Thursday, October 11, 2007

 

Who's Afraid? - brief update #9

Not content with his risibly apocalyptic description of Saturday night's events, the latest Murdoch football refuser, Josh Massoud, has kept the barrow rolling in this morning's paper.

Again, the barriers of civilization appear to be crumbling:

pelted match officials and police with rubbish...tackle hooliganism head-on...the noose of suspicion is tightening...ugly scenes...

The banal truth of the matter is coyly hidden deep within the article:

A post-match sweep of the tunnel revealed only bottles and cups - and a piece of gum - had been thrown.

A piece of gum? Call in the Counter-Terrorist Unit.

Just in case Mr. Massoud's agenda wasn't quite transparent enough, despite all the preceding drivel, we're treated to a bit of choice whinging from a "Bulldogs diehard", whose fans would never dream of such "violent" behaviour as throwing chewing gum at match officials. No doubt Mr. Massoud will rush to secure a quote from a prominent member of the Cove, the next time a group of Bulldogs fans decides to beat up some travelling Wests Tigers supporters.

Cynical, pathetic tripe.

Another recommendation to football fans, further to my previous ones: since the Murdoch tabloids are indescribably awful in any case, and since they support the likes of Mr. Massoud, a boycott, rather than an angry email, might be an appropriate show of disapproval.

Comments:
Piece of gum! LOL!

There is a post on the Melbourne Victory Forum about Richard Freedman this morining who co-hosts Sydney's 2KY radio program the Big Sports breakfast.

This morning he had Ben Buckley on. The Joel Griffiths event was heavily discussed. More interesting for me was the reference to today's SMH article Richard continually made the point to Ben Buckley that if you remove the NZ crowds then the A-League crowds here in Australia are down. Ben Buckley did not have the figures in front of him so only responded by noting how fluxuations in a season often happen so it's best to wait over a longer period of a season in order to correctly judge figures.

After the Ben Buckley interview finished Richard Freedman again noted (how in his opinion) Soccer journalists always try to put positive spins on everything they write, but if you take away the huge 289% rise in Phoenix crowds (over the now defunct NZ Knights) crowds in the A-League in Australia are down.

Richard Freedman is also the author of the Sunday Telegraph article from 7 May 2006 "Soccer faces pauper's funeral". I can't find the link but the jist of it was that the A-League was doomed.

If Mr. Freedman criticises football journalists for putting positive spin. What about a NRL/AFL journo writing a positive article about football for a change?
 
Guido and Mike - you can definitely add to Richard Freedman to list of football refusers.

He is hourse racing, rugby league and cricket to his bones and the latest in a long line of Fox tripe ready the belittle the world game at the first chance. He's often on that Back Page show talking shit.

Like alot of shock-jock though, his shit sticks with alot of listeners.
 
Totally off topic. I'm coming down to Sydney for the LA Galaxy and Roar vs Sydney games. Whats the best way to get to the respective stadiums??
 
...Totally off topic. I'm coming down to Sydney for the LA Galaxy and Roar vs Sydney games. Whats the best way to get to the respective stadiums??...

The SFS is a decent uphill walk from Central Station (about half an hour), but there are buses from Central as well. I think they put on some special buses for the supporters too...I don't really know, because I drive in most of the time.

Telstra: get the train to Olympic Park, that's about the only way to do it.
 
Mikey you are doing great work by exposing these people for what they are and thereby defending football's cause, but what are the 'football fraternity' journalists at SBS and Fox doing to counter these things?
 
...what are the 'football fraternity' journalists at SBS and Fox doing to counter these things?...

Well, give it time, SBS have got their TWG show on Sunday, and they might say something about it (apparently Fozzie had some criticism for Massoud on the little "shootout" segment on the TWG website, so credit to him for that).

As for Fox...well, their new blogger who's replaced Jesse Fink (whom I strongly suspect to be just Jesse under a different moniker, incidentally...correct me if I'm wrong, mystery man) wrote a recent piece which was not-so-subtly aimed at Orsatti's recent shitbagging (and perhaps some of the stuff on TWG last Sunday), but I don't think there will be much overt criticism of Massoud.

After all, Foxtel is (AFAIK) 25% owned by News Ltd. ;-)
 
This new blogger at Fox - the Whistleblower - might in fact be Anthony Raineri. That story you posted Mikey, 'don't throw the baby out', when it was first published it was under Raineri's name. A quick refresh later and it was suddenly written by 'The Whistleblower'.
 
...This new blogger at Fox - the Whistleblower - might in fact be Anthony Raineri. That story you posted Mikey, 'don't throw the baby out', when it was first published it was under Raineri's name. A quick refresh later and it was suddenly written by 'The Whistleblower'....

Ah so.
 
Another excellent post Mike. Keep it up.

At the risk of stating the obvious, News Ltd employs many league journos. No doubt many of them have little to do in the league off-season, hence these ignorant articles.

Sadly, I suspect football will continue to be marginalised until a more enlightened generation rise through the ranks to become sports editors etc.
 
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