The AFL is largely supported in the state of Victoria. I like Victoria, 8, but I'm lonely.
Not to overlook my admiration of your post. How do we quantify support of this? How do we negotiate with those who don't support this?
Anytime we veer into politics on this forum Jack, and it seems to be a regular occurrence these days, I take a deep breath and try to keep things practical.
Those who deal in binary social and political discussion kind of bore me. Emotional / primal bias shows a lack of real intellect. A bit like that discussion on another thread where some argue men are hardwired to have sex with anything that moves while others say blokes can and should be better than that.
I'd like to think we've evolved enough as a species to apply a level of decency and respect to all whom we encounter. As an optimist, I think, in general, we manage to do that, especially here in Victoria.
I love footy, Jack. Not sure when it bit me but I remember dreading going to primary school on a Monday after we'd been towelled up by the Bombers or the Blues or, Heaven forbid, the Magpies. Horrible days.
I know it's a sport here in Victoria to give the AFL a whack. Probably stems back to the likes of Wayne Jackson (can't trust those South Australians), Ian Collins (actually a bit of a prick) and Ross Oakley (RIP Fitzroy). But the efforts of AFL House to get the 2020 season up and running, and to manage a fair competition with no asterisk over the premiership, deserves kudos. I think the place is, essentially, full of good eggs.
Cheap shots at the AFL are a bit tedious. No, the AFL is not beyond scrutiny. Of course it's not. But you'd have to be pretty cynical not to admire a well run competition that engrosses a nation year in, year out.
But back to the essence of your conundrum.
I had a long career in advertising that stretched from the 1980s until recently. Long lunches with media players were often illuminating (if you could remember them).
One time I had a national client who wanted to cancel their advertising on 3AW. It was, the marketing manager said, because every time someone rang into the station they would spout conservative nonsense that, in his opinion, was not aligned with the values of his business.
At one lunch, I spoke to 3AW about our client's concerns and learned a valuable lesson: "Hah, common knowledge that less than 5% of radio listeners bother to pick up the phone and dial in. Not even remotely representative of our audience or the broader community. But it makes for good radio."
So much of the anti social noise we hear today is generated by a handful of humourless losers looking for attention.
Our local Auskick, which our youngest boy attends, is awash with girls and kids of every cultural and religious background.
If white bread Aussies have an issue with 'diversity' and 'inclusion' today, they'll shrivel up like prunes in the sun with what tomorrow's footy will look like.
Tough titties to them. It's unstoppable because it's what we are as a nation. I don't think negotiation is required ... what will be will be!
