Thanks to Ian Syson for pointing this out.
I am honoured to be a Loon – and in such company.
http://themichaelduffyfiles.blogspot.com.au/2009/03/john-harms-clag-paste-footy-victorian.html
Add your thoughts.
[How I understand footy and sport generally will get a full airing when my book Play On is re-released in a few weeks time. Yell out if you would like a copy.]
About John Harms
JTH is a writer, publisher, speaker, historian. He is publisher and contributing editor of The Footy Almanac and footyalmanac.com.au. He has written columns and features for numerous publications. His books include Confessions of a Thirteenth Man, Memoirs of a Mug Punter, Loose Men Everywhere, Play On, The Pearl: Steve Renouf's Story and Life As I Know It (with Michelle Payne). He appears (appeared?) on ABCTV's Offsiders. He can be contacted [email protected] He is married to The Handicapper and has three school-age kids - Theo, Anna, Evie. He might not be the worst putter in the world but he's in the worst four. His ambition was to lunch for Australia but it clashed with his other ambition - to shoot his age.
You need election by the General Council to Fellowship of the Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Psychiatrists as an honorary practitioner for frustrations, anxieties, phobias and other assorted mental health issues your almanac has abated ,stabilised or cured on a pro bono basis since that tongue in cheek jibe ,I’m sure, from Michael Duffy in 2009.
Put me down for 5 Christmas stocking stuffers.
JTH,
It’s not hard to cherry pick passages to suit ones argument. Has Michael met any Port or Freo fans? Some of the looniest footy heads I’ve met reside on the West Coast of Tasmania.
Has he read ‘The Pearl’?
Duffy’s condescending tone here reminds me of the old Sydneysider bagging Melbourne arguments, where they bag Melbourne and it’s obsession for footy – as if the games’s only played and loved in Melbourne – Have they heard of South Australia, Western Australia, Northern Territory and Tasmania? You could also throw Southern NSW in there if you want to be pedantic. i.e. about 75% of the landmass of this island continent is footy mad.
Also, in Duffy choosing your article as a target is a strange one – given your Qld experience and your love for the Rugby codes as well as Aussie Rules. Still it was nice to get the link to your Age article which rang a bell with me. Always felt the same kind of sadness towards the end of Grand final day when the afternoon clouds were gatherin’.
Wear it with pride, JTH.
DBalassone and Phil also spot on.