I fired off this e-mail to Jim Main in response to someone calling me and other VFL people (which no doubt included you guys here) pessimists etc.
Dear Jim,
I am interested to know why you have become so disenchanted with and/or have a disdain of the former VFA now VFL competition?
Craig Tilley (27/6) suggested the VFL people such as myself and others are being pessimists when we suggest that our clubs can't survive without an alignment, but there is more to it than that.
Clubs such as Vermont (EFL) and Heidelberg (NFL) are able to pay players considerable amounts of money because in most costs there is a single individual or organisation that is bankrolling the operation of the football club.
This isn't the case at VFL level, where clubs often struggle to obtain a slice of the sponsorship market because other community groups have taken up opportunities that would otherwise be available to those in the VFL.
The comment made regarding the standard of the VFL not been strong for years is nothing short of an uninformed and stupid comment. If people think that the VFL's standard hasn't been good enough for years, then the Victorian team shouldn't have thrashed the WAFL earlier this season.
What about players such as Dale Morris (Werribee/Western Bulldogs), Ben McGlynn (Box Hill Hawks/Hawthorn) and Jake King (Coburg Tigers/Richmond), surely the clubs who rookie listed these players thought that competition they played in before making the AFL grade wasn't of a poor standard.
I have an issue with you and others who continue to treat the VFL competition with complete disdain, it's a high standard competition that doesn't deserve to have negative opinions directed towards it.
Regards,
Ben Carbonaro
I wonder what sort of a response I will get?
Hope that he edits my letter, I didn't proof read e-mail well enough and let's just be confident that he won't print the errors.
I've always found the pies at Werribee to be a bit dry.
The Hot Dogs are OK though.
Perhaps thats why weribee can't get a slice, it just crumbles when yopu try to cut it.
Hey, Ben, I got a copy of Inside Football and read your letter. Well done, chief.
But Jim Main continues to treat the VFL with contempt. Every few weeks he's having a dig. How can he say the standard has dropped when all the coaches and players say it keeps improving? He's obviously making that comment based on a few minutes of viewing on the occasional ABC telecast ona Saturday - and he's obviously living in the past. His continued rubbishing of the VFL is a disgrace.
Maybe it's time for the VFL PR people to drag him to game so he can make an informed assessment.
Not the worst idea that I have ever heard.
But he won't do it. If he did, he would have nothing to whinge about!
Jim Main is a goose. Very arrogant and has grudges against the VFA.
Tried being a smart arse once too many and copped it at sandringham.
I can't recall him ever praising or saying anything positive regarding the vfa/vfl. I bet he would not have seen a match in years.
Maybe a few more sprays by a few of us to his main line column.
I do read his column to see what he says.
He definatley does not hold back his words.
Yeah, he doesn't hold back. But he spends half his time writing crap.
They didn't print my name correctly, but I am not too annoyed about that Observer.
To put it simply, I find it disgusting that someone who has won several top class awards for journalism has a continual disdain and/or hatred of the VFL competition.
I think the AFL Victoria media manager Travis Parnaby should drag him along to a game and make him write a piece for Inside Football based on what he saw.
Would love to see a debate or discussion between Jim and Phil Cleary one day, would make for some interesting listening.
I told you why he is so bitter and twisted about the VFA/VFL the guy is just a nasty piece of shit.
Its a pity people of his leach like ilk have so much clout in the football media.
The 4ft nothing runt would never have played a REAL game of football in his miserable life and that makes his comments even more purile.
They didn't print my name correctly, but I am not too annoyed about that Observer.
To put it simply, I find it disgusting that someone who has won several top class awards for journalism has a continual disdain and/or hatred of the VFL competition.
I think the AFL Victoria media manager Travis Parnaby should drag him along to a game and make him write a piece for Inside Football based on what he saw.
Would love to see a debate to discussion between Jim and Phil Cleary one day, would make for some interesting listening.[/quote]
Phil would most likely want to belt him as well.LOL
People like Main are never goint g to change their ways because of blind hatred.
I know you told me why he is bitter, but I thought it would be a good idea to find what he thinks about it.
Media clout can be a good thing, but showing a disdain and/or hatred of the VFL competition just isn't right in my opinion.
People laugh at me when I try to talk about my passion for the VFL competition, but at least I know that here all you have a passion for a what is such a great football competition.
I'm only 22 and I feel that there needs to be more people of my generations who have a genuine passion for the VFL.