Saturday, August 7, 2010
The Geelong Fordball Club
Monday, July 5, 2010
Don't judge a book by it's neck tattoo.
By Arc Head of Brand Dialogue, Foxy Malmsteen
Monday, June 28, 2010
A Game For The People
Bloggage By Jaso Fontaine - Arc Peoples Correspondent.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Sham posing as comment
By Arc Arbiter of Omniscient Retrospective Future Thinking – Jaso Fontain
On the eve of the Arc's first Plenary Session on Strategies to Bring the AFL to its knees , the Arc’s prognostications have been borne out yet again by reality. Last year the Arc opined the depths that umpiring had plumbed and the precarious position that it had left the Australian Game in. The Arc also argued that the corrupt and evil AFL legislated to protect umpires from any criticism from those involved in the game. The Arc also suggested that the media were complicit in the AFL’s attempts at silencing dissent by not vehemently attacking the petit despotic law keepers. The Arc’s omniscience cannot be questioned after it also called for greater scrutiny of the Chief petit despot himself Jeff Gieschen and the lengths this corrupt running dog of the AFL will go to protect his vile little charges. Only last week the Arc tackled Chief Giesch head on over his defense of umpire cockhead (umpire Matthew Nicholls) after he paid an offensive and game destroying free kick against
It appears that the Arcs wisdom could no longer be ignored with something sensible finally coming from the keyboard of Herald Sun chief football writer Mike Sheahan. General Sheahan urges the AFL’s head propagandist and minister for lies Adrian Anderson to take Chief Giesch to task over some of the decisions made in last weekends round.
The Arc applauds the usually placid and non-revolutionary Sheahan for finally having something to say on this massive issue. While he raised the issue and declared that interpretations of interpretations are confusing (just like that sentence) and possibly even wrong (lets not go too carried away) the Arc condemns Sheahan for not going far enough.
Chief Giesch should be sacked and the umpires made to sit in a room with rabid members of each teams cheer squad (with the exception of illegitimate teams such as West Coast,
But the lack of intestinal fortitude is hardly surprising coming from a’ journalist’ who refuses to ask the tough questions and is merely a pole rider of the AFLocracy. The most damning indictment however is Sheahan’s negligence in not asking for Ray Chamberlain to placed back on the sex offenders register.
This surely is unforgivable.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Knocks to the reader's head
by Arc Media Watchist, Seamus Neustead
Don’t be mistaken, the Arc is a big fan of Brad Sewell. Despite his “backwards man” appearance and awkward gait, he is tougher than most others to have strapped the boots on in the recent era of athleticism and beep tests. He is just below Max Rooke on the Arc’s official hierarchy of Tough Men of the Australian Game. However, unless Brad has additionally been blessed with the Doogie Howser gene, the Arc has no reason to trust Brad’s medical opinions.
Becoming a doctor involves more training than most other occupations. It would take a normal person about 11 years to become a recognized medical doctor. That’s four years of university, four years of medical school, and three years working in a hospital. Brad was born in 1984, was drafted by the Hawks in 2003 and made his AFL debut in 2004 and has played a little over 100 games since. It’s fair to say that football has been a major preoccupation for Brad.
Now why the fuck are two rival newspapers reporting that Brad has given the “all clear” for his team mate, Brent Renouf, to play on the weekend against the Bombers? The story, provided by AAP, reports that Renouf is set to return this weekend on the basis of a response given by Sewell. When asked about the ruckman, who was a late withdrawal for the clash against North Melbourne due to “illness”, Sewell answered that he had “no doubt” that the ruckman would play. Nowhere did the story mention the basis for Sewell’s assessment.
Ok. This is not a criticism of Sewell. Clearly he is trying to remain positive and give its fans some hope that his team will be more competitive against an old foe on the weekend. But the media’s use of Sewell’s assurance for the basis of a story that reports Renouf is fine to play on the weekend is an utter, utter outrage and an example of the media’s contempt for its readership.
It brings to mind one of the polls from The Age recently. Under the title “Knocks to the head”, readers were asked if AFL players should be allowed to return to the field after they have suffered concussion during a game and invited to respond in the negative or affirmative. In a disclaimer at the bottom, The Age kindly reminds us that these polls are not scientific and reflect the opinion only of visitors who have chosen to participate. The polls also reflect a lame attempt to draw readers into the spectacle of disinformation.
Perhaps the disclaimer was implied in the AAP story.
Friday, April 23, 2010
A Mulberry Opines
The Fish rots from the Head
Performing at a media jamboree yesterday, Chief Hartigan described former Storm CEO Brian Waldron (another Chief) as the “architect” of the club’s salary cap cheating, and joined in the outrage over “what appears to be a highly orchestrated, deeply deceptive fraud in which there was systematic and deliberate concealment of unlawful payments to certain players over an extended period”.
Ok. Before we join the Chief in his outrage let’s back this fucking truck up a bit. Hartigan is the Chief of News Ltd, the “architect” of regular moral panics and the grotto of Angela Shanahan. This fine example of capitalist enterprise has exploited and profited from the stories of victims of some of the most horrific events in the world – for example, while the Black Saturday bushfires killed 173 people, injured at least 400 and affected thousands of others, the Chief was lining the pockets of his shrewd comrades on the back of what some have described as “unethical journalism” (Apparently, a report found, because of the lack of guidance for journalists, the latter had to rely on their own “moral compass”).
Chief Hartigan is probably best remembered for his leadership on the “Right to Know Coalition” what won the Chief an award for journalistic leadership.
How fitting then to reflect on leadership at a time when one of the Chief’s “products” is mired in controversy. Under the old chestnut of the “rats in the ranks” the Chief has conveniently deflected blame from the shadowy enterprise. Leaders and bosses are only too willing to take the credit for the “good work” of their charges. But when it comes to deflecting blame, they only too easily defer to the “individuals responsible”. As the proverb says, “the fish rots from the head” and this latest controversy is but another example of behavior from an organisation that exploits , profits, cheats and lies, and the Chief claims (when it suits him)to be responsible for that organisation.
Thankfully, the Chief offered this modest reassurance: “Make no mistake, News does not tolerate this behaviour.” No, it doesn’t tolerate it. It fucking feeds from it. One thing is certain to come out of this controversy: News Ltd will continue to be at the centre of the moral panic, looking to exploit it for all its worth.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Defending the Indefensible
By Arc Maven for Truth in Umpiring, Withingcleak Clitherswhistle
Monday, April 19, 2010
Retardation is the mother of Invention.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Football an artifice? For some, yes!
As if the Arc needed any further evidence that Carlton is a filthy, grubby, cheating club that uses its unsavoury connections in the shadowy business world to gain advantage. After securing the services of the once esteemed Chri$ Judd with a steaming hot pile of Richard Pratt’s brass, in return for sham ambassadorial services, the Carlton Filth Club is at it again.
This time it is exploiting connections with “Pokies King” Bruce Mathieson to strip revenue from the Footscray and Richmond Football Clubs and transfer the funds into its own grubby hands. King Bruce (largely a ceremonial title, we believe), a former CFC director, has designs on transferring the leases of two pokies venues controlled by Footscray and Richmond to the CFC. The venues are owned by the Mathieson/Woolworths “venture" - clearly a euphemism for George Hearst-type behaviour!
One of the venues, affectionately known as the “Tiger bar” is situated in the very heart of Tigerland.
Obviously the Arc is under no illusions about the sordid nature of the pokies industry and its relationship with the Australian Game. But we should definitely be under no illusions about the blatant attempts of Carlton to exploit connections in the murky world of chicanery that business types know only too well. Football is indeed merely an artifice for making money for these vile charlatans.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
The real power in the Australian Game
I know that all of you will agree with me that the game has been commercialised to the point that capitalist influence in the game is so pervasive that it virtually controls the sport. As a result of sponsorship deals, and the like, private enterprise is able to push its ideology further and further into the Australian game. This ideology (the grubby ideology of the parasite) turns clubs, players, coaching staff and supporters into nothing but exploited walking advertisements. It has a massive impact on how the club operates and models itself. Players are required to appear on television wearing club shirts that are emblazoned with the logos of grubby corporations or businesses. Their training clobber is covered with sponsorship, supporters are even forced to wear club attire which makes them walking billboards, one can’t hang banners of support from grandstands because they cover advertising and finally, and possibly the most sacred of all items, the guernsey, is littered with the stain of the capitalist class.
But what does it really matter? What effect does it have on a club? It has a tremendous effect on the club. The power that corporations wield over clubs is enormous. Take for example a few years ago when the running dogs at AFL house arbitrarily imposed an ‘away jumper’ on clubs. Two of the biggest clubs in the country resisted, Essendon and Collingfilth. They resisted because their constitutions forbade the changing of their jumpers. Club executives and presidents took a stand because of tradition, because of pride, because of history. But did they really? Of course they did because there was nothing serious on line. Tradition matters little to bean counters in football clubs. Where was the fucking outcry when sponsors logos became a part of the jumper? Where was the righteous indignation railing against those dark forces trying to trample on tradition then? There was none because capital holds all the cards. Capital holds the money. Capital holds clubs by the ball bag. Shall I tickle that ball bag? No, how about I scrunch the thing up and try to twist off unless you carry out my bidding?
In the past decade we have seen the rise of clubs presenting themselves as some kind of ‘vehicle of values’. Trying to ingrain certain moral cultures or a set of values at their clubs, values which players are compelled to try and uphold. No longer do they tolerate idiot footballers drinking and being violent and touching chick’s bits and shit. What’s wrong with this I hear some of you dildos asking? Nothing, absolutely nothing. Undertaking that kind of anti-social behaviour is probably reprehensible (who am I to judge) and probably should be condemned if it impinges on innocents. But let us be absolutely clear about all this moralism and club culture for once. The clubs primary concern is now the protection of its sponsor’s brand. That some poor bird has been on the end of an unwanted fingering is of secondary concern. Ensuring that your sponsor’s name is not associated with some gherkin going out, drinking a gut full of beer and driving his car into a family from Werribee is what motivates clubs to take a moral stance or build a certain culture within its walls (thus ensuring your primary source of cashish is maintained). This is nothing but utter hypocrisy and there is nothing the Arc despises more than hypocrisy (apart from perhaps the new Gold Coast mutant). Take for example that ridiculous frozen chicken video which a number of players from the North Melbourne Football Club ‘produced’ last year. It was an unfunny and fairly tasteless video which lead to their major sponsor considering ‘its relationship’ with the club. The club went into damage control and out came the myriad of cracked record responses; players apologising and realising that it may have been offensive etc. The sponsor cracked the whip and the club jumped into line.
Still not convinced? Let me pose you the following scenario which was debated at length at an out of session Arc Council of Philosophical Australian Game Musings plenary session just last week.
Let’s say a superstar of the game, Garry Ablett Jr, Nick Roowodlt, Buddy Franklin, Chri$ Judd (Judd might be a poor example for this scenario, bear with us) fronts up to their club and says “Right that’s it, I object to being a walking advertisement. I detest the corporate nature of the AFL and from now on if you wish me to play for your club I refuse to have any sponsor’s logo’s, branding or anything to do with advertising on any of the clothing that I represent the club in. I object to the commodification of my body for the purpose of advertising. I’m willing to take a substantial pay cut and I will continue to play my guts out for this club.”
Besides the absurd nature of the scenario, it raises a number of excellent questions about the power that capital holds over Australian Game clubs. What would the club do? Would it risk losing its sponsors because its marque player refuses to wear their filthy logos? Would it risk losing its marque player because it refused to allow him to wear no sponsorship? How hard would capital push clubs to make its marque player wear its advertising? Would other clubs pick up the superstar if his current club enforced its advertising policy?
The questions don’t end there. What would supporters do? On whose side would the supporters fall? What would the media do? Would it support capital (in essence itself) or would it back the player? The Arc suspects the media would single the player out as being some kind of radical that just doesn’t accept that the modern game is a business. What would the AFL do? We know what the AFL would do!
The Arc agreed unanimously that clubs would not hesitate to dump the player with other potential clubs being scared away from recruiting him by the potential loss in revenue.
Another excellent example is the rage the depraved and corrupt AFL felt at players cutting their socks off at ankle length and inadvertently cutting the AFL logo from the sock. The AFL issued edicts threatening fines if players undertook the practice and no logo could be seen. This from an organisation that is merely a channel that allows capital to flow through it, imagine the uproar if sponsors were suddenly cut out by a marque player refusing to be their bitch.
As usual the Arc is correct in its assessment of the power that capital holds over clubs and the corrupt running dogs at AFL house and once again the Arc is forced to carry out its eternal struggle against these two parasites that suck the life from the Australian game.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
2010 Season Preview
The off season has been marred by the treacherous and vile Gold Coast entity actively seeking to poach star players from legitimate clubs within the heartland. Their shameless efforts to poach rising Tiger star Trent Cotchin would have tempted a less noble young gentleman however as the Arc expected he chose the path of goodness and light over the cheap tawdry baubles and snakeskin oil offered by the northern flim flammers. Our only regret is that Trent failed to notify the Gold Coast of his intentions via an envelope filled with faeces as per the Arc's suggestion.
Of course, Guy McKennas dead eyed zombie horde continues to march and are still desperately clutching at the living tissue of footballing legitimacy. The mainstream media watch on as Gaz Junior is tempted with piles of unclean sheckles unscrupulously shoveled to them by the hated AFL with nary a whimper of protest. Where is the molten outrage at this assault on common decency? Oh that's right - they are too busy concentrating their hand wringing on Brendan Fevola's lack of class [Next week in the Herald Sun: We discuss how the sun is hot] and Matthew Stokes addiction to 'ludes. Get a grip Sheehan and co.
As it is written in The Sacred Parchments of the Australian game, The Arc has locked itself deep in the bowels of The Grand Chamber of The Arc of Infinity Senate for the past 16 weeks. It has cast a wide net of hot crystal ballage over the coming season to provide you with an accurate and perceptive summary of what should and what will unfold during the course of the year.
There are many things that can change over the off season, players move to different clubs, different coaches, different rules implemented by a dark and shadowy regime. But there are a number of things that remain a constant:
Robert Walls is still a fuck bucket
The AFL remains a corrupt, morally bankrupt, fascisto-capitalist murder of imperialist running dogs
We love Max Rooke
Carlton are despicable
Collingwood are despicable
West Coast are illegitimate
Robert Walls is still a fuck bucket
Adelaide are illegitimate
The Gold Coast ‘franchise’ is offensive and in direct contravention of the Sacred Parchments
The second Sydney team is an affront to good taste, intelligence and football fans the world over
Essendon and Richmond will suffer at the hands of the Scumpire’s again this season
Robert Walls is still a fuck bucket
Mike Sheahan’s Top 50 players list is a contemptible puddle of dog’s vomit.
We Love Max Rooke
What should rightfully happen:
Robert Walls Remains a fuck bucket
Carlton fail miserably
Collingwood fail miserably
We continue to love Max Rooke
West Coast fail because of their illegitimacy
Adelaide fail because of their illegitimacy
Hawthorn fail because they are Hawthorn and Jeff Kennett is their president
Richmond and Essendon are declared joint premiers
Umpires are tortured whenever they make a wrong decision, and in extreme cases, placed on the sex offenders register.