NFL Aussies in the NFL

Brasher · Feb 7, 2007

Re: Australian Media Jumping on the Bandwagon!

One of the fundamental differences between the American and Australian sporting administration and mass media models is that in Australia it seems to be almost a mandatory right of passage to have played the sport you are now administering or reporting at the highest level to be seen as credible.

In the US, coaches, administrators and many of the top identities in the media did not play the game at a high level or at all. Developing a career as an NFL, NBA, MLB or NHL coach (in fact many of the top sports codes in the world) did not require 17 professional seasons as a player as some sort of apprenticeship. The Americans embrace the professionalism and specific skill sets that an individual develops as the result of choosing a career in admin or media. As a result we see the best personnel making the best decisions in their chosen field of endeavour.

Conversely, an AFL coach who has not played the game is criticised (Wayne Brittan and even Neil Craig as examples) because they have not played at the highest level. Mike Sheahan (one of the best footy journalists around) is often bagged for having not played AFL football, as is Eddie McQuire (the absolute pinnacle of off-field administrator). You even have "experts" like Fatty Vautin labelling commentators "Neville Nobodies" if they haven't played.

I've never quite understood why a guy who can kick off both sides, take a great overhead and run all day makes him a better candidate to negotiate the major jumper sponsor for the club he is now president of.

Lenny Briscoe · Feb 7, 2007

Re: Australian Media Jumping on the Bandwagon!

Brasher said:
One of the fundamental differences between the American and Australian sporting administration and mass media models is that in Australia it seems to be almost a mandatory right of passage to have played the sport you are now administering or reporting at the highest level to be seen as credible.

In the US, coaches, administrators and many of the top identities in the media did not play the game at a high level or at all. Developing a career as an NFL, NBA, MLB or NHL coach (in fact many of the top sports codes in the world) did not require 17 professional seasons as a player as some sort of apprenticeship. The Americans embrace the professionalism and specific skill sets that an individual develops as the result of choosing a career in admin or media. As a result we see the best personnel making the best decisions in their chosen field of endeavour.

Conversely, an AFL coach who has not played the game is criticised (Wayne Brittan and even Neil Craig as examples) because they have not played at the highest level. Mike Sheen (one of the best footy journalists around) is often bagged for having not played AFL football, as is Eddie McQuire (the absolute pinnacle of off-field administrator). You even have "experts" like Fatty Vautin labelling commentators "Neville Nobodies" if they haven't played.

I've never quite understood why a guy who can kick of both sides, take a great overhead and run all day makes him a better candidate to negotiate the major jumper sponsor for the club he is now president of.

That hits the nail right on the head.

NFL does it to a smaller extent as well though. Otherwise how would've Sterling Sharpe and Joe Theissman landed commentating gigs

Brasher · Feb 7, 2007

Re: Australian Media Jumping on the Bandwagon!

Lenny Briscoe said:
That hits the nail right on the head.

NFL does it to a smaller extent as well though. Otherwise how would've Sterling Sharpe and Joe Theissman landed commentating gigs

Yes, unfortunately, there are always the exceptions!

Exe Gesis · Feb 7, 2007

Re: Australian Media Jumping on the Bandwagon!

Awesome post Brasher. Hammer hitting nail indeed. In all you said. Might also add the expertize of people management that comes with that, instead of the Aussie way.

However, take a look thru the NFL coaching ranks, and you'll see most if not all of them DID have playing experience. Madden, Ditka, Holgrem, Dungy, Smith, Grimm, etc etc etc. People don't often realize a lot of them played at a very high standard - superbowls etc.

But the thing is, like you said Brasher, but I'll add to it....is that at the very core of the game, players are expected to go thru the college system, get an education (yeah yeah sometimes there's a bit of manipulation) but in the main all the players going way back to the 50's even right thru till now, all are graduates in some field. The level of 'academia', intelligence even, is fundamental to playing the game. So, when these players retire, and become great commentators or analysts, or even coaches, all that college etc basically prepares them to be very good motivators, tacticians, people managers.

Look at Howie Long. Or Tony Siragusa. And compare them with the likes of a Shane Webcke or a Dipper. They're both nice guys, and indeed intelligent, etc, but the level of it and academia, etc, for two meat-head NFL players compared to two meat-head RL and AR players. Chalk and cheese.

Look at post-match interviews across the NFL vs AR or RL. Tikki Barber can host a morning program with total professionalism, while someone like Matthew Johns (funny guy for sure) but just worlds apart.

The whole culture here is far more laid-back and she'll be right don't needs an edmujacations, for many decades it was like that. Children taught to be plumbers and hairdressers. Artistic and other pursuits pushed out of most Aussie children. Paul Keating's push for a smarter country, only fairly recent in comparison. Even still most still avoid it. Top University positions going to the workaholic Asians and Indians while Aussies seek a trade and long for the day of driving around in a ute with a blue heeler aboard.

I know I'm generalizing, and it's wrong to do so. But generally speaking it's a fairly accurate account of the mainstream.

Australian regional cities, where everyone objects and resists so hard to development, to 'high' rise buildings. Regional cities, where the tv ads are all radio jingles and very poor 'Final Cut Pro' graphics etc. Places like Newcastle and Wollongong, the 2nd and 3rd biggest cities in the biggest state of Australia. Meanwhile, California itself dwarfs the whole Australian economy. Where there has always been a hunger for bigger and better things. Great industry over the century. Remember, Australia and USA started around the same time roughly. And for a while there pre-WW1, Australia was considered fairly close to the USA. Lots of boxing titles came here, there was a film industry comparitively equal to America's etc. Then all of a sudden, we stopped developing while America boomed.

We're literally decades behind.

Now before anyone jumps on my back about all this....there's a great charm and beauty about Australia and it's 'cultures'. Unfortunately tho, it's p*iss weak at the same time and it shows in our overall psychology etc.

JeffDunne · Feb 19, 2007

Packers sign Aussie punter

Aussie Lonie could challenge Ryan

Seeking to tap into the Australian pipeline again, the Green Bay Packers signed "street" free-agent punter David Lonie Friday.

Lonie, who turns 28 in May, follows Australian Rules football player Nathan Chapman to Green Bay. Unlike Chapman, whose short tenure in Green Bay apparently didn't sour the scouting staff on taking another plunge Down Under, Lonie has major college experience, serving two seasons as the University of California's punter and kickoff man.

The 6-foot-6, 220-pound Lonie signed with Washington as an undrafted rookie last spring but was released on the cut to 65 and was not picked up. A former decathlete who originally came to the U.S. in 1999 to work at a summer camp in Wisconsin, Lonie attended Ellsworth Community College in Iowa Falls, Iowa, and later received scholarship offers from both Ohio State and Cal.

Lonie, who averaged 41 yards per punt at Cal, was especially good at landing balls inside the 20-yard line, totaling 22 his junior year and 21 his senior year. Also, 27 of his 68 kickoffs were touchbacks in '05.

Lonie is trying to follow in the footsteps of other Australian punters who have had an impact in the NFL, such as former San Diego Charger and Minnesota Viking Darren Bennett, New York Jet Ben Graham and Dallas Cowboy Mat McBriar.

The Packers aren't necessarily looking to replace incumbent Jon Ryan, but after a shaky rookie season (26th in net average, 28th in punts inside the 20) they want to challenge him.

Rave Slave · Feb 19, 2007

Re: Packers sign Aussie punter

Was I the only one who saw the title and thought Ryan Lonie was heading to the US

Cassius_Clay · Feb 19, 2007