La Dee-vina Comedia

Why would our players be holding a clamp? And what would they use it for?

I'm old enough to remember sportsmen being derided for suggesting their teammates give up smoking.

I hope those in out team who are not tattooed continue to refrain. Not because of any moral or visual concern I have, but because of this. Given players and clubs go to the extreme in trying to get any sports science edge they can get, it seems foolish to me to do something which may have this negative effect on high performance athletes. I probably seem a bit like the coach who told his players not to smoke in the 1970s. But the logic is the same...except you can quit smoking whereas you can't remove tattoos. (I realise there are exceptions to both those claims.)

Collingwood-speak for "We don't know how many members we have because we can't count"

My strict rules about attending training is that I don't go if it's over 30, under 15, if it's sunny, windy, wet or on any day with a y in it. Other than that, I'm dead keen.

I would have thought the link between numbers of players' of a certain height and a measure of success is likely to be tenuous. However, I note that there are six teams with 3 or fewer players over 200 cm. Four of those teams have won the last four Premierships. The other two teams have recently played in Preliminary finals. If there is a link (which I still doubt) I'll guess that it's because the teams with four or more 200+ cm players have more of that height on their list than they need because they're not happy with what they've got and are still trying to find the right 200+ cm players.

One man's graveyard is another man's pleasure dome. I quite like the 3.20 slot but dislike the 1.10 pm start as it takes out the whole day. And I still don't like Thursday nights (with the exception of the Thursday before Good Friday and Anzac Eve, should it fall on a Thursday).

To steal from Denis Cometti, it looks like they travelled alphabetically.

Possibly related to 3AWs Rumour File which today had a story about an unnamed AFL player who is developing a new type of players' helmet? The clip didn't confirm the identity of the club or player, though.

Every time I go to Adelaide I have to remind myself to put my watch back 30 minutes plus 20 years.

To close the loop, I have today renewed my membership by phone. I also discussed with helpful staff member the difficulty of MCC members renewing online on the MFC website and had it confirmed that we have to do it through the MCC website. I suggested that the MFC website could include this information. In all seriousness, the club should be making it simple for all categories of member to renew. It's basic business knowledge that retaining a customer (or, in this case a member) is easier than finding a new one.

I tried doing it then and the MCC website wasn't allowing it either! The MCC site theoretically allowed a member to sign up with any AFL club* but the system didn't actually work. *Personally, I think anyone who joins an AFL club other than Melbourne should have their MCC membership cancelled as it's a clear sign that the person does not have the requisite integrity or intelligence expected of an MCC member.

Bernie himself hinted at it in a media piece after he retired which talked about how he'd formally qualified as a real estate agent but wasn't sure if he'd follow that path full-time given he may take a possible role with the club.

If Melbourne is to be typically Melbourne, it should start by using correct grammar. The club is singular, therefore the statement should be "Melbourne is entering an exciting era". Unless, of course, Pert was being deliberately ironic and making a statement about the ignorance of the average non-Melbourne supporting Melburnian.

And nothing says "common" more than a Richmond or Collingwood membership.

It's not long ago that an appointment of an ex-player in a part-time position might have looked like a "job for a mate" without there necessarily being a genuine role for the ex-player concerned. I don't know what Bernie might be doing but I feel much more confident that it will be a genuine job using his specific skills for a good purpose.

I imagine that at some time in the not to distant future the Players' Association will say that players are being unreasonably coerced to attend the club during their supposed break. It will only take one club being unreasonable - and there will eventually be one - before the dam wall breaks.

I think this is one of the greatest posts on Demonland ever. I don't quite know what it means but " a royal commission for scum bags" just rolls off the tongue delightfully. Sounds like Paul Keating in Parliament circa 1990.

I'm not disputing this statement, but how does it fit in with the Collective Bargaining Agreement? I see no problem with players voluntarily doing extra work, but are the club's fitness and conditioning staff able to advise the players on what they should do during their break? Wouldn't that breach the agreement? Conversely, if the club's staff are not able to advise players on what they should do, how is the "extra" work monitored to ensure it fits with requirements and, more importantly, doesn't lead to players over-exerting themselves or potentially causing themselves injury?

I've just tried to renew online. I'm an MCC member wanting to take up the MCC/MFC offer but I can't renew online. Anyone else having the same problem? (I will ring the club and renew, but my concern is with the inefficiency of the membership renewal system).

Is that even possible? Can salmon coloured boots be beautiful? Makes me doubt the credibility of the rest of your posts (not).

Unlikely. His history has been to pick a name based on a player who seems to have minimal time left at the club. Whether it's an omen or just bad luck I'm not too sure.

One of the data conundrums would be whether things are better if that figure of 60% goes up or down. If it goes up, does that mean the club has better data or does it mean worse player management?

I've never thought of it this way. There would be hundreds or thousands of wannabee ruckmen who have some of those traits (or all of them but with no football ability) which just goes to show how tough it is to find a decent one, let alone the best. And we have him.

So, you're the one who watches her movies.