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Getting Filthy With: Wise Guy Sam

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Aug 18, 2009
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Welcome ladies gentlemen and everyone inbetween to the very first episode of GFW! Tonight history will be made as a groundbreaking interview show will kick off and place itself into the annals of the SFA(LOL). Every week one of the SFA’s finest will go toe to toe with The Filthy One as we discuss their career to date, their plans for the future and the latest goings on in the Sweet FA. It should be a beauty so let’s get stuck into it shall we?
My inaugural guest is at the top of his game at the moment. Coming off the back of a 30 possession game going head to head against the reigning Mobbs Medalist with a goal to boot, he was apart of the Wonders' demolition of the Gumbies and he joins me here tonight. Please give a warm Filthy welcome to the ever charming Wise Guy Sam.
Filthy! Great to see you. Hope you’re well and thanks for having me on your show. I really like that your green room is actual red and white and has plastic tables, chairs and this ‘rustic’ lady with unwashed hair gave me some chicken. Is this the one where I drive a reasonably priced car?


Well Sam with the way you’re going you can have anything you want, I mean where to start? Number 1 in Gee Dub's prestigious Power Rankings. A fantastic start to the year for both yourself and the Wonders, huge acclaim for your season preview (particularly from Mobbs himself), and people forget that you are only entering your second season in the SFA. Tell me, what do you put down as the main factor, to your undeniable early success in the Sweet FA?
I honestly think I’ve been very lucky so far with my career. I do credit my early success to simple hard work and a slightly relaxed approach. I work hard to keep up with the best and push myself on and of the field in the SFA. You get a lot of different types in the league and the media will always favour some more than others, but at the same time the media can be fickle, my current status can easily change if I don’t keep performing to the high standard I’ve set for myself. I’ve been lucky that the tabloids have responded well to my easy going approach and I’m being rewarded for a strong preseason.
My current early form is a credit to ShuanDuggan’s captaining. Last season I cemented a role in the midfield as an outside player and I played my role but I wasn’t overly damaging and my skills often let me down. As will happen to a lot of 1st year players. Duggan has toughed me up and as a result seen fit for me to play as an extractor of the ball with some line breaking pace in the middle and it’s paying off.
Confidence in my own game and indeed at the club is sky high after our round 1 win. There is nothing better than starting the season off strong but internally we know that there are a lot of games ahead of us. Sure, we believe we need to plan for finals football now and only a fool takes a season 1 week at a time but if I or anyone at the club gets complacent we might end up like the Dragons last season. I think being confident is fine, and we are currently enjoying our success. Arrogance however is a problem and arrogance however is a problem, the Hawks got to far ahead of themselves last season as a group and it was disastrous. With the recent attention I've had I'll have to make sure I don't get drawn into my own hype and the Wonders will be doing the same.
Well you never have been short for words have you Sam?
On average women say 7,000 words per day. Men manage just over 2000. Wise Guy Sam however averages closer to 18,000.
Is that so? Well I did pick up on a few particular words you just spoke then; you mentioned the media and how well you've been recieved, evident by your recent win in the People's Champ Polls. However you still don't have that hard edge in your game that other SFA Elites like IMS depend on. Tell me then, why are you rated so highly while a guy like Gibbsy who also produces quality is ridiculed for being a "soft player." What separates you from Gibbsy? Is Gibbsy underrated, or are you overrated?
Sledging is a part of footy and a good psych out is legendary in the SFA. From “ya mum gave me aids” to “look at the score board” a good sledge can be as various as the sledger.
In my opinion Gibbsy. is a good team poster, in fact I tried to lure him to the Wonders as I can see the value in having him playing a role in the team. He is a solid contributor and his presence can create more activity. Like me Gibbsy., isn’t an aggressive bull. His attacks aren’t common and when he does attack someone its usually clever instead of hurtful. In the official power rankings he comes in at 30, which is proven to be relatively accurate and 30 sounds about right. Sure he isn’t a bully but a good clubman, does his bit to enhance the league with the SFA wiki and is a likeable character.
It’s often said I’m a nice guy and I think that comes from my off field persona and probably explains my current popularity over the offseason where on field aggression is obviously not prominent. However on the field I’ve started to develop more steel to my game. I use my quick wit and creativity to belittle my opponents but occasionally my efforts go straight over the head of a typical SFA player. I have started to be more straightforward but I will not compromise the way I play just so I can be like the masses. I don’t expect to remain number 1 now that the season is under way but I will continue to work hard with my media commitments, I will continue to strengthen the Wonders brand after I completed my goals of a new logo, playing kit and home ground and I will continue to improve my leadership skills as I learn under ShaunDuggan and of course ClarkeM and Croweater (as well as a few people outside the club).
I’m a classier player than Gibbsy. with more upside and I'm a harder worker, as best seen in my mid season survey, hosting the peoples choice awards and the S15 preview. And that’s probably one of the main reasons that I’m rated differently to Gibbsy and why I’m currently rated number 1.

Taking the high road I see Sam, when you were talking about outwitting opponents I couldn't help but think of StFly. The master of bamboozleing his opponents to give the Gumbies an edge. After getting to see StFly up close in the season 15 opener, do you liken yourself to his style? Is he the type of poster you would like to mould yourself into?
Taking the high road I see Sam, when you were talking about outwitting opponents I couldn't help but think of StFly. The master of bamboozleing his opponents to give the Gumbies an edge. After getting to see StFly up close in the season 15 opener, do you liken yourself to his style? Is he the type of poster you would like to mould yourself into?

I do not liken myself to StFly nor do I wish to be like him (except for his position as captain). Fly is an individual but he confuses more than he outwits and he does so in absolute style. But that’s his style. Personally I’d rather be my own man and not someone else. Sure I’ve borrowed ideas from others, my preview thread was based on BILC’s own preview from the season before (with a reference to his work in the OP) but borrowing ideas is not the same as borrowing personality traits. Any banter that is missed by my target is somewhat wasted as it halts the flow of conversation unless a 3rd party gets involved and explains my genius to my dim target and I feel that’s the only similarity I share with StFly.

Fair enough, but you would like to be captain. I'm going to assume you mean of the Wonders and not the Gumbies. Is this something you feel quite strongly about? Should Duggan be concerned? You certainly have the popularity amoungst the SFA ranks to pull off a coup.

Duggan knows he doesn’t have a malcontent vice captain in his ranks ala the Demons situation with Deddy (He isn’t a VC but close enough). I could perhaps get by as a stand in captain of a side now if I really had to but I know I need a lot more experience before I could do a great job. Whilst I have a keen aspiration to lead a team, preferably the Wonders I don’t want to burden myself with the top job until I’m a veteran of the league, I’d rather enjoy my footy and support my captain whilst my career is young. Besides even if I did think I was ready there would be no real reason to dethrone Duggan, he is doing a very good job and it’s my intention to stay at the Wonders as his Vice Captain.
My VC role keeps me busy, The rebranding was huge, I’ve got a weekly club newsletter that encourages activity, media commitments and I’m also the teams admin officer. It’s my job to keep the team sheet and thread in order and that’s what I’ll do to a high standard as part of my apprenticeship as a leader.
The only thing that could change my current position on waiting for captaincy is necessity, if Duggan gets a long term injury and he needed me to step up until he can return or if it was for the betterment of the league, ie co captain an expansion team if it was insisted I was involved.
So you'd strongly consider leaving the Wonders if expansion meant you captaining a new team? The big question mark on expansion seems to lie within whether they could gather enough marquee talent to brand themselves with. Obviously you would now be one of these talents that expansion would rely on. After the failure of the trolls, would you be willing to be apart of a new club and help create its' identity?

I’m a Wonders player and happy to be one. However the league is ready to grow and I now support that. If Boncer or someone similar was to approach me and ask would I be interested in assisting the league and making history than I would have to consider it, there is a lot of charm in that scenario. But only if his reasons for me helping were justified and I felt the Wonders could cover the loss. The way I post and the way I play would probably be valuable to a new franchise (and the extra $$$ would be great) but maybe that’s just my ego talking up my self worth. I’d be just as happy for someone else (most likely far more suited to the role) to be tasked with that responsibility.
The Trolls were very unlikely to happen and if they had I doubt they would have worked. No experience and no idea, they would have failed and that would have turned the league off the possibility for an expansion side being managed properly. Jobe and a few rookies were not going to attract some stronger players and we would not of being able to properly compete with the established teams. The way I see it, the Trolls never failed, they never actually started. I was only affiliated with them because I didn’t understand the proper recruitment process and how to best approach a team. The Trolls were spurred by just a few whilst the masses has little idea and were not asked or informed on the ‘teams’ desire to establish itself. Poor leadership saw some good posters quit the league before they had even started.

We’ll here more from Sam on the other side of the break, but first a look at next week’s show.

GFW goes international next week as we fly our guest in all the way from Baghdad. He's one of the young Bombers who played in that fantastic premiership team in Season 14. He loves his Bombers and he loves his Puppets. Next week Chez gets Filthy with ThePuppetMaster!
 
So Sam before the break you talked about the disbanding of the Trolls, with that in mind Sam let's go way back to the start, before I was even apart of this great league. You're virtually a no name and the team you had just joined disbanded. Correct me if I'm wrong but you were one of the few recruits that went on with you're SFA career elsewhere. How did you come to end up at the Wonders? And who there helped you rise to fame after overcoming such a rough initiation into the league?

Apart from a couple of player that have since been delisted there was really just 3 Trolls that were good enough to get drafted proper and remain strong in the league. TPM has won a premiership, I’m a VC and DJ…well big blokes take a little longer But he is looking strong at FF. After it was clear the Trolls were not going to be granted a licence I had a meeting with Easty and was close to becoming a Dragon. I have great respect for Easty and the player I am inspired by most plays for the Dragons. But after considering my options I agreed to terms with the Wonders, a team that had a strong core of posters but would benefit most from adding some youth to the list.
Once I joined the Wonders, along with Jobe and DJ the team was in a great position to increase activity. Being a part of a bigger side really helped with my development but if I had to name people inside the club that assisted me the most I’d say both captains, especially Crowey helped early and in a round about way Jobe did his bit though it’s hard to single out everyone. Marklar, Duggan and HP all played their part getting me established and their various personalities lured me to the club whilst there support has kept me there long after some of them have moved on.
Jobe or now HurleyGun if you prefer was good to have on side as he plays a great job in protecting players like myself who as you said early, don’t play in an obvious aggressive manner. Whether it is Jobe or a similar maligned player, they definitely have a role to play in the league.

You're obviously a believer in mentors and senior players looking after new comers then.

You may not remember this but after I signed with the Furies you were first to welcome me into the SFA even before any of my Furies teammates were able to. Personally, touching base with you gave me an idea of what I'd signed up for and that sort of thing. Do you still welcome players into the SFA regardless of whether they're signed with West Coast? What's your motivation behind such welcomes? Have you secretly wanted me to become a Wonder this entire time?

It’s no secret; I’m already working on your recruitment letter for the end of the season.

I'm flattered but honestly I don't the the Wonders are ready for this jelly.
I do try to send a PM to most new players and offer them a hand if they need it. It’s easy to seek advice in private about the league and that’s what I did. As a young player I understand it can be daunting at times, especially with the gangs like the cool kids at East side running around beating up new kids. Don’t be fooled though, if I’m fast enough and they haven’t signed (and I think they have potential) I’ll try to recruit them.

But you weren't beaten up by the the bullies at East Side were you? How can you say it can be daunting when you were so exceptional in your first year in football? With that in mind, I hate to bring up sore wounds but, are you still filthy at The Half Back for winning the EKA medal? He's just returned from hiatus and I can only assume you'll be gunning for him when you play the Dragons next. Were you suprised by the public outcry when you lost the EKA? Many pundits were furious and let their voices be heard including my own. How do you respond to such controversy?


Coming third in the EKA was baffling, I’d honestly thought I deserved more than one vote. I have no problem losing but was disappointed with the count and especially thought I’d had a far better first season than The Half Back. I think what is most frustrating is I don’t understand why I came third and he won. Maybe the judging panel has a different criteria and that’s okay but because I haven’t seen it I’m left confused and annoyed. Winning the EKA would have been a great personal achievement and as you can probably tell I enjoy being apart of history.


However it’s not THB fault and congratulations to him, I really mean that. Though I would have probably let out some jealous frustration out on him for a bit of fun but there is no sign of him in the match thread.

I was really appreciative of the peoples support and I guess you can say getting the recognition from my peers was far better than winning a medal. So while I didn’t win the EKA as I had hoped, losing it has probably been more important and will provide me with the motivation to keep improving my posting and my football. Losing the EKA medal has actually worked out really well for me. I’m sitting top of the power ranking and I just gave the Mobbs medal winner a hiding last week. Even still I think it would be beneficial to review the EKA process as I think giving reasons and feedback would be great, especial for the people that didn’t win.

Thank you to you and everyone else that supported me.

Well Sam I must say you certainly have put yourself out there tonight. You haven't backed down from any of my challenges tonight and dare I say it, but we may be looking at the new and improved Wise Guy Sam with a newly developed hard edge.



But before I let you go Sam we've got the "Filthy Player of the week." Every week a player will be nominated by yours truly and my guest will give a "Filth Rating." The ratings go from Spotless - Clean - Neutral - Dirty - Filthy.

My first nomination for the award is an easy one. Mr Zero from the Mt Buller Demons. And Sam he's an appropriate player for you to be ranking since as we all know, he was on illeagally on the Wonders' list. It's one thing to be suspended for 12 rounds. But since his suspension Mr Zero has shown no signs of improving. He's been lurking around the Demon's matches but hasn't been putting in the hard yards as he promised since his offense and that's why I'm filthy with him. What's your take Sam?

I'm assuming being Filthy is bad despite you doing it so well.

Mr Zero - FILTHY!

Alias was shit, lying about it was worst.

The thing is he could be better. He stuffed up but publicly apologised and said he will continue to remain active and post as much as he was but I haven't really noticed him at all. He could turn this around by using his 12 week ban to help the league or use his free time to do a media series.

Unfortunately he is a first year player that had a lot of energy and could of been an active contributor to the Dee's (or of course the Wonders) but his mistake may end his career before it started.


Well there you have it. Sam it certainly has been a pleasure. Don't forget to tune it next week when we put the spotlight on ThePuppetMaster.
 
At first I was like 'tl;dr', but then I actually read it and it was captivating. Apart from the sections where paragraphs were doubled (lol) it was extremely well written and I look forward to more.
 

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I'm aware I haven't done much since my suspension but that is purely coincidental. (real life commitments kept me busy) but I aim to improve on that, also, Logger and I have a media series coming up that I think you are all gonna love.
 

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Put me to sleep to be honest.

Full marks for effort and content amount just not for actual entertainment value.

Many of the topics are last week / last month and much of it just drones on.

Sorry to be a harsh critic, heaps of room to improve though.
 

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Getting Filthy With: Wise Guy Sam

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