Gregan v JON

[suckerforred]

I have to watch what I say, as I probably have a bit of insider knowledge that I am not sure is in the public domain. (Even nearly 20 years later.)

I am fairly sure that Eales was more involved then what Spiro is intermating. I have the greatest respect for John Eales, and I don't mean to say that what he did at the time was wrong, same as with the other players (including Kerns & Gregan) involved. They were all trying to better their position in the world. Something that we all do. The point I was trying to make is that I don't think Spiro has given a balanced view here, and if he can't because of bias or lack of knowledge then perhaps he shouldn't be writing such pieces. As I said before none of the parties involved in the shit fight covered themselves in glory and that included players, administrators, media, the ARU and the NZRU. It would be interesting to know the if Kerns made his reasons for making 'that' speach public. If he hasn't already.

On another note, I actually don't mind Fitz's books. But then I think I have the same sense of humor. Bearing in mind I don't read his newspaper column much at all so I can only comment on his books.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

I have to watch what I say, as I probably have a bit of insider knowledge that I am not sure is in the public domain. (Even nearly 20 years later.)

I am fairly sure that Eales was more involved then what Spiro is intermating. I have the greatest respect for John Eales, and I don't mean to say that what he did at the time was wrong, same as with the other players (including Kerns & Gregan) involved. They were all trying to better their position in the world. Something that we all do. The point I was trying to make is that I don't think Spiro has given a balanced view here, and if he can't because of bias or lack of knowledge then perhaps he shouldn't be writing such pieces. As I said before none of the parties involved in the shit fight covered themselves in glory and that included players, administrators, media, the ARU and the NZRU. It would be interesting to know the if Kerns made his reasons for making 'that' speach public. If he hasn't already.

On another note, I actually don't mind Fitz's books. But then I think I have the same sense of humor. Bearing in mind I don't read his newspaper column much at all so I can only comment on his books.

2 things sfr:
Like most of us, spiro recognizes that Eales is a man among men and it would make it difficult if he was in with bad guys as he was painting them.
Unless your sense of humour thinks that fitzy is the smartest, most knowledgeable and funniest bloke in the world then you don't have the same sense of humour.


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[suckerforred]

2 things sfr:
Like most of us, spiro recognizes that Eales is a man among men and it would make it difficult if he was in with bad guys as he was painting them.
Unless your sense of humour thinks that fitzy is the smartest, most knowledgeable and funniest bloke in the world then you don't have the same sense of humour.

Wrong on both counts then?

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Wrong on both counts then?

not sure I follow
I've been persuaded by yours and other posts that spiro over cooked this;
Fitz loves himself but plenty of people like him and he's got more money than me so one of us doing something right


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[suckerforred]

not sure I follow
I've been persuaded by yours and other posts that spiro over cooked this;
Fitz loves himself but plenty of people like him and he's got more money than me so one of us doing something right

Sorry, I wasn't sure what you were getting at either. Thought you might have been having a go.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Sorry, I wasn't sure what you were getting at either. Thought you might have been having a go.

at Fitzy - not you

 

[Paradox]

Ahh Spiro with his "my sources tell me" crap. So very irresponsible. The man is losing his grip on reality.

 

[Paradox]

I notice spirios article is no longer available via the roar app..not sure if this has carried through to their site.

Will spiro need to apologise?

I can't find it anymore either. I've been waiting for the day where the defamation lawyers come knocking on ther doors of both David Lord and Spiro.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Is lord still alive? My god......that seems worse than unfair to those I knew who drank responsibly but are no longer with us


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[Bruce Ross]

Is lord still alive? My god......that seems worse than unfair to those I knew who drank responsibly but are no longer with us

Oscar Wilde: "I wish I had said that"
James McNeill Whistler: "You will, Oscar, you will."

 

[Bruce Ross]

The final ignominy. One of the great exponents of the me-at-the-centre-of-the-universe style of journalism has had his latest effort pulled and tossed into the cyberspace garbage bin. And a classic example of the genre it was:

I was at the Sydney Test between the Wallabies and the All Blacks in 1995 after the Rugby World Cup tournament

So were 40,000 other people, you knob polisher, and unlike you the vast majority had paid to get in.

I stood with Sir Brian Lochore, the manager of the All Blacks, an icon of the game. He looked across the field and in the saddest of voices wondered out loud if he and the rest of us had watched our last Bledisloe Cup Test.

I'm told that when Sir Brian gives after dinner speeches he often boasts about standing with you and talking specifically to you "in the saddest of voices".

After the All Blacks signed up, they attended a special Bledisloe Cup dinner which hosted captains from all the eras. ... A number of the captains told me that they had spoken to many of the players in an attempt to talk them out of their rebellion. One captain, an erudite gentleman, was so upset by the intransigence of the players he told me that they were as immovable as “shit on a blanket.”

I seem to recall TV news coverage of that dinner which showed a veritable conga line of ex-All Black captains lined up to pay obeisance to the Patrick White of rugby journalism, some with autograph books in hand.

Sources told me that Kearns and Gregan and others put tremendous pressure on younger players in the Wallabies to go along with them.

In sports journalism a "source" is often a derro trying to bot you for a fag.

 

[Aussie D]

Does anyone else think it strange that a 21 year old Gregan struggling to establish himself as a starting Wallaby would be able to put 'tremendous' pressure on supposedly younger players (who was younger than Gregan in the 1995 Wallabies? - possibly Steve Merrick but he'd already usurped GG as the starting halfback)? Think Spiro may be mistaking him for the latter day GG when he had power as the then Wallaby captain.

 

[Bullrush]

As someone who in 1995 was more concerned about whether Jordan would come back to the NBA as still the greatest player ever, can I ask if there is actually any truth to the article re: Fitzy, Kearns etc.....???

And yes, I'm a Kiwi who really didn't get into rugby until I was about 20. To this day I still think basketball is the greatest sport on the planet and Jordan the greatest sportsman in history.....rugby comes in as a close 2nd though

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Bullrush, see if you can find a copy of the documentary Stealing Rugby, narrated by Peter Fitzsimons. It explains that whole period of time and yes, Kearns and Fitzy were at the centre of the whole thing.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Bruce, one of your best old son.

 

[Bullrush]

Bullrush, see if you can find a copy of the documentary Stealing Rugby, narrated by Peter Fitzsimons. It explains that whole period of time and yes, Kearns and Fitzy were at the centre of the whole thing.

Cheers TBH....will find it and check it out.

I love all those kind of 'back ground' stories!

 

[RugbyReg]

Does anyone else think it strange that a 21 year old Gregan struggling to establish himself as a starting Wallaby would be able to put 'tremendous' pressure on supposedly younger players (who was younger than Gregan in the 1995 Wallabies? - possibly Steve Merrick but he'd already usurped GG as the starting halfback)? Think Spiro may be mistaking him for the latter day GG when he had power as the then Wallaby captain.

I absolutely agree. This is what I was coming to say. Gregan made his Wallaby debut in 1994 (somewhat out of no where). He was in and out of the Wallaby side in 1995, as you suggest losing his spot to Steve Merrick in the end. How much power could he have had over the players?