Footy's weird web

by LES EVERETT

FOOTY website message boards are strange places inhabited by some strange people.

There are whingers, doomsayers, tough talkers with pseudonyms, tactical experts and some funny buggers. It's a heady mix that can be highly entertaining, informative and brain numbing - often in equal measure.

In his fine book A Season with Verona author Tim Parks frequently quotes from the Hellas Verona website guest book The Wall. Two contrasting quotes are my favourites. The first comes from 'Ricky' who wrote "Forza Verona, how can I go a Saturday without you?" The second came from 'Dany' who, by way of reply to the New Year's message from President Ciampi that emphasised Italy's unity, wrote. "Italian unity = Roma merda, Inter merda, Milan merda, Napoli merda, Vicenza merda, Lecce merda. Need I go on?"

Message boards need good editors and the local site dockerland.com has one.

I don't know when it was I noticed the postings of Mission Man on dockerland but he soon made an impression. He was reasoned, caustic, informed, funny and he had a way with words.

When he started writing for Fremantle Football Club website Mission Man became a real person - Nathan Jarvis.

Last week Jarvis launched his first book Origin of the Speccies based on his theory that the positions in Australian rules football are personality archetypes.

Jarvis writes well. He is obviously well read, or at least adept as Googling up relevant bits of information, and has spent far too many hours thinking and talking about footy.

Jarvis is as good at throwing up words that will have many of us rushing to the dictionary, or skimming over, as he is as dropping in the kind of four letter words we can all use with skill.

Origin of the Speccies is, as with most talk about footy, often ridiculous but it will make you laugh and, incredibly, it will make you think too. Mostly it will make you think about why you love the game so much and you'll come out pleased it's part of your life.

This book deserves success and a special pat on the bottom (footy style) should go to Shane Richmond editor of dockerland.com who created an environment someone like Jarvis could enter and flourish.

Origin of the Speccies by Nathan Jarvis is published by Fremantle Arts Centre Press.

From the Fremantle Herald.

australianrules.com.au

Nathan Jarvis: website ponderer and author. Photo by Les Everett.

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