nrls hunt to join gold coast afl team, page-35

Warnie,

You'll find my statement very considered and where a vast majority of people in the world would agree with me.

I've had this discussion with many holidaying Australians in Europe and Asia, in the company of locals ; and when the subject of AFL came around - and after locals were advised of how the game is played - scratched their heads and remarked whether any adults would actually ever take this game seriously?

Much to the violent and vociferace chagrin and anoyance of the bedragled, drunk thong-wearing back-packer holidaying Australians, that I unfortunately constantly encountered.

But that is the truth; as I said before - just injecting an objective perspective of an outsider, whose views on this subject you'll find are held by a vast majority of Europeans and Asians,Americans,etc,etc,etc...

Grown men running around fighting and fumbling for a ball and pushing each other out of the way! skill?

Your narrow provincial parochialism shows through Warnie... and I gather the sociological-cultural aspect of the points raised escapes you?

Alas, critical analysis, and subtlety are abviously lost arts in Australia.

Football(the beautiful game),Athletics and Cycling are the the universal games that are followed by the majority of the population of the world; and AFL will only ever by a minor novelty ethnic game that is followed by a few.

An Australia friend of mine who currently is on a long sabatical in Thailand - and this friend of mine is a very considered,calm,mild,philosophical, objective and thoughtful person - who met some Australians; and after the conversation became critical of certain aspects of Australian life and society - these holidaying Australians immediately threatened my friend with violence due to his differing, critical and objective views.

Luckily for them - not knowing that my friend is a black-belt - soon backed down realising the steel and fortitude and the courage in my Friend's arguments; and all this started from a gentle and civilsed convesation.

Your reaction reminds me of my friend's story; obviously civilised debate and subtle conversation are words not in your lexicon.