Fitzpatrick on Open Mike, Caro, Clarkson

[Blood Fever]

OK, but it's also my point too. If she's the best of a bad lot, how about you direct your criticism to the WORST, or even mid-ranking, of the bad lot rather than the best of the bad lot? What purpose is served by bagging the "best" - the one journo who by your own assessment is MOST favourable to us, above all others? She's one of the few I can think of in recent years who as been prepared to say anything even vaguely pro-Swans. In fact, I feel she's becoming more outspoken as time goes by. Anyone in Eddie's pocket refuses (and there are plenty of them - I'm talking to you Foxtel F-wits). Caro at least has been critical of both the Toxic Dwarf and The Dill over the journey.

Maybe she is becoming more outspoken of late and I've missed it but let's wait and see. McLachlan's meeting with Clarkson was an absolute shocker and there wasn't a word from her initially.

[aguy]

Just read Caros article. A great read

[Velour&Ruffles]

Have now read that piece. The thing about good journos is that they can say a lot with their choice of words, without having to make their point absolutely directly. Caro is saying that Fitzpatrick is an arrogant asshole who doesn't even know the basics of what he's talking about .... she's just been a little more subtle than that. She clearly also thinks the non-Vic clubs get rogered by the hierarchy and that Clarkson is a protected species ("Being Clarkson, he got away with ....", "...indulged ..." etc). The fact that there's no "in Clarkson's defence..." or "what the non-Victorian club's don't understand ...." type balancing comment tells you everything. I don't see any reason to be disappointed in this piece or feel that she's gone easy on them.

[Swanny40519]

I watched that Fitzpatrick interview and I was disgusted by his lack of knowledge of the COLA rules that he was actually managing, his cynical attitude towards the swans and their drafting of Buddy, and the dismissive attitude towards the appalling booing of Adam. In addition what he said about the Essendon injection saga was gob smacking and if I was a bombers player or fan I would be disgusted.

The whole interview gave me the impression that this was a person who didn't give a toss for the non victorian AFL teams, this was a person who only thought of himself and what he could get out it, and I was very disappointed that such a senior AFL executive could be so casual and slack in his answers to some tough questions. It is a pity Mike did not push harder at some of the responses by Fitzpatrick.

I think in that interview he lost a great lot of credibility.

[707]

Wilson almost the only one worthy of the tag journalist. The footy media is of a low standard, some of them are jokes. Thought Wilson's article hit points that the AFL won't like one bit.

Previous poster mention Fitzpatrick and credibility in the same sentence - wrong!

[Swanny40519]

Didn't Fitz say when pushed by Mike that he was angry the Swans got Buddy and that he did want Buddy to go to GWS.

[liz]

Didn't Fitz say when pushed by Mike that he was angry the Swans got Buddy and that he did want Buddy to go to GWS.

He didn't even need to be pushed to say that. He came right out with it. And I don't have a problem with the fact that Mike wanted Buddy to go to GWS. If you put yourself in the Commission's shoes at the time, the idea of a marquee player signing with their new, struggling franchise must have seemed to be a dream come true. Put this together with the feeling that Buddy was looking to get out of Melbourne, and the location of his fianc?e meaning that Sydney (the city) was his desired location, it must have seemed perfect.

That doesn't excuse his dummy spit when things panned out differently.

Mike didn't push Fitzpatrick hard on the post-Buddy response by the AFL, which isn't surprising because Open Mike rarely shapes up as anything other than a cosy, fire-side chat.

[Velour&Ruffles]

I think in that interview he lost a great lot of credibility.

You can't lose something you don't have.

[dejavoodoo44]

Recently appeared on the AFL site, is something of a puff piece on Clarkson and his recent actions. If you don't have a strong constitution, I recommend reading it with a nearby sick bag.
Apparently by raising important issues, he is helping to educate the public.

[Swanny40519]

Recently appeared on the AFL site, is something of a puff piece on Clarkson and his recent actions. If you don't have a strong constitution, I recommend reading it with a nearby sick bag.
Apparently by raising important issues, he is helping to educate the public.

Just read it and the bag is now full.

What a load of AFL generated crap !

So the little thug is now football operations manager.

Just enhances my view of what a DH he is.

[liz]

The problem in this situation is with McLachlan more than Clarkson. Surely McLachlan can see there is a problem meeting regularly with one of the incumbent coaches of one team to discuss rule interpretations, while not affording that same privilege to representatives from the other 17 clubs. And if he can't, I suggest the Commission should, and should instruct McLachlan to stop these meetings.

Once Clarkson is retired and no longer connected with any club, there's no issue with him expressing his views to the competition administration, though you'd like to think the administration would make a point of listening to a wide array of voices.

[CureTheSane]

The problem in this situation is with McLachlan more than Clarkson. Surely McLachlan can see there is a problem meeting regularly with one of the incumbent coaches of one team to discuss rule interpretations, while not affording that same privilege to representatives from the other 17 clubs. And if he can't, I suggest the Commission should, and should instruct McLachlan to stop these meetings.

Once Clarkson is retired and no longer connected with any club, there's no issue with him expressing his views to the competition administration, though you'd like to think the administration would make a point of listening to a wide array of voices.

And we no loonger need to perpetuate the discussion, as this is all that needs to be said.
the biggest shock in all this is that there has not been more pressure on Gil for explanations.
Not for the first time. It was in the interest of all clubs to make the AFL and Gil accountable for the sanctions imposed on the Swans for 'not breaking any rules' as one day they may be the ones out in the cold unfairly.

[dejavoodoo44]

Just read it and the bag is now full.

What a load of AFL generated crap !

So the little thug is now football operations manager.

Just enhances my view of what a DH he is.

I'm sorry. I hope that you read it before lunch and that you can now refill with a nice meal.

[Vonsteinman]

I don?t want to burst your bubbles, but it?s important to understand that what you are looking at is a bunch of blokes who are connected through school, junior footy, professional footy, family, coaching jobs, media roles, AFL admin roles and are firm friends.

It would be naive to think that key figures from several clubs don?t regularly catch up with key figures in the media and key figures from AFL administration in a social context. Footy is the main thing that links them together so logic would suggest they discuss footy. This would happen A LOT.

[Blood Fever]

The problem in this situation is with McLachlan more than Clarkson. Surely McLachlan can see there is a problem meeting regularly with one of the incumbent coaches of one team to discuss rule interpretations, while not affording that same privilege to representatives from the other 17 clubs. And if he can't, I suggest the Commission should, and should instruct McLachlan to stop these meetings.

Once Clarkson is retired and no longer connected with any club, there's no issue with him expressing his views to the competition administration, though you'd like to think the administration would make a point of listening to a wide array of voices.

The problem is more with McLachlan and how the media, including Caroline Wilson, have unbelievably, apart from Robert Walls, said nothing about the impropriety of the meeting.