances. However, the nature of his grievances are typical of an individual that has trouble fitting into a team or organization and has a distrust or hatred of authority. His family upbringing is important here. His father was State Secretary of the Slaters and Tilers Union (one of the many "trade" unions that were swallowed up by the Industry Unions), in this case, the union now known as the CFMEU. His father was a character much like his son, but had a deep distrust of employers which was both class based and had its core in a deep distrust of authority. I suspect Mark inherited this view and this rooted a deep distrust in his employer/club/coach etc. Of course the class/union/employer divide is a whole belief system that often stays with people over their lifetime. Many of us support teams that our father supported. It is no different with our beliefs about society and class. Most employers and footy teams want harmony and a reality where all the workers/players fit into the cog or team and work for one another rather than against one another. Employees that work against this natural order usually don't last long and many end up drifting or working for themselves because they can't fit in. Notwithstanding, Jacko was a talented footballer with a strong native intelligence. His views on his coaches, team mates, opponents, AFL, and journalists have an element of truth. Most people don't voice those views, or, if they do, voice them in a milder or less outspoken manner. However, Jacko voices those views. Some of those views may be exaggerated and pay no heed to political correctness. People who don't fit in are often labelled as ratbags, divisive and plain difficult. Also once labelled, more often than not, the labels stick and sometimes the myth, the truths and untruths stick. At the end of the day, footy is a team sport and cannot abide individuals who are not going to fit into that team ethos. The history of sport is littered with talented individuals whose talent is never fulfilled because they can't fit it. Our indigenous footballers are a case in point although coaches and clubs have now learnt how to manage and exploit those differences for the good of the team and the game. However, life can be difficult for those individuals who are "different" and who don't conform.

i think we need to move on from Dawes and move with Pedersen or look to 2017 by blooding one of the youngsters.

Quite right Poita, a brain fade on my part, don't know where the hell that came from. Perhaps it was Jacko that took out Robbie and dear Martin had a go at someone else but clearly not Robbie! Anyone who took out Robbie at training needs to be condemned to hell for ever!

I remember Martin Pike took Robbie out and allegedly that was one of the reasons (in addition to his other indiscretions) why we got rid of Pike. Robbie's team mates then wanted to take out Pike. Although I have a vague idea that Jacko may also have had a crack at Robbie at training. When Jacko was on his game he was a very effective FF of the old school. On most occasions when we kicked long to Jacko in the goal square he marked the footy. I will never forget standing in the outer at Windy Hill and watching Jacko take on Ronnie Andrews. Chasing Ronnie around the goal post and swinging punches with Rotten Ronnie continuing to goad him. Also watching Jacko run the length of the ground at the MCG to be involved in a fight at the other end of the ground. The pity is that if he had channeled his energies and his mind in a more effective manner he would have been remembered as one of the best FF of his day rather than being remembered for his eccentric antics. From discussion with others including an ex club doctor Jacko has two personas. The eccentric one and the other a more private and sensible one.

I think I'm with you OD as to your last sentiment.

Well OD I understand your sentiments but you may as well stop following all professional sport including AFL footy.

Another massive disappointment particularly when you look at the stats and domination at times. To quote Robbie McEwan on Le Tour, "Coulda, Shoulda, Wooda" but we were still unable to take the points. So frustrating. The only positive to take is that we are getting so close when in previous years we would have been smashed.

Nailed it OD. We do hang onto a sentimental or nostalgic view of players loyalty to a club, however, at the same time that view is fostered by players like Viney, Watts, Kent etc who have committed to the Demons professing their desire to stay with MFC. The more skeptical would of course say, that's because they are happy with the coin. Despite the rampant professionalism and mercenary behaviour of players, clubs and player agents, I have seen enough of life to appreciate that money or coin is not everything and that there are many players who want to stay with their clubs if they feel they are being treated fairly and not shortchanged. That's why it is so important to a clubs future that it is seen to be ethical and fair in its treatment of players and that wholesale trading of players is dangerous to the fabric of the club. Importantly, in addition to "coin" players need to believe that the club has a future and that view is shared by the players team mates. Hell, sorry OD this was meant to be a one sentence reply and I have got carried away.

His investment advisor does not share your opinion dazzle.