Here is why:
"..it's good for the game to have football spread out so (the media) don't feel the pressure from Tuesday to Thursday to write dribble."
"The football public sometimes gets confused about what it is we do, and if you spread out the games, there is more time to spend talking about football and it reminds the public what the game is about." Chris Judd
The football media's job is to cover football. We all know this can only be the case on or near the weekend. Being immediately close to game time.
Look at 2011 and its pre-season. The lack of meaningful games to cover gives rise to gutter journalism & dribble. The months leading up to the begining of the season can be considered one colossal, mid-week belly scratch. Very little to be achieved, and even less is offered by the football media as a whole. This is a common trait between AFL & Rugby League coverage. Worldwide, the trend is identical.
The rise of 'investigative journalism', a by-word for sensationalist filth, naturally fills the gap with its lewd stench. Emanating from this pit of keyboard despair, each year the body count gets higher. The stories more far-fetched. The material ever more ghastly.
The 'St Kilda Schoolgirl' (Kim Duthie) story exemplifies all of the above traits. It has been ongoing for a year now. It shows no sign of disappearing into the horizon. The only time it does retreat into the background - when the damn football is bounced.
The notion of reporting trash as fact has been covered in past articles. This is a power that a third party of (considered) repute can easily exercise. Recklessly.
What is missing? In the case of football - the spectre of an imminent game. It is that simple. Its absence will cause events to spiral out of control. Please spare us. Bounce the football at more regular intervals. Parasites may only be cleansed with a regular bathing. Lest they grab a foothold.
A similar question (as asked to Chris Judd) would be fascinating put forth to Nick Riewoldt. The unfortunate captain of the St Kilda Football Club. A lamb to the slaughter. A retreat into cliche is the expected, and forced result of the barrage Nick Riewoldt has sustained. He may never utter another word about anything off-field. Even on-field happenings will be avoided in substance. It is the price to be paid for inferior coverage. Self-inflicted by the smattering of narcissistic football journalists.
It has been an absolute misery of a lead up to the football season. The worst on record. End the pain now. We beg of you.
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In all likelihood, football played 5 or 6 days per week will be difficult to function. It is important not to take Chris Judd's message as literal. The void in between the weekend does need to be filled with on-field matters. Possibilities include delaying the post-match conference of the last weekend/Monday game to the next day. Pushing forward a Friday pre-match conference to Thursday etc. Perhaps the banning of questions related to non-football matters during these events as well.
All efforts need to be made to keep the content on topic. The men are mere mortals who play a sport. That is all. Other matters are irrelevant and pervasive. In a sense, the football body has to parent the media coverage in addition to its other concerns. Basic acknowledgement of this would be a huge step forward.
The problem with off-season coverage is a huge headache. I scratch my head here. It can be said that tackling the mid-week content issue may provide solutions applicable to the off-season (to some extent) also.
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3rd Aug 2011
A 4-day football weekend is the best solution. A few have been scheduled this year, and they work the best.
In saying that, since the football season actually started - the coverage has been excellent. ie minimal concentration on junk issues not to do with the on-field performance.
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