Whispering_Jack

I'm not sure if you can say that more than half of the threads started here are purely football threads but historically, that's how this started out until it was changed into a politically charged thread, ironically by some who don't like to be confronted by racism and intolerance. However, if a 13 or 14 year old kid screams what are interpreted as racist taunts at a player, at what time does discussion about that become not football related? If there's discussion about the fact that an award was made to a footballer but others are more worthy recipients, how is that not a discussion about football? Personally, I'm happy if people want to put their views out their on the issues or directly on the game itself. It happens that when I heard about Travis Johnstone's drafting in late October, 1997, it was in the early days of the Internet and I was in New York. A couple of days later, on my way home, I picked up a copy of The Australian Newspaper and I read about Goodes selection at #43 by the Swans. I remember thinking then that his was a bargain selection. His participation in the decade and a half since then has done much to enrich our game and moreover, he's made a great contribution to his people. I understand that nine years ago he made some controversial comments about what Australia Day meant to many of his people. That he accepted this award on this day with grace suggests he's more a unifying factor than others who give lip service to the concept profess to be. They've only been around the place for five minutes but I won't be complaining if in 2031, Christian Salem, Jay Kennedy-Harris or Jayden Hunt are considered worthy of such an award.

Whilst I get the point you're making about what seems to be a lack of apparent transparency on the part of Essendon where its coaches and officials are denying knowledge of the substances given to the players under their supplements programme, this is something about which the AFL would best keep its nose right out - the fact that it was part of ASADA's investigation up to the issue of the interim report was problematic. Demetriou's comment about going to his death knowing Hird wasn't being paid was downright embarrassing if not a complete humiliation. The matter should now be left until ASADA issues it's final report which should highlight, among other things, exactly how it came to pass that the likes of Hird, Thompson, Corcoran and Reid knew about the programme but claim to have no idea as to the substances given to the players. More importantly, it needs to get to the bottom of who was given what substances and the truth must come out.

To the contrary Bob.A footballer who has been playing quality football since the last century wins a prestigious national award is very much a football topic and the reaction here sadly reflects what many people in this community think about his award and in some cases reveals that we're not as tolerant a society as we would like to be. What's there to moderate among this? Rather than ban bad thought I would rather that the inane comments be kept up on the site to demonstrate how stupid and unthinking some people can be and hopefully to help us all learn something more about hatred and prejudice. (However, there is a line and if it gets crossed, the poster won't be around for a long time). The person who I quote below was not without his human frailties and did wrong things in his lifetime. Neither is Adam Goodes perfect, yet nevertheless, the debate here convinces me more than ever that he's the perfect choice for this year's Australian of the Year.

I'm up here on the Gold Coast this week so I thought I might try to catch up on a Suns' open training session just to get a comparison between our training and that of another club. So I checked out their website and for those who like to complain about melbournefc.com.au (and you know who you are), I discovered this under OPEN TRAINING SESSIONS You are invited to join the Gold Coast SUNS on Saturday 18 January for an open beach training session on the Palm Beach foreshore. Date: Saturday 18 January Time: 8am 10:30am Location: Pirate Ship Park, Palm Beach Parklands, 945 Gold Coast Hwy. Fair dinkum - that was nine days ago and the only way I could get to that session would be if Doctor Who lobbed in on The Tardis. I think it's high time that Vlad investigates this mob. They're not promoting the game and it's un-Australian not to have an open pre-season training session here today of all days!

Don't tell me all those people live in Moonie Valley?

Very.I also started a thread recently titled Running off at the mouth. I'm thinking of merging the threads.

I'm up here on the Gold Coast inspecting the damage done to the locale by Redleg on his recent visit here. I'm hoping to pay a visit to a Gold Coast Suns open training session so we can draw a comparison between how the Demons do things back home and how they do it up here. The weather's warm and I'm look on forward to the experience although I think I might struggle to identify any player other than Ablett.

The award is Australian of the Year. It's not specifically for a person's work with one community. It's the subjective view of those on the panel. I think he stands as a worthy winner having come from a background of family hardship and deprivation to a point where he has risen to the top echelon in his field of endeavour as well as standing out as a worthy person in the community. I'm comfortable with it and if people must think there is a conspiracy or a negative issue involving race or colour in the decision to bestow this honour on him, it reflects on them more than anyone else.

Isn't that exactly what I said?

As the wise frog said above, I don't recall that I stated which year? Be patient - all things must come.

I remember the first time I saw him play. It was the TAC Cup Grand Final of 1997 and he dominated with six goals helping North Ballarat to win the premiership against the favoured Dandenong Stingrays. All eyes in that game were on a member of the losing team who was later drafted to Melbourne with the first pick in the draft later that year. Travis Johnstone showed flashes during his career while Adam Goodes (picked at 43 for the Swans) personified greatness both on an off the field. Two premierships, two Brownlow Medals, four times All Australian, Indigenous Team of the Century and now Australian of the Year and not just for his achievements in football - AFL footballer and anti-racism campaigner Adam Goodes named Australian of the Year I remember at the time he was drafted, reading about how his mother had singlehandedly raised Adam and his two brothers. She must be proud of him. We should all be proud of Adam Goodes on this day.

... for the word had passed around that the colt from Canberra Raiders was going to get away ...Sandor Earl could be free to play in weeks Well, well, well ... there's been no hearing for Sandor Earle, the one and only player served with an infraction notice and provisionally suspended but possibly free to play very soon which is what happens when you co-operate and give the investigators further information that leads to infraction notices being served on others. Earl will get a remission of his sentence for spilling the beans (most likely 6 months) and a number of others including Dank will then have to face the music. Once the precedent is set, we might even find some Bombers deciding to co-operate with the investigation as well.

Geelong is one club that goes to great lengths to get its players right - Geelong forward Steven Motlop flies to London to visit knee specialist. I wonder if panic stations have set in among the fans as they might here in those circumstances? They can ill-afford to lose Selwood and Motlop for any lengthy period of time after losing a swag of seasoned players who retired or were delisted at the end of last year.

This should have been posted alongside your post in the training thread so as to inform your readers of how much credibility they should have given to its content. For god's sake man. Some people over there think you were actually seriously dissecting the training session when it's obvious that you wrote about it in the middle of a drunken stupor! Actually, no ... it's better placed right here.

I read what he's saying but I'm not that sure that its "new" in the sense that all they're doing is putting on a computer programme something that many already know. The new Moneyball: scouting's next step

I didn't know whether to place this here or in the cricket thread on other sports but given that "running off at the mouth" is a common occurrence in this forum (we're all guilty of it from time to time ) I thought this gem from Martin Flanagan deserved to be put right here. Running off at the mouth a fool's game Love this one about Brett Lee - "Lee is like a pit bull with hair gel". And this sums up not only the Morgan/Lee incident but also what makes our game and sport at the highest level so enticing:

Actually, Joe Gutnick did that when he was President and Gabriel Szondy tried it for a while as well. Opening the doors for the members and supporters is a positive initiative but it's not enough when the team keeps getting flogged. Our core business is to produce a winning football team and good administration and governance will help us get there but making nice to members is overrated if you don't get the other things right.

How did we get onto the subject of Mitch Clark's knee? His foot was his initial problem and he's now getting over a hammy. The knee's never been an issue.

National day of mourning declared after the Poms beat us in yesterday's ODI in Perth. I was always worried this would happen, especially after Mitch Johnson shaved off the mo. No mo, no mojo.

... but we do owe them something. They gave us Neil "Froggy" Crompton, without who we would never have won the cup in 64.

I received an email today from a usually reliable source saying that one should never trust emails from usually reliable sources.

This coming Monday will be a holiday for most of Australia but not our footballers. The melbournefc.com.au website states that our TRAINING TIMES for next week are: I think that last bolded sentence is worth noting because many are still under the impression that if a player is not out there on the track during the hours of open training then he's injured and not doing anything much to get fit for what lies ahead and, if enough of them aren't out there, the sky's falling in. However, in all likelihood, that's not the case at all.At the only Demons training I attended this year (at Casey Fields in midweek last week), the session took place in 40 degree heat and barely lasted an hour. As the players were coming off I quipped something to Cam Pedersen about them "knocking off for the day" but he said this wasn't the case and that the group was off to AAMI Park and would be working there till 4pm. I also discovered that a very small group of players, part of what's called the "rehab" group were already at AAMI doing their modified programmes. These days pre-season training is far more scientifically based than in the good old days when players would roll up (often a tad overweight) at some time in late February for a season that would begin in mid April. There are specific programmes tailor made for each individual player with the aim of having them in best condition for the season ahead. So we don't necessarily need to be concerned if we don't see for example, a Mitch Clark or a Mark Jamar joining in with the rest of the group on Australia Day. It doesn't mean that it's the end of the world or that they're on holiday like the rest of us. The likelihood is that they will be doing their allotted work behind the scenes in the gym or the pool or in some lecture room inside one of the best sporting faculties in the country in closed sessions only metres away from Gosch's Paddock. I wish I could join those fans who venture out there on Australia Day but I'll be up in Queensland doing something important (probably near to or in a swimming pool). I would still appreciate your reports.

This one's about steroids but the question as to whether science has created a monster for society lies at the heart of the matter and could explain why the investigations into both the NRL and the AFL seem to be dragging on into eternity. The authorities need to get this one right because there are big fish to fry - Australia's Illegal Steroid Trade Is Exploding, And Could Be Fuelling Street Violence.

At least you're keeping the lid on it.

The "train wreck" was based on someone else's description but if you think the Titanic analogy is worrying, let me just add that the lecture was delivered during a cruise ... and we all survived!