Mazer Rackham

I'm afraid the chance is zero, sue. She's well and truly under his spell. She'll happily go after (in order) WADA, ASADA, AFL, maybe EFC, but in no way shape or form will she go after Albert. (She may ask one seemingly difficult "hard hitting" question just for form.)

That's what he meant when he said he'll be in a good place when the truth comes out. Sitting in an auditorium, the centre of attention, the audience having paid to be in his presence, being interviewed by an attractive blonde.

Dammit, I hope he does!

This is the same AFL that tried to sweep the whole mess under the carpet until the ACC entered the picture. One of their clubs tried to cheat on an industrial scale and the AFL were prepared to let them get away with it so that their own reputation wouldn't suffer. It's not out of the question that, unchecked, a 'roided-up EFC could have won a flag. They both now deserve everything coming their way. Verily, thou shalt reap what thou hast sown.

I want to see this.... Jim & Tracey to sing a duet at the end. They take turns singing verses. Towards the end of the song a third voice can be heard joining in. Who is it? Jobe walks on with a mic. It's him. Arm in arm, the three sing together. But more voices are heard too. Heppel comes on, Hurley ... all the 34. They finish the song together with a group hug and a rousing chorus. The song dies away into sudden silence. At one end of the stage is Ben McDevitt. Staring at Hird. No one moves. Great Jim says nothing but holds one hand aloft calling for calm. Then extends the hand to McDevitt. McDevitt rushes forward, seizes it, shakes it, and falls to his knees sobbing. Jim then calls forward a very special guest. Climbing out of the audience is Dank. Tears are streaming down his cheeks. Hird puts his hand on Dank's forehead and says "begone evil!". Dank falls backwards on to the ground shouting "I'm -- I'm cured! I'm ... good again!" Then proceed a series of bows and ovations like at the end of a stage show. Tracey presents Jim with a huge bouquet. Everyone's clapping and crying. All looking up at the peaceful benign face of Jim. The haters have lost.

I'll be watching it for the sheer entertainment value.

Not revealing it to your own club doctor kind of puts a hole in the notion that they were protecting the club's intellectual property.

Tird: Gee, Tracey. We're 15 minutes into this hard hitting interview. Normally you tell me that in the first two minutes. I guess you're nervous. But enough about me. Let's talk about you. What do you think of my six hour erection fake tan?

There were a couple of funny postings on bigfooty predicting what the interview would be like. From "Mead": From "FootyGeek": I reckon they're both spot on.

Here are Tracey's actual words from one her many Hird hagiographies (including free ASADA bashing) articles for the ABC. This was in response to Hird's sacking. Yesterday, Essendon's favourite son agreed to fall on the sword he'd held aloft for the past two-and-a-half years trying to keep at bay those who accused the club - and specifically Hird - of running a secretive, illegal doping program. And they were many. While Hird stood at the gate with his self-described "belligerent personality" and was one who "never backs down", the club's players and fans knew he was their spine. Players felt protected, fans were protective and the club hoped for the best. The siren has sounded on Hird, and all that's left is sadness

When it comes to fulfilling their WADA obligations, the AFL are going right to the edge of a cliff, but not going over. I don't know exactly what their obligations are, but do I know that they are not avoiding them. I fear they have been duped.

Funny, I don't recall Gil "the Dealmaker" being so forgiving of the culture of footy clubs when the St Kilda schoolgirl was hanging around the comp. Or when players have been caught drink driving. Or when players get into fights. Maybe there wasn't so much money at stake in those instances.

She invites on a variety of oddballs who struggle to get media anywhere else. She's had on Martin Hardie, and even Bruce Francis. Ye gods.

OD, you know the answer to that already.

On Sunday night, Hird is being interviewed on ABC TV. By Tracey Holmes. I anticipate they will both make fools of themselves.

Negligence that beggars belief

Agree with everything said above. But I believe things would have to get a lot worse in the PA to get better. There appear to be no rumblings from the players about the representation they are getting. Until the players themselves make a stand and insist that the PA is funded by them, and not the AFL, they will continue to get this conflicted misdirected policy.

Paul Marsh: Hello, Mr McLachlan? Gil McLachlan: Yes. Who is this? PM: It's Paul. GM: Paul? PM: Paul. Paul Marsh. GM: Oh yes. Paul. Let's see. The pH in the upstairs pool is a bit low this week. And the hedge along the side needs a bit of a trim. PM: No, Mr McLachlan. Paul Marsh. I'm not calling about any gardening. GM: .... sorry? PM: I'm from the AFL Players Association. GM: From the AFL ... oh yes. Of course. Why are you call-- PM: It's the Essendon players, Mr McLachlan. They're going to launch legal action against the AFL! GM: Ha, ha. How cute. But you didn't call me just to tell me that, did you? PM: Mr McLachlan, they want me to pay for it! The AFLPA, that is. GM: Paul. I'd think very carefully about whether you're acting in the best interests of the body you represent. PM: But Mr McLachlan, that's what I mean! I have to at least look like I'm sticking up for the players! GM: It is a little tricky. Hmm ... let me think .... here's what we'll do. I'll slash your budget down to a pittance. So you can't even buy your lunch. Then you can't possibly pay for legal action. Or any other nonsense ideas these players get. PM: Yes, Mr McLachlan. Thank you, Mr McLachlan. GM: And Paul? PM: Yes, Mr McLachlan? GM: Don't forget that pool. PM: No, Mr McLachlan. Sorry, Mr McLachlan.

It's become urban myth, hasn't it? That it was crafted with the Olympics in mind, and two year/four year penalties fit in with the Olympic cycle, and the worst druggies are all Olympic athletes, and, and ... (hand waving here) ... therefore it must have no applicability to non-Olympic sports. Busted syllogism. It's leapt on by EFC apologists, and small-minded journos who otherwise should have no allegiance to drug cheats, because Hird can't have done anything wrong, nor the EFC, nor the players ... it's Dank! It's the AFL! It's the system, man! It's .... it's WADA themselves!! From that point, tailor the facts to suit the conclusion.

The only way we were going to find out was when the AFL charged him two years ago. But then backed down immediately when he threatened counter action. They were more scared of what he had on them! Some drips and drabs may come out in future actions against the club. but it appears that the doc has wriggled off the hook.

"The players were duped" .... Ha. Or could it be ... the players were the dupers too.

Yes. I've heard people in the pharmaceutical and medical spheres expressing amazement that players were given off label, not approved for human use, drugs, in doses above any known testing regime (where such even existed), and "stacked" (ie, in combinations). Especially when one Dank patient in an NRL club, who was in remission after a bout of cancer, was given a growth hormone. Which is why it was very strange to see EFC holding the line that "but we know that none of it was harmful", and not going full steam after Dank to demand exactly what he gave.

Been reading some bigfooty. Interesting that some die hard EFC supporters have had an epiphany and are realising that this is real, the players really did take something, the something was a banned substance, and that Hird was at the top of it all.

Not to mention, "the players were duped" no longer cuts any ice. The players aided and abetted the duping!

Understand where you're coming from, R&B. They have been suspended from playing in games that they have already played. But the real penalty is not so much the number of months. It is that they have been found guilty at all. They are now officially drug cheats and that will not change. Jobe & his Brownlow. Player lawsuits. Hird's reputation permanently tarnished a la Lance Armstrong. Those things can't be undone, even if it was a 2 week suspension.