Almanac Book Review – A Wink from the Universe: Trust and positives having created Bulldogs fairytales

A Wink from the Universe
by Martin Flanagan

AFL Grand Final in 2016 was so sensational and the best one I have seen. The Western Bulldogs broke their 62-year premiership draught for the second flag. Their fairytales are what we can adopt in our lives, I think.

It’s really good to know what was inside at the Whitten Oval and around the club through reading.

The storytelling starts with the club history and small biographies of Luke Beveridge and Bob Murphy. These two key men not only saved the crisis in 2014 after then captain Ryan Griffin left the club and coach Brendan McCartney resigned, but also brought the flag.

They established good relationships between players, coaches and staff members. This method is described as important by the premiership coach, Paul Roos, and I agree. Such relationships create trusts in the club and consequently bring positive outcomes (wins).

As Roos says great culture is established by getting to know each other, in his book Here it is. It is shown in the Bulldogs book. All premiership Bulldog players have been interviewed by Flanagan and footballers describe their teammates positively.

Not only players but also club staff members and fans are featured in this book. It’s reflected in Flanagan’s great and broad journalism.

All Home and Away matches are reviewed with Beveridge’s pre-match notes that motivated players. His metaphors are interesting and I sense his knowledge of the sport and books is wonderful.

And what supports and club staff have done are included in match reviews. Games cannot be played without them, it demonstrates.

After Tom Liberatore hadn’t performed well at the game against St Kilda at Round 18, Beveridge texted him wanting to know if he still wanted to be the part of the club or not. The message included telling Libba how important he was at the club. Bevo’s trusts and generosity are found in this text message.

A week off after the last Home and Away match against Fremantle benefited the injury suffering Bulldogs. They got stronger and Beveridge deployed best players each match. He had never complained but thought positively.

Dale Morris injured his back at Round 23 and saw doctors on Monday in the first finals week. He took bravely not giving up anything of playing footy and his dad duties. He played on with two fractured bones in his back. His bravery is what I admire and should be adopted in my playing footy.

Great atmosphere at the finals were created inside and outside the club. Everyone deserved to win the flag. Media reports worked out positively for the underdogs all way until the final siren sounded at the Grand Final.

I really admire Beveridge’s generously giving out $10 for breakfast when his boys travelled to Sydney playing against GWS, and giving away his medal to the injured skipper, Murphy.

Flanagan covers stories of how people celebrated the huge win in the world. Even the Footy Almanac is mentioned for the publication of the Bulldogs Almanac 2016.

The respected footy writer describes downhills of the club in 2017. Sadly the club went back to routine. I don’t discuss about it here, but all I want to say is that we need to find another motivation to keep the great works. I admit I have to work out in that area in my life.

It’s a great book to read how to succeed and motivate others and yourself.

I admire Flanagan’s positive writing in the broad journalism and for him not never give up how to create this wonderful book after fighting the situations where he had no idea how to put things together.

A Wink from the Universe is the must to read no matter who you support.

About Yoshihiro Imagawa

Love, passion and pride are seen on the footy that is the biggest part of my life. 1. St Kilda Club member: I am a passionate and crazy Sainter. Just hope we will win the second flag soon, especially after Dogs and Tigers having ended long premiership draughts. 2. The Osaka Dingoes Player and Public Relations Officer: Player number 44 that I chose to honour Stephen Milne with my wish being like a small forward like him. Lenny Hayes' hardworking attitudes are adopted on my trainings and practices. Nick Riewoldt's great plays are in my player audiobook too. 3. Writing: Here on the Almanac and also on the World Footy News. My skills utilise on great footy websites.

Comments

  1. Yoshi, I’d echo your sentiments about this book.

    This flag was so much about joy. M Flanagan understands the role joy plays in footy.

    Cheers

  2. Thanks for echoing my sentiment JB!

    Yes the Bulldogs’ second flag was all joys.

    Cheers

    Yoshi

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