FTA-TV Open Mike

[TheGreatBambino]

Mike said he asked Scott West

Scott West

Age

50

Ht

178cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

25.4

5star

K

12.7

5star

HB

12.6

5star

M

3.3

3star

T

2.6

4star

No current season stats available

D

12.0

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

1.4

2star

T

1.0

3star

but he wouldn’t do it.

 

[The hands of stone]

I remember the Lewis and Rhys-Jones ones were very good.

The Greg Williams one to me was by far the best. No pretension and no bullshit.

Greg ' I'm not saying I changed the game ........but I did ' Williams

He is great to listen too when interviewed

 

[Pragmatic Shill]

The Mark "Jacko" Jackson interview is some of the best television I've ever seen.

On SM-G981B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Maurice Mitchell]

As time progressed, Mike became more concerned with the subject's pay packets,

Yeah, he became obsessed with what players were earning

 

[Major Colvin]

Greg ' I'm not saying I changed the game ........but I did ' Williams

He is great to listen too when interviewed

With Williams, I had to admire his no-bullshit responses. Didnt shirk from the the fact that he wanted the individual accolades (Brownlows) and to be man of the match every game he played. Also acknowledged that once when Parkin put him in the forwardline for a spell and Fraser Brown in the middle, Diesel quickly moved himself to the centre and there was nearly a biff between the two players.

These responses might be considered 'selfish' but reality is, if Diesel is getting best-on its probably the best thing for the team he's playing for as well.

Yeah, he became obsessed with what players were earning

Perhaps, but it might be asking questions many people want to know. Particularly in the mid-80's with some of the money flying around Edelston's Sydney, Skase's Bears etc. Capper on $400k, whilst most VFL teams were struggling the survive.

Remember Gary Ayres saying at the end of his career at Hawthorn he and a few of the senior players were on around $200k, still quite a bit for the time and especially given Hawthorn were in a bit of a financially precarious situation. Player payments are part of the story and whilst its a bit awkward, good journo's should ask the tough questions.

 

[Major Colvin]

At its peak, it was brilliant and there were some cracking interviews.

As time progressed, Mike became more concerned with the subject's pay packets, plus they were dipping lower into the pool of available and willing guests, and the quality diminished.

The issue nowadays would be too many of the current crop that have been sanitised through years of media training and being silenced when trying to be an individual character (and not the manufactured Dane Swan character, sitting there smirking with some form of detached "too cool for this" approach).

Definitely agree with this. Prolific modern players are subject to so much media coaching now that it makes most of them indistinguishable from one another.

 

[Partridge]

Definitely agree with this. Prolific modern players are subject to so much media coaching now that it makes most of them indistinguishable from one another.

They really are. I've gone from being curious about certain players from all clubs to know not caring at all whether I hear another footballer interviewed ever again.

 

[Freomaniac]

Good show last night. My favorite parts were Mikes smug chortle when Graham told him he didn't like the fact Victorians didn't rate Sth Australian football and Mike telling him that they pinched all the good Sth Aussie players. I was also quite impressed with the way Mike covered Grahams' VFL career. "You came late to Melbourne, played 5 games and ran back to Adelaide with your tail between your legs"

Typical Victorian reply.

Graham Cornes is a South Australian football legend .

 

[Interceptor]

Typical Victorian reply.

Graham Cornes is a South Australian football legend .

I don't recall how Cornes replied (something to do with not getting along with Barassi), but he should have said "and the next year I won the Tassie Medal playing against the best players in the country".