The latest episode in the Olympic Park precinct restructure saga
Olympic Park grab for Collingwood
Right off the bat, I'll make it known that I am a keen Collingwood fan. Don't get to enough games (usually 4-5 a year), but in action it's quite obvious I'm far more a South fan (nearly every game, plus an assortment of pre-season stuff and miscellaneous events). Unlike a majority of Collingwood fans, I have a massive problem with Eddie's many conflicts of interests, though not in the way that was most reported, in terms commentary bias, but rather the blurring of the line between 'journalist' and 'club official'. See his covering up a few years ago of the story of Collingwood players trashing a hotel up in Queensland during the mid-season break as one example.
Now for those not up to speed with the whole situation. A few years ago, Collingwood deserted their home of over a century, the legendary but rundown Victoria Park, to move to a new purpose built centre next to Olympic Park. They train on the former site of Olympic Park ground no.2, former greyhound track and home of Brunswick Juventus. But the government is now building the new 'Bubbledome' stadium, where the Victory and the Storm will play. Collingwood and Melbourne aussie rules club, (who also train there) have been pretty much asked to train 300 metres further east. Not really such a big ask. But because Eddie is not only president of Collingwood but also on the board of Athletics Australia, he's basically trying to evict the organisation he is supposed to be looking after the interests of, and who don't want to move from Olympic Park, so they can be replaced by his other, bigger interest.
Why the heat is not being applied with the most massive fucking blowtorch in the universe by local journos is a disgrace but not exactly unexpected. The AFL gets a dream run in the local media, and anyone unfortunate enough to get in their way will get short shrift. Let us not also forget the (now apparently aborted) push from the Sydney Swans, even supported by dickhead Victory supporters, to get evict us. I don't have a problem with a running track around Lakeside. It's not ideal, but if it secures our tenancy there for a long time and by extension our future, then that's the most important thing. But the way Athletics Victoria and South are being treated is nothing short of disgraceful. More comment to come as the new stadium gets built, and a decision has to be made.
Tuesday 4 March 2008
4 comments:
A few notes on comments.
We've had a lot of fun over the years with my freewheeling comments policy, but all good things must come to an end. Therefore I will no longer be approving comments that contain personal abuse of any sort.
Still, if your post doesn't get approved straight away, it's probably because I haven't seen it yet.
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[q]Let us not also forget the (now apparently aborted) push from the Sydney Swans, even supported by dickhead Victory supporters, to get evict us.[/q]
ReplyDeleteJust exaclty what does this mean? Your article was well written and had good arguments until your heart took over from your brain and you decided to rip into Victory supporters.
I admit I could have been clearer on that point.
ReplyDeleteWhat I should have said was that when the whole argle-bargle over the Swans using Lakeside post the 2005 GF was going on, and with South attempting to look after its own interests as the leaseholder in trying to seek an appropriate amount of money from them, the vast majority of Victory fans on the forum who commeneted on the issue took the Swans side, and vicuously attacked South for denying Sydney the right to be at the ground they vacated 20+ years before. These attacks also sadly went beyond the relevant issues to plain old South bashing.
Around that time also, there was a renewed push by the Swans Melbourne base to attempt to find a way to force South out. It wasn't too successful, as the main website associated with that project seems to have gone down, or else they've become more clandestine.
If I mixed up the two issues too closely for your liking, then I apologise and take that criticism on board, but in general I feel that my point stands, though really it was a minor one in the great scheme of the article.
Thanks for writing, and I hope you keep reading and commenting, I enjoy the feedback.
Now I know why many Hellas fans hate the Swans!
Deletehaway dorty mag
ReplyDeleteWhen our good friend uses the term dickehead Victory supporters he intends to denote those Victory supporters who are dickheads not those of you who are topfellas like your good self, Blue Dragon, Geordie Matt and co many of whom appreciate BJS as a top quality football stadium. You are too keen to spot the negative.
As a Victorian football follower you would have noted ferndondo's great game against WS on channel 31 last night?