Drug Free Poems

Pim, Lucas, Bernard and the poems of Leonard Nimoy

I am well aware, thanks for asking, that my approach to sports journalism could be described in some circles as a little bit haphazard. Those circles would have their own definition of haphazard no doubt, and it would probably match what I do. See the previous two sentences for supporting evidence.

Being thusly aware, I am also aware of the various levels of irony attendant in what I am about to say. (As usual, send your complaints to PO Box Whatevs).

Dear Les Murray: WTF?

As I and several hundred lesser sports journos wrote last week, Les' new book contains a pretty stunning revelation about a Lucas Neill-led player revolt against Pim Verbeek's tactics going into the opening game against Germany at last year's World Cup.

Now "new facts have come to light" (Lucas Neill says it didn't actually happen and is kind of upset by the suggestion that it did) and Les has apologised unreservedly. It’s not that big a deal, though, people get things wrong all the time, even me.

But come on… Les Murray's publisher and editor, WTF?

He is the Face, and Voice, and some would say the Heart, Brains and Duodenal Gland of Football in Australia. Everyone interested in football in this country will be interested in his book.

He sends you the final draft, including the Player Revolt thing, and you just print it? It didn't strike you as perhaps a bit, um, controversial? You didn't consider that that story would be the big selling point of the book, and the first and probably only thing the media latched onto?

Maybe you did, in which case I am stunned like a mullet and have stoned several crows and am shaking the sauce bottle fairly, mate, that you didn't then consider checking his sources and perhaps doing some research and maybe even talking to some lawyers and stuff, or even going out on the ceraaaazy limb of asking Lucas Neill??

My stunnedness is offset somewhat by my new-found knowledge that there are obviously publishers out there dumb enough to consider my proposed coffee table book entitled "The Following Players Are Drug Cheats And These Ones Are Gay".

The publicity surrounding the dozens of wrongly-identified players will guarantee sales, which will be nice. The weeks of mea culpas that follow will hopefully generate enough further sales to cover my legal bills.

Oh hang on, I just realised what's going on, did you?  

I HAD a slightly uncomfortable moment the other day, made all the more uncomfortable by the fact that I have had to take some interest in something that I really don't like.