Dr. Gonzo

I thought I'd share this interview with Darren Bennett I listened to today, the interview runs for almost an hour and is on the podcast "A Yank on the Footy" which is hosted by an American who has fallen in love with Aussie Rules. It touches on his AFL and NFL careers as well as some of his experiences which were pretty heartbreaking such as losing a close friend when he was a teenager and also losing his son (who had muscular dystrophy) in the past couple of years. Bennett was a favourite of mine as a kid (I'm a sucker for the goalkickers) so it was a great in depth listen of someone I haven't heard much of for some time. https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/zn87hm/251DarrenBennettNFLAFL_-_3_27_23_1901ba345.mp3

Reminds me of the James McDonald situation way back when. Could be extremely destabilising especially for a young side needing on field leadership.

Not as rousing as "if it bleeds we can kill it" though is it? 🤣

Would the AFL be willing to have reduced crowds at games? Because that is what would happen if they increased the admission prices, people would just walk away. I'm sure the same argument was made about tobacco advertising in the 80s. Fact is there is plenty of money in the sport, plenty of hangers on getting paid way too much for minimal output.

At the end of the day it's legal - it might be morally wrong but legally it's fine. The VFL took money from tobacco companies while they could, I think the government needs to legislate around gambling ads during G/PG rated content or live sports broadcasts. But the government is as complicit as the AFL so not sure that will happen any time soon. Edit - also I don't think the AFL or the gambling companies care about the exposure to kids - they're just grooming the next market they can siphon money from.

And the tension between going balls out the way he plays the game and reigning it in a bit so he doesn't pokeaxe someone into next week and cop another suspension 🤣

Pretty sure the capture cards have an input where you can plug the antenna into your laptop/PC - so it captures exactly what you would see on the TV. I don't have one but was looking into it a while ago. I ended up buying the DVD recorder which allowed me to connect a VCR and copy all my old VHS tapes to DVD which I then converted to digital on my laptop (old family home movies, old footy games etc)

Yep and it also came out that the AFL gets a cut of every bet placed on AFL matches. So it is in their interest to push gambling because the more people lose, the more the AFL gain. Oh, clubs can't own pokies though, that's a big no no because it allows clubs financial independence and doesn't make money for the executive. 🙄 https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/apr/04/afl-receives-cut-of-gambling-turnover-outside-sponsorship-inquiry-hears#:~:text=“We have product fee arrangements,inquiry into online gambling harm.

To be honest I'm glad we don't get the channel 7 nuffies on commentary

The AFL survived covid on the back of continuing to charge membership subs for people unable to attend games; pushing ahead with games by forcing clubs/players into hubs and playing games all over the country on 4 day breaks to ensure the tv money kept rolling; and by taking out a line of credit on Docklands, something they were able to do due to the VFL's purchase and subsequent selling of Waverley 60 years prior. The reason people are cynical about the AFL and it's money making is because often it comes at the expense of the integrity of the game and the wishes of supporters. For example the AFL makes a tonne of money off of their relationship with gambling companies but the trade off is constant bombardment of gambling advertising which is extremely problematic especially when you consider a large portion of the audience are kids. You can applaud the AFL "making money" but I'd rather they stick to integrity of the sport.

Maybe, I just find it hard to believe a coach/selection committee is thinking about a highly unlikely potential recruit in 15-20 years time when they will very likely be long gone compared to trying to win a game this weekend. They wouldn't pick a player on that reason alone, like you say they would have to be a legitimate selection for the sub role. The idea that a player is being gifted games for this reason I just find ludicrous.

I've got a DVD recorder with a hard drive I bought years ago, I assume you can still get them online if not in stores? Otherwise you can get a TV capture card for your PC/laptop or a PVR box to connect to your computer. https://filmora.wondershare.com/screen-recording-tips/guide-to-record-television-on-windows-pc.html

Not unless they upgrade their servers, the quality has been garbage at times this year (for example Bris/Coll last Thurs)

No and no Edit - I think it is extremely fanciful from some to think this would be the case. Clubs may carry a servant of the club on the bench/sub for a handful of games to get them across the line for a milestone like 300 games (kind of what we did with Jones) but they're not going to gift games to a player if there is a better option sitting there and they don't fit the need. Basically, Melksham is getting games as sub because he has the skillset the coaches/Goodwin want in our sub at the moment.

If the ball clips the back of the post (ie the padding) then it is a point. Ergo if the ball is touched before the entire ball clears the line between the back of the padding on both posts it is a point.

He will layeth the smack down on all the AFL's candy asses!!

Richmond/Geelong approach or Hawthorn approach? Geelong in a slightly more favourable position as they are able to attract players from Geelong/Surf Coast/Western Vic wanting to come home (Dangerfield/Cameron). I think Richmond will regret going after Hopper/Taranto but I'm not sure what they paid for it in draft capital.

The fact he mentioned it says that they'd rather have a proper bye than not. There's a reason the bye is there.

And no proper bye for the 2nd year in a row (as Selwyn mentioned on the Demonland podcast).

I once missed out on $700 because Sam Blease kicked a goal from the boundary in the dying seconds against the Pies in Queens Birthday which meant we covered the 40 odd point line. So we got done by 7 goals and I was out of pocket $700. I never forgave Blease for that 🤣

Gotta bump up that word count 🤣

Wait until the next tv rights deal (starting next year?) when Fox/Kayo are allowed to provide their own commentators for ALL games - we'll never have to listen to BT, Jobe, Lingy, McLachlan and the rest of those nuffies again (except for the GF and hopefully we'll all be at the G and can watch the replays with the radio commentary 🤣)

Does anyone even know who the score reviewers are? They've never explained who it is making these decisions, are they actually umpires/officials? No one knows. Having said that I think it was a point.