Eddie/Melb situation

[Black_White]

By now everybody knows about the press regarding Eddie breaking a story about Walker trying to take control of Melbourne F.C.
Why are they on Ed's back considering that Ch.7 are claiming that they broke the story on the thursday news report?
As for Walker, I think he did have plans to orchestrate a coup but the madia pre-empted him before he organised his numbers. Now of course he denies all knowledge! It may have been completely different if the story was held back for 2-3 weeks.

-Craig

The Phoenix Is Arising

[Joel]

I totally agree Black_White!!

[Rohan Coventry Tateson]

I think Mr. McGuire is in a tricky situation with the Melbourne rumor. At one end, Mr. McGuire is the public face of football. He is a proven journalist who has more contacts than OPSM and more connections than Primus. At the other end, he is the President of our football club, a very high profile and highly scrutinized position in itself.
It is his job to create awareness and report the facts as they are as a journalist. But I feel the Melbourne “leak” is compromising his role as our club president. This is so because I doubt Mr. McGuire would run a story about brawling at the board level at Collingwood. If he is going to spread a rumor about one club, he has to be open and willing to spread ones about other clubs (Collingwood included) if they exist.
I’m sure Mr. McGuire knows what is best regarding this issue.
The only gripe I have is that it could backfire on the Collingwood Football Club. I don’t know if this is right (can someone tell me so or not) but I remember hearing about how all the presidents of the AFL clubs were invited to an official function except Mr. McGuire. I can’t read the minds of the AFL but you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to work out that it was because of Mr. McGuire’s association with Channel Nine.
The relationship of the AFL and Collingwood is one underpinning the club. If the AFL don’t agree with Mr. McGuire’s conflicts of interest, Collingwood are going to be the ones to suffer.
Mr. McGuire’s performance as a president warrants another term. But he should be mindful that come election time there are going to be some factions of the club that play on this conflict to oust him. It is refreshing to see we have a united board, but at the same time, there will always be factions at the club.

P.S Did you see who won the footytips for this week?

May the St Kevin's Old Boys Prevail.

[Black_White]

I'm sure that Eddie would do what he has done in the past in regards to Collingwood stories. That is let Sam handle them. I have seen Sam become the journo in these cases and Eddie the interviewee representing CFC.
The only problem that could occur here is the question "is Sam a performing seal?" Only doing the bidding of his master.
I don't think Sam could ever be a "seal", no matter what I personally think of him, if the hard questions have to be asked he will ask them.

-Craig

P.S. The fact also still remains that Ch.7 news broke this story first, yet no one has jumped on them for "spreading rumours".

The Phoenix Is Arising

[Joel]

Rohan - you will find that Collingwood wasn't invited to a Channel 7 function, but who really gives a rats ass about Channel 7? Also Collingwood now owns tv (from 2002), so who cares?

[London Dave]

Whilst I view this from afar, I think that Eddie seems to be straight up enough not to have a conflict of interest. He has always been pretty straight as a journo, e.g. he doesn't call Collingwood games on MMM I am led to believe, and seems capable of wearing the many hats he has on his hatstand.

Unfortunately I see the situation possibly developing where he has to be whiter than white regarding conflict of interest, despite his obvious intentions. It may not occur over this particular issue, but some rival media could see it as a way to make a little extra mileage out of a story (as is their business to do) and pow, he is given hobsons choice, thru no fault of his own, and by the way his actions/motives are percieved by certain people, who would no doubt protest their 'accusations' came thru a desire to 'protect the game/afl/(insert whatever here)'.

I'm not suggesting for a nano second Eddie is anything other than totally straight up, but the world of AFL and media politics, tall poppies and other cliches come to mind in my writing of this.

I did not see who won the footy tipping this week, but I think I may be leading the European Order of Merit in this regard.

[GeorgeQ]

It seems that Eddie's conflict has become a vendetta for certain Age people. Every chance C. Wilson gets she is at Eddie, she is starting to sound like a raving lunatic. Like most Collingwood members I trust the presidents judgement and his honesty and integrity. The man has common sense and like all of us will make the odd mistake.