RIP Jim Stynes 1966-2012

Jim Stynes has finally succumbed to cancer. It is a loss the whole football and broader community will feel.

If you wish to leave any thoughts, please do so below.

Martin Flanagan has paid eloquent tribute over at The Age.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/melbourne-demons/more-than-a-great-sportsman-20120320-1vgjg.html

Comments

  1. This may sound odd but it’s day of celebration on what is otherwise a terrible loss. Jimmy was not only a ripper footballer but someone was true to all he dealt with. That’s a rare achievement in this day and age and worthy of three almighty cheers and roaring rendition oh It’ a Grand Old flag if ever there was. His family had a brief but I’m sure wonderful experience of having such a man in there lives. The rest of us are also much better for this man’s contribution to the wider community as well as the footballing public.
    Well played Mr Stynes

  2. Very good footballer. A hundred times better man.
    His story makes me want to do better – today and tomorrow.
    A Bradman of the heart and the soul.

  3. Good one Tony. You are right. He was ok. Have never heard an adverse comment about him.

    I only hope that the big story scoopers on 360 have enough intelligence and integrity to understand that this is about Jim, not market share, and to handle it with extreme sensitivity.

    We may be about to get a clear comparison of two AFL club presidents. Cheese and Chalk.

    I also hope that the AFL don’t see it as an opportunity to get a big gate at some stage soon. If they do they will have completely missed the point on what Gentleman Jim was about.

    Let the people speak AFL. You will learn something if you watch and listen rather than attempt to hyjack the moment and choreograph the process of the showing genuine respect that footy people had for the man and the uniquness of the celebration of his life and contribution the our game and our community that he adopted.

  4. Tears all around 25 years ago
    You ran across an imaginary mark
    Tears all around now
    We’ve lost someone who made a real mark

    RIP Jimmy

  5. RIP Jimmy – another great Irishman.

  6. A beautiful Irish song of farewell called “The Parting Glass” contains these lyrics:

    Oh, all the comrades e’er I had,
    They’re sorry for my going away,
    And all the sweethearts e’er I had,
    They’d wish me one more day to stay,
    But since it falls unto my lot,
    That I should rise and you should not,
    I gently rise and softly call,
    Good night and joy be with you all.

  7. Ben Footner says

    RIP Jimmy, if only more footballers went on to use their careers as a launchpad for so much greater good.

  8. In the end he demonstrated so perfectly that intangible humanity that is to fight and to exist. He has clearly touched a lot of people. One image that really gets me is the vision of Jim with his scars standing with the MFC cheersquad. I think that beutifully encapsulates so much of his philosophy and who he was.

    If they’ll have us, I’m sure many hearts beat true today as we all remember a good human being.

    Cheers Jim!

  9. Pamela Sherpa says

    Very sad, very sad. Jim was a man who reminded us of the importance of giving . His legacy will be well remembered. RIP

  10. Phil Dimitriadis says

    RIP Jimmy. A true champion in every way.

  11. John Butler says

    RIP Mr Stynes. Much more than a footballer.

    Times like this put things in perspective.

  12. Richard Naco says

    Although it seems like darkness now that such a shining light of humanity has slipped beneath the horizon of mortality, we should never forget how much of a twilight world it would have been had he not shone upon it in the first place.

    Condolences to his wonderful family.

  13. Tony Robb says

    Phantom and JB I feel that we should be infront of the Catholic fireplace at the Nth Fitzror Arms

  14. Matt Zurbo says

    One of the true, genuine, champion blokes in sport, in life. An inspiration in all aspects of life.

    Could play footy, too!

  15. Dave Nadel says

    Jimmy was a great footballer and an even greater man.He did a lot for his footy club and a lot more for young people of this city. He will be missed by an awful lot of people.

    Apart from everything else I loved the fact that his biography included a picture of C Company, Second Battalion, Dublin Brigade (IRA) His Uncle Joe was a member. Now that was a picture that you didn’t expect to see in a footy autobiography.

  16. Bless you, Jimmy. A gentleman champ and a champion gent.

  17. In our lives, we rarely meet people who warrant the assessment a good person, because there are always some niggles about shortcomings, dubious motives, inadequacies. I’ve also thought that the more the spotlight shines on any-one, the less likely that their reputation will stand the exposure.

    In both of these respects, Jim Stynes is a beacon demonstrating what a human can aspire to and accomplish. By to-day’s life expectancy, he’s had only half a normal span, but what inspiration he’s packed into that time. Rest easy big man.

    “And when he shall die,
    Take him and cut him out in little stars,
    And he will make the face of heaven so fine
    That all the world will be in love with night,
    And pay no worship to the garish sun”.

  18. Andrew Starkie says

    Some people are sent to teach us. Life is full of them. Some are famous, some not.

    JImmy taught us two main lessons. The first was to live life to the full. Consider everything he did in his life – on and off the footy field – and then in particular, consider the last week or so, when he must have known his time was up. He went to the footy, a club function, his favourite restaurant and most importantly, organised and ran his son’s birthday. He squeezed the last drop, doing all the important things, as he was ‘getting his ship in order’, as Martin Flanagan would say.

    The second lesson has two parts and they relate to humanity. Jimmy showed that we can’t live in a vacuum. We have to contribute to society, and serve others. And in a world obsessed with race and origin, he showed you don’t have to serve the community you were born. Where you are is your home and you must do your bit there. He was an Irish-Australian, but more than that, a human.

    People say Jimmy’s is the greatest ever football story. I think the JImmy Stynes-Liam Jurrah story is greater.

  19. Andrew Fithall says

    Music by My Friend The Chocolate Cake. Words by Gerard Whateley and Martin Flanagan. A Yoytube tribute to Jim Stynes.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQThoihpcdA

  20. haiku bob says

    a minute’s applause
    fighting off the lumps
    in our throats

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