As he emerges from the fog of general anaesthetic, Smokie observes a fellow patient trying to cope with harsh reality of life’s wider struggles.
The 19th Man
April 23, 2021 by 5 Comments
Biased? One-eyed? No-one was ever as blatantly unfair as Forbsey, the reserves umpire whose performances bordered on downright cheating
Almanac Life: The Tightarse
April 16, 2021 by 17 Comments
It’s a sticky question, but for Smokie it’s easy to think of one ‘tightarse’ he knows. Enjoy as he humorously discusses the frugal disposition of ‘Ocker’, a former fellow employee with a desperate need to save up.
VAFA Premier B Section – Williamstown CYMS FC: The Ladder
April 9, 2021 by 4 Comments
Having climbed through the lower rungs of the VAFA, this Saturday the Williamstown CYMS Football Club will play its first ever match in Premier B Section. Smokie muses on the notion of climbing ladders.
Almanac Music: Paul Kelly’s 50 Best Songs
February 11, 2021 by 19 Comments
In this epic piece of fan-boy appreciation, Smokie lists his favourite Paul Kelly tracks – from 50 down to 1. (‘Epic’ is hardly adequate to describe this appreciation of PK’s work. – Ed.)
Almanac Music: The Best Australian Albums of 2020
December 23, 2020 by 5 Comments
Smokie has listened to plenty of music this year, much of it Australian. As we approach the end of 2020, he lists his best Aussie albums of the past twelve months.
Australia v India – First Test, Day 1: Heavyweight Bout Begins
December 18, 2020 by 4 Comments
Smokie Dawson presents his Day 1 report of the 1st Test clash Australia v India in Adelaide. The two heavyweights of Test cricket slug it out with the Aussies slightly ahead.
Almanac Life: The Yachts
December 2, 2020 by 3 Comments
Smokie fondly remembers some of his teenage exploits as a budding yachtsman on Hobsons Bay.
Almanac Life: The First Beer After Lock-Down
November 2, 2020 by 4 Comments
The first beer after lockdown tasted sweet. But Smokie explains why the hesitation remains
Adrift
October 31, 2020 by 23 Comments
Seven months ago, in March 2020, ‘Smokie’ Dawson offered these thoughts as we moved into the full brunt of Covid-19. ‘Our generation has had a charmed run, says Smokie. But that is all about to change. It follows that the AFL will also be forced into change when we come out the other side of COVID-19. ‘
Almanac Life: The Glass Highway
September 25, 2020 by 13 Comments
It was to be the Dawson family’s first summer holiday. But it ended in despair on the side of the Cunningham Highway.
Almanac (Footy) Life: Folly In The Goalsquare
September 4, 2020 by 6 Comments
Five years after he’d retired from ammos footy, Smokie Dawson gets the call from TR, the coach of Willy CY’s reserves. Here’s what happened. [This is a piece from ‘Footy Town’, a collection of stories about country, suburban and amateur footy – Ed]
Almanac Life: Marathon Man
August 28, 2020 by 11 Comments
Smokie recalls the elation of the first of his four Melbourne marathons.
Almanac Life: An Innocent Man
August 21, 2020 by 8 Comments
Smokie muses on the wrongful arrest of one of his mates at the 1985 Boxing Day Test match.
Almanac Life: The Crystal Pool
August 7, 2020 by 18 Comments
Smokie Dawson longs for the summer, and a visit to the Crystal Pool. Its charms have been passed down through the generations of his family.
Almanac Life: Talking Crap
July 31, 2020 by 10 Comments
A few months ago, Smokie was talking crap, as the guest on a community radio show.
Almanac Life: Special Subject – ‘Revolver’
July 24, 2020 by 17 Comments
Smokie Dawson is bit of a trivia buff. How and why he remembers all the ‘stuff’ is one of life’s great mysteries. With the ‘Revolver’ album as his special subject he’d cream any question Jennifer Byrne would ask him. [Perhaps a Footy Almanac Trivia night is on the cards? – ED.]
Almanac Music – Aussie album review: The Triffids ‘Born Sandy Devotional’
July 17, 2020 by 12 Comments
After a hiatus, Smokie is back with the fourteenth in his look-backs at classic Australian albums. This time it is the Triffids’ 1986 masterpiece ‘Born Sandy Devotional’.
No Footy!
July 3, 2020 by 8 Comments
Smokie laments the cancellation of local footy. He’s missing the Fearon.
Almanac Life: ’30 for 30′ – Who’d make the Aussie cut?
Instead of watching the news on TV, Smokie Dawson is now watching American sports themed shows on ’30 for 30′. He wonders which Aussie sporting greats would make the cut on an Aussie version of the show.