Fitzpatrick on Open Mike, Caro, Clarkson

[barry]

There have been plenty of precedence since the buddy deal of free agents quoting early, so we should have no trouble getting out of it should he be cut short.

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^quiting^

[Bloods05]

The challenge Mike has, is that if he goes too hard at his guests, the list of willing candidates will dwindle quickly.

That, in a nutshell, is precisely what is wrong with the football media (and I might add, a great deal of the political media as well, but that's another story). Mike Sheahan is a career journalist. That carries a responsibility to ask probing questions in the search for truth. If he is not prepared to do that, if the program is premised on him taking a soft line with his guests, then it is not worth a cracker and should be taken off air. At the very least, it should not pretend to be anything other than a matey chat show, and Sheahan, who can be a very good journalist, should stop pretending to be one.

[Bloods05]

There have been plenty of precedence since the buddy deal of free agents quoting early, so we should have no trouble getting out of it should he be cut short.

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^quiting^

In purely legal terms, you are probably right. But that doesn't factor in the League's propensity for vindictiveness. The Swans would be reluctant to test it in court for fear of retribution. I firmly believe this - at a time when we looked like picking up Heeney and Mills - is why the Swans let the trade ban slide when they probably did have legal options.

[dejavoodoo44]

Rhodes scholars aren't always based on intellectual capabilities. It's a love of politics that's the key. Tony Abbott was a Rhodes scholar.

Aw, don't be like that. Tony is the "suppository of all wisdom".

[Blood Fever]

Doesn't surprise me. Tony Abbott is one!

Abbott - the Inspector Clouuseau of Australian politics.

[chalbilto]

Malcolm Turnbull is also a Rhodes Scholar.

[giant]

Malcolm Turnbull is also a Rhodes Scholar.

As was Bill Clinton.

[Hotpotato]

And who�s actually had more balls to stay true to their own convictions ?

[Bloods05]

And who�s actually had more balls to stay true to their own convictions ?

Fitzpatrick made sure he avoided convictions.

[stevoswan]

It truely surprises me to know that Fitzpatrick is a Rhodes Scholar.

An intelligent person with a self serving agenda will always appear stupid to an intelligent person with honest and genuine integrity.......

[Nico]

Of course he wasn't pressed on COLA issue. Cosy Melbourne AFL journos buddy club. Fear of offending a very vindictive outfit as well.

What people don't know is that Sheahan was the go to man for the AFL when they wanted to selectively leak news. He always seemed to get the AFL scoops first so of course he would be soft on the hand that fed him. He is not going to jeopardise his standing with the AFL.

[liz]

And to be fair to Open Mike, it doesn�t hold itself out to be anything other than a cosy chat. It is somewhat bland (as an earlier poster described it) but I don�t think Sheahan has any illusions that it is hard hitting journalism.