Observations from the North/Footscray game

by RICK KANE

ON Thursday's 'Footy Show' Trev Marmalade made a crack about Joe Gutnick. It was something about Joe having to give up another position at Melbourne FC - his seat in the cheer squad to an eight year-old. Trev is a funny, astute and incisive comic (and about the only thing bearable on that cockcomparingfeast of a show) and that particular gag was amusing in a superficial sort of way. Interestingly, Greg Miller, the head of North Melbourne, the team Trev barracks for passionately, was seen sitting with North Melbourne's cheer squad last Friday night when they played Footscray.

I say 'seen' not because I actually was there and saw him myself. Channel 7 'spotted' the dear fellow down in the crowd, in the mob, mixing it up with yer average, ordinary, grass roots, true blue supporters. Then Channel 7, by way of their boundary rider, the Great Dipper, was able to interview him up close and personal, with all his Roo mates. Makes the heart flutter to see the top man of a football club elbow to elbow with us riff-raff. Makes 'em seem decent and real. The stress, by the way, is on 'seem'.

I wouldn't, for a second, suggest that Greg Miller doesn't actually do this every week. It just that, as far as I can recall, when I consider club head-honchos sitting in with their cheer squad, only one comes readily to mind, that being Joe 'of the people' Gutnick. Now, with the appropriation of Joe's 'cheer squad thang' happening hot on the heels of his, (how can I put this delicately) um, well, public crucifixion, a painful analogy comes all too easily to mind. Okay, the analogy is trite; nonetheless it does draw attention to a crudeness of intention and action prevalent in the workings and maintenance of this game by its designated custodians.

While I'm on about the Friday match between Norths and Footscray, what is it with Carey the Scary and leaving one boot on while on crutches? After half time he came hobbling out, one foot bandaged, one boot still on. Did he reckon he was still half a chance to play? Was the strapper's attention diverted, as they were busy removing the first boot, to conversations about who would be voted out of the Big Brother house and they simply forgot to remove his other boot? Is it a fashion statement? Are boots more comfortable than slippers? And what's with the crutches? Where, godamnit, was his little buggy? Hell if old buggers are afforded the right to hoot around in them surely one could be provided for the King. Also, with a buggy, there is another opportunity for advertising. Come on guys, think outside the crutch, or the square, as the case may be.

A footnote (heh,heh,heh) to that game. For the first time that I can remember soccer booted footy off the main sports page of the Saturday Age. This is in Melbourne remember! Seems Australia beating France in the round ball game is considered more relevant to more Victorians than North Melbourne beating Footscray in God's own game. Is this the thin edge of the wedge?

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