FTA-TV Open Mike - Phil Carman

[UpForGrabs]

Decent episode - however this is completely down to the guest. Phil Carman was a great interviewee, gave honest answers.

However Mike Sheahan continues to amaze and befuddle.

Nothing mentioned of Carman's SANFL career before he joined Collingwood.

Carman dropped heaps of information which Sheahan could have followed up with, but chose not to - like the fact that Carman was apprehensive about coming the VFL because he thought the quality of the league was far and above the SANFL, and that when he got there he found that wasn't the case at all.

Mike's Vic-centric mind is painful. In his eyes, there's only ever been one football league in the land.

Mike spent time apologising for asking about all the negative stuff in Carman's career, but continued to ask about it anyway.

I shudder to think if Mike ever sits down with Mal Brown. All it will be about will be the punch-up v Carlton, and then 25 minutes on his 1974 season and the Windy Hill brawl. Mike will then probably ask why Mal disappeared from football after that.

 

[Lord Nicholson]

Mike's Vic-centric mind is painful. In his eyes, there's only ever been one football league in the land.

Well, it is what he knows about. You can't begrudge him for staying within his own paramaters instead of talking utter nonsense about something that clearly doesn't interest him.

Nothing stopping someone else from interviewing people from other leagues, but Mike's always going to be covering... the league that he's been covering most of his life. It makes sense.

 

[western royboy]

I actually found it rivetting and like almost all of the others, I suspect there is a lot more that ended up on the cutting room floor. Thirty minutes isn't long and given Phil's history I thought it brought up some illuminating insights into footy in the 70's and Carman's flawed genius. So much I didn't know.

IMO - this is the best footy show on TV. The only think that wil stop it will be the quality of guests, but so far there has barely been a bad one and I reckon Mike's questioning has been spot on.

Brent Croswell would be a sensation if he could do it - but I doubt he could travel.

 

[UpForGrabs]

Well, it is what he knows about. You can't begrudge him for staying within his own paramaters instead of talking utter nonsense about something that clearly doesn't interest him.

Nothing stopping someone else from interviewing people from other leagues, but Mike's always going to be covering... the league that he's been covering most of his life. It makes sense.

He's a journo isn't he? He should research and ask questions. Not every question has to have an answer that Mike already knows.

How hard would it have been to ask how it was when he first ran out for his first senior match? Would have been great to hear Carman's response, because from memory he had a blinder. Not hard to ask him how it was playing in what many consider to be one of the golden eras of SANFL footy, against greats such as Cornes, Robran etc and how the transition was to the VFL. As I said, Carman made comments about the transition, but Mike was more content to talk about the VFL.

To be fair to Mike, he did talk about Carman's Sturt coaching career, but from the show the uninitiated would have only thought Carman played VFL footy.

 

[Starburns_]

As has been evidenced before with the one hour episodes, a lot gets cut out, they just put the best bits in. From memory a reasonable amount of the Kernahan interview was focused around his time in the SANFL.

Brent Croswell would be a sensation if he could do it - but I doubt he could travel.

Mike can't go to him?

 

[magic.merkin]

SOS episode was awkward and drawn out. Not enough MEAT

 

[western royboy]

As has been evidenced before with the one hour episodes, a lot gets cut out, they just put the best bits in. From memory a reasonable amount of the Kernahan interview was focused around his time in the SANFL.



Mike can't go to him?

He could - but they wouldn't have the same atmosphere - it's really well shot - the close ups - the squirming.

I missed SOS so I can't comment.

 

[ltdamn]

MS: 'Phil, what was you favourite moment in footy?'
PC: 'Oh, probably when we won our first game in 2 years at Sturt.'
MS: 'Really - Sturt? Not winning the Copeland?'
PC: 'No definitely Sturt, it was a special moment for a lot of people'
MS: 'Phil, you always loved running, didn't you'

Enough said.

 

[Starburns_]

He could - but they wouldn't have the same atmosphere - it's really well shot - the close ups - the squirming.

True, that said, you wouldn't want to be seeing Crosswell "squirming".

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Phil Carman was recruited by the Norwood Football Club from Edenhope in 1969. He and his family were educated at Kings College at the expense of Norwood, and his mother was offered employment by the Norwood FC as house mother at Carmel Court, a house owned by Norwood and occupied by young country recruits.

Norwood applied through the NFC for a clearance from Collingwood (he was residentially bound) and as Collingwood never responded within the given time frame, Carman was granted a clearance to Norwood. His first game was a best on ground perfromance at CHB where he beat no less than 7 different opponents including Russell Ebert. In his third game he beat Barrie Robran and was selected in the state squad.

After 10 sensational games, even Collingwood sat up and began to take notice. They decided Carman was their player and Carman's clearance was revoked. He stood out of football for 2 years as he owed a great debt to the Norwood FC.

Collingwood were rather silly because had they allowed him to play for a couple of seasons with Norwood, they may have had him as a player in 1972 or 1973, rather than 1975. In his time out he atempted to play soccer as a goalkeeper and injured a knee that needed a reconstruction. Upon hearing the news, Collingwood, out of the goodness of their heart, decided to clear him back to Norwood to save them the hospital expenses.

When he came back mid-1972, it was as though he'd never been out of the game with some brilliant performances, except there was a difference. Carman was suddenly getting involved in incidents, an indication he was a frustrated footballer.

The moment he started playing well, Collingwood again became interested. Why he ever returned to Collingwood after all they put him through is a mystery. I would have liked Sheehan to ask that precise question but, as you say, he didn't know enough about his subject to pose the question.

 

[AM]

Had amazing talent but wasted it.

 

[UpForGrabs]

Phil Carman was recruited by the Norwood Football Club from Edenhope in 1969. He and his family were educated at Kings College at the expense of Norwood, and his mother was offered employment by the Norwood FC as house mother at Carmel Court, a house owned by Norwood and occupied by young country recruits.

Norwood applied through the NFC for a clearance from Collingwood (he was residentially bound) and as Collingwood never responded within the given time frame, Carman was granted a clearance to Norwood. His first game was a best on ground perfromance at CHB where he beat no less than 7 different opponents including Russell Ebert. In his third game he beat Barrie Robran and was selected in the state squad.

After 10 sensational games, even Collingwood sat up and began to take notice. They decided Carman was their player and Carman's clearance was revoked. He stood out of football for 2 years as he owed a great debt to the Norwood FC.

Collingwood were rather silly because had they allowed him to play for a couple of seasons with Norwood, they may have had him as a player in 1972 or 1973, rather than 1975. In his time out he atempted to play soccer as a goalkeeper and injured a knee that needed a reconstruction. Upon hearing the news, Collingwood, out of the goodness of their heart, decided to clear him back to Norwood to save them the hospital expenses.

When he came back mid-1972, it was as though he'd never been out of the game with some brilliant performances, except there was a difference. Carman was suddenly getting involved in incidents, an indication he was a frustrated footballer.

The moment he started playing well, Collingwood again became interested. Why he ever returned to Collingwood after all they put him through is a mystery. I would have liked Sheehan to ask that precise question but, as you say, he didn't know enough about his subject to pose the question.

That there - all of it, is reason enough why Mike Sheahan failed in this episode.

Any of that is infinitely more interesting than asking Carman whether he actually headbutted the boundary umpire (as if we don't have eyes).

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Had amazing talent but wasted it.

Yep. On his day, the most gifted player I've ever seen, but unfortunately suffered from the dreaded white line fever.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

That there - all of it, is reason enough why Mike Sheahan failed in this episode.

Any of that is infinitely more interesting than asking Carman whether he actually headbutted the boundary umpire (as if we don't have eyes).

I agree. He was a complex character was Phil. Whilst he was coaching Sturt, he was live in caretaker at the prestigeous St.Peters College and I used to bump into him in the school grounds on my way home sometimes. We would talk about things and whereas he was always happy to chat, I got the opinion he had been hurt by football somewhere along the line, so I was always guarded in what I would ask him.

Someone else mentioned Brent Crosswell, he would be a fantastic interview if they could get him. Very much his own person.

 

[Spearhead]

Decent episode - however this is completely down to the guest. Phil Carman was a great interviewee, gave honest answers.

However Mike Sheahan continues to amaze and befuddle.

Nothing mentioned of Carman's SANFL career before he joined Collingwood.

Carman dropped heaps of information which Sheahan could have followed up with, but chose not to - like the fact that Carman was apprehensive about coming the VFL because he thought the quality of the league was far and above the SANFL, and that when he got there he found that wasn't the case at all.

Mike's Vic-centric mind is painful. In his eyes, there's only ever been one football league in the land.

Mike spent time apologising for asking about all the negative stuff in Carman's career, but continued to ask about it anyway.

I shudder to think if Mike ever sits down with Mal Brown. All it will be about will be the punch-up v Carlton, and then 25 minutes on his 1974 season and the Windy Hill brawl. Mike will then probably ask why Mal disappeared from football after that.

Well said ufg ...the Vic centric Sheehan quickly changed the subject when Carman told the viewers the standard of the VFL was no better than the SANFL!!
And thanks Adelaide Hawk for a proper rundown on Carman's career in the SANFL because according to Sheehan Carman didnt take up footy until 1975!!

 

[desie]

I agree, I was a bit surprised Sheehan started at 1975 given the issues he had getting a clearance to play with Norwood.

I was also disappointed that there was nothing on his year at North, or the fact that his final year at Essendon corresponded with Sheedy's first as coach.

A perfect candidate for the full hour replay I would have thought.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Well said ufg ...the Vic centric Sheehan quickly changed the subject when Carman told the viewers the standard of the VFL was no better than the SANFL!!

I remember an interview with Carman the first year he went to the VFL, I think the interviewer may have been Lou Richards but not 100% certain. He was asked what it was like to play league football. Carman said he'd been playing league football in South Australia, and the interviewer just laughed it off, but Carman was serious

That period 1970-74 in which Carman played produced some of the most prodigious talent in SA history, most of whom never played VFL at the peaks of their careers. Players such as Robran, Ebert, Bagshaw, Huppatz, Blight, Marker, Carman, Davies, Cornes, Carey, etc, etc, all played in that time, and the standard was exceptional.

I can see why Carman had that opinion because he went from a very good season in SA in 1974 to a brilliant one in the VFL in 1975. He missed plenty of footy that season due to a foot injury but only missed the Brownlow by 3 votes.

It is such a pity Carman became distracted on the field because Carman at his best was sublime.

 

[Hellgood]

It's frustrating that Sheehan cannot aknowledge the strength of the SANFL and WAFL. There were always absolute champions running around in these leagues, some of which definitely deserve to be included in the "best ever" debates - I guess the winners get to rewrite history as they please, but it's a shame nonetheless - because all three major leagues were not too far apart standards wise from what I have heard and the results from the SOO and Championship of Australia games back this up.

Other than that I like Sheahan's interviews. Most of them are pretty fascinating and he generally lets the subject do most of the talking.

 

[Manni & Ken]

Other than that I like Sheahan's interviews. Most of them are pretty fascinating and he generally lets the subject do most of the talking.

Exactly, compare his questions to McGuire. He talks longer in asking the question, than the guest does in answering it.

 

[western royboy]

Phil Carman was recruited by the Norwood Football Club from Edenhope in 1969. He and his family were educated at Kings College at the expense of Norwood, and his mother was offered employment by the Norwood FC as house mother at Carmel Court, a house owned by Norwood and occupied by young country recruits.

Norwood applied through the NFC for a clearance from Collingwood (he was residentially bound) and as Collingwood never responded within the given time frame, Carman was granted a clearance to Norwood. His first game was a best on ground perfromance at CHB where he beat no less than 7 different opponents including Russell Ebert. In his third game he beat Barrie Robran and was selected in the state squad.

After 10 sensational games, even Collingwood sat up and began to take notice. They decided Carman was their player and Carman's clearance was revoked. He stood out of football for 2 years as he owed a great debt to the Norwood FC.

Collingwood were rather silly because had they allowed him to play for a couple of seasons with Norwood, they may have had him as a player in 1972 or 1973, rather than 1975. In his time out he atempted to play soccer as a goalkeeper and injured a knee that needed a reconstruction. Upon hearing the news, Collingwood, out of the goodness of their heart, decided to clear him back to Norwood to save them the hospital expenses.

When he came back mid-1972, it was as though he'd never been out of the game with some brilliant performances, except there was a difference. Carman was suddenly getting involved in incidents, an indication he was a frustrated footballer.

The moment he started playing well, Collingwood again became interested. Why he ever returned to Collingwood after all they put him through is a mystery. I would have liked Sheehan to ask that precise question but, as you say, he didn't know enough about his subject to pose the question.

Fantastic Post - thanks for enlightening us - it explains a lot and fills in plenty of gaps.

Murray Weidaman was not a highly rated coach and his discipline was allegedly lacking. It also explains why Carman struggled moving from a professional environment at Norwood to n ordinary one at Collingwood and how bad habits had developed that he was unable to rid himself of when T Shirt Tom came in.

I for one marvelled at the SANFL and WAFL pre rape by the AFL. You can't turn back time but the whole footy landscape was much healthier back then IMO. Now the AFL dominates and everything else is just a side show.

 

[Interceptor]

I would add Sheahan's reference to Carman playing in the "AFL" to the list of criticisms.
Yeah sure the VFL became the AFL, but referring to it as the AFL for pre-1990 eras is ridiculous.

The old Fox Footy channel screened some documentaries including one about Carman, which I only caught part of.
Unfortunately the new channel doesn't appear interested in repeating them for some reason.

 

[qman]

That there - all of it, is reason enough why Mike Sheahan failed in this episode.

Any of that is infinitely more interesting than asking Carman whether he actually headbutted the boundary umpire (as if we don't have eyes).

Was the behavior of that boundary umpire unusual ? He really was ' in ' Carmen's face and did actually chest Phil before he got butted . The umpire was very aggressive toward's Carmen . Of course what Carmen did was wrong however I don't recall ever seeing an umpire invade a player's space the way it was in that situation . Or was it that event which changed umpire's body language toward's players ?

 

[magic.merkin]

Was the behavior of that boundary umpire unusual ? He really was ' in ' Carmen's face and did actually chest Phil before he got butted . The umpire was very aggressive toward's Carmen . Of course what Carmen did was wrong however I don't recall ever seeing an umpire invade a player's space the way it was in that situation . Or was it that event which changed umpire's body language toward's players ?

You'd hope so, he definitely contributed to inflaming the situation.

 

[JockStewart]

That cadbury should have been reprimanded or suspended just as Phil was for getting in his face and for the way he just over reacted, especially when Phil swung his arm not noticing he was there. He covered his face in a manner to suggest Phil punched hip square in the jaw.

I hope that cadbury campaigner squirms at his over acting everytime he watches that footage. Why has he never been interviewed about it? Too scared? Embarrassed?

Great interview just for the fact that Phil kept wanting to talk about the SANFL and Mike kept trying to revert back to the VFL. Also loved how he simply said that the VFL was such a let down when he got there. Other non vic players have said the same on open mike, which proves that the VFL was just another state based comp no better that the WAFL and SANFL.

I have seen footage of the WAFL and SANFL in the 70s and IMHO far more superior in terms of skills unlike the VFL where it was full of fat thugs who could play footy.

 

[SydCrow]

a couple of Fabulous Phil moments for you, both from Norwood Oval:



Graeme Cornes gives the crowd the finger and Phil metes out justice