That's what I like about football....

Hey Y'all,

As my friends would know, I can't stand AFL (Australian Football League) footy. It's a watered-down, overly-sanitised, family-friendly corporate spectacle, played from coast to coast 8 times on any given weekend.

In the old days, and possibly up until the early 1990's, footy was a bloke's game. Grown men would crash into each other in the hope of getting a feel of the kangaroo leather. And the fights?

UNFUCKINGBELIEVEAFUCKINGBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All-in brawls, stray fists, heads and elbows, don't argues, intentionally high tackles...footy at the highest level had it all. Why did all that have to change?

Because the AFL is scared. Scared that parents (in particular, mothers) would view the game as a barbaric, neanderthal orgy, much too violent for their precious offspring. The AFL has intentionally kicked the game from arsehole to breakfast, with its only justification being dollar signs above children's heads.

As the AFL has raped the game, traditional footy lovers have become disillusioned and/or disgusted with the state of the game today. It's little more than a game of chasey, with a ball and some misinterpreted rules, governed on the day by some inconsistently coloured dickheads.

Another thing I miss about football is the personalities. Does anyone remember Mark 'Jacko' Jackson, Warwick Capper, Phil Carman, or Robert 'Dipper' Dipierdomenico? These guys had talent, flair, and enough smarts (perhaps not in Capper's case) to say or do what they felt at the time. It seems to me that you can't speak your mind about any football-related matters in a public forum (i.e. the James Hird/ Scott McLaren incident in 2004, or Jason Akermanis every week), for fear or chance of being gagged with a fine.

If everyone was like me, we'd all be idealists. Every club would have it's own home ground, like in the old days. Big, modern stadiums have a cold atmosphere, whereas smaller suburban grounds have that intimate feel, where you can appear to be just inches from the action. Adelaide's major football stadium, AAMI Stadium (yes, it's an example of corporate whoring), is a bland concrete monument built on swamp land.

My favourite football ground belongs not to an AFL club, but an SANFL (South Australian National Football League) club. My club of choice is the Port Adelaide Magpies...the original magpies, who play their home games at the hallowed Alberton Oval. Alberton Oval may not look like the MCG, but I can guarantee you that there's an honest game going on.

The AFL might be making money from over-protective parents, but there will come a breaking point, where people will want to see REAL football. When that day comes, people will be flocking back to the state leagues, such as the SANFL, VFL, WAFL and so on.

Remember one thing, amigos: Parents who prevent kids from playing footy end up raising emo kids.

There's my rant...deal with it.

- Fridge.