Missing in action (Terry Bartel)

manboob

Brownlow Medallist
Joined
Feb 11, 2009
Posts
28,075
Likes
34,782
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
#rompingwins
Thread starter #1
Article on Jimmy's dad. Odd piece by TheAge if you ask me. Unnecessary, but thought people might be interested.

Friends - and there are many - are paying their respects and remembering a prodigy who never lived up to his vaulting talent in sport, and who suffers with a pain in his heart as well as his limbs because of an infamous family dispute. Bartel is the father of Geelong midfielder Jimmy, whom he always calls James. James and his two older sisters, Olivia and Emma, have not spoken to their father for five years. Bartel's one remaining wish is to speak to his children before he dies.
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/missing-in-action-20100205-niom.html
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

Turbocat

Premium Platinum
Joined
Dec 10, 2003
Posts
35,940
Likes
31,502
Location
Newtown
AFL Club
Geelong
#3
Although all about Terry , would it really be news worthy without his son being Jimmy? Perhaps but only as as quirky bush legends piece , missed opportunities , that sort of thing. Certainly not the main article.

Still , the I found it interesting that Bartel's father was such a good sportsman with the inability to cope with life's responsibilities. My immediate thoughts were of Gary Ablett Sr and how similar he sounded. I wonder if Terry would have been a better fit at Geelong instead of the Melbourne clubs he tried out for.
 

Budda 230

Club Legend
Joined
Aug 3, 2006
Posts
2,196
Likes
114
Location
Gippsland
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
Jimmy Bartel
#4
Gary Ablett Snr was the first thing that came to my mind too.

Without directly stating, it's almost like article is pointing towards the opinion that Jimmy and his sisters should contact their father before his death. I can't think of any other reason to publish such an article. Still interesting though I guess.

Imagine if Terry Bartel played 100 games for Carlton! The thought makes me cringe...
 

NEMINI

All Australian
Joined
Jul 10, 2008
Posts
612
Likes
2
Location
Tarneit
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
Melbourne Rebels
#6
Very poorly organsied story too. Goes back and forth all over the place, almost like one of those immediately after the game recap story.
 

ATSAM

Club Legend
Joined
Mar 6, 2009
Posts
2,248
Likes
1,993
Location
Melbourne
AFL Club
Geelong
#7
Jimmy has no obligation to speak to his father just because he is his father and The Age has lowered even its own low standards to make a story out of it.
There are obviously good reasons why all of the children have not spoken to him, and that is and should remain their business.
 

Geelong_Sicko

Brownlow Medallist
Joined
Jun 11, 2007
Posts
16,406
Likes
13,507
Location
Melbourne
AFL Club
Geelong
#9
I remember before (or was it after?) Jimmy won the Brownlow the Herald-Scum chased his father down for some comments. I can't imagine Jimmy was too happy about THAT beshitted excuse for 'front page journalism'.

Oh well, looks like The Australian isn't the only broadsheet tabloid rag on offer...
 

Barabbas

Club Legend
Joined
Mar 28, 2007
Posts
1,035
Likes
30
Location
I'm in the house.
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
Chelski
#10
I remember before (or was it after?) Jimmy won the Brownlow the Herald-Scum chased his father down for some comments. I can't imagine Jimmy was too happy about THAT beshitted excuse for 'front page journalism'.

Oh well, looks like The Australian isn't the only broadsheet tabloid rag on offer...
Yep. After his Brownlow, grand final week with Geelong on the verge of breaking premiership drought, terrible timing as if he needed anything else to worry about. I don't think it would have helped the relationship.
 
Joined
Apr 5, 2009
Posts
11
Likes
0
AFL Club
Geelong
#11
If I read this without knowing what paper it came from I would've sworn this was the Hun! Found it weird and unnecessary The Age made a point of shooting down rumours of Terry as a drinker/aggressive man... didn't Jimmy himself comment on that (around the time of his Brownlow) and said something about his dad causing a drama at his 21st and he hasn't spoken to him since? (my memory is hazy). Bit of an insult to Jimmy if that's the case, not to mention putting a public guilt trip on the three kids to contact their father :thumbsdown:
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

James1970

Norm Smith Medallist
Joined
Jul 3, 2008
Posts
5,577
Likes
8,092
Location
Just under pussy's bow.
AFL Club
Geelong
#12
Just wait for the movie....

It's a somewhat raggedly written piece, but shouldn't be compared to the HS piece from a few years ago. It's a story worth telling (and it will be told again and again in future years) - rich in family drama, heartache, dreams lost, glories taken. Too personal? Probably, but what family story isn't. Jimmy would now know that this comes with the territory when you are an elite footy player in this town of ours. Terry Bartel and his friends have every right to say whatever they like, just as Jimmy and his friends and family have every right not to say anything.
 

Rosella

Club Legend
Joined
Jan 2, 2006
Posts
1,692
Likes
2
Location
Melbourne
AFL Club
Geelong
#13
Jimmy complained at the time that the Hun was trying to ruin what was meant to be great time for him by dragging up old family issues. And Jimmy isn't one to make comment about too much about anything. He was uite right. It's nobody else's business, and the Bartel family's right to privacy over it.

Paul Daffey specialises in country and local football stories. He's usually good at it. I know him and he's a good bloke, so I'll forgive him for writing a story he should have left alone.
 
Joined
Aug 14, 2007
Posts
2,352
Likes
277
Location
Glass Case of Emotion
AFL Club
Geelong
#15
That is just bizarre. Deplorable article.

The Age seemingly has a well of bush legends that Daffey and Harms can conjure up at will.
Yes, bizarre article. Poorly written. Mostly boring. Ignores the only issues that would be of interest to a reader. And irrelevant.

Full page article on someone who's only notorious for being the estranged father of a good football player?? Please.

I mean, how many screw ups are there out there in the country who used to be good at footy and cricket and might have made it..... Are we going to see a story on all those guys too? Get real, Paul Daffey
 
Joined
Oct 17, 2006
Posts
2,465
Likes
26
Location
NSW
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
Manchester City, Western Sydney W
#16
Strange article indeed. Its the private business of the Bartel family, I am sure there are lots of facts that people dont know about this story. I for one am not gonna judge Terry Bartel nor Jimmy and his family.

Sad that he is ill though, best wishs to him in that regard.
 

TMS

All Australian
Joined
May 2, 2008
Posts
654
Likes
12
Location
Cats' Territory
AFL Club
Geelong
#19
Just when you think the media can't sink any lower they do.Why was that tiny piece in todays Hun about Jimmy Bartel considered newsworthy ?
It was a private thing.Also who told the Hun about it ?
Flicked through the paper earlier today and didn't remember seeing anything, so went back and had a look. Agree with what you wrote too - there was absolutely no story there, Hun didn't need to even mention it.

For those that don't read the Herald-Sun: they decided to report that Bartel went and saw his father before he died. I'm with you JJ - who thinks they need to tell a newspaper about this sort of thing? :confused:
 

STC

Norm Smith Medallist
Joined
Aug 27, 2004
Posts
9,450
Likes
511
Location
Melbourne
AFL Club
Geelong
#21
Patheticly low act from the Hun once again - let the Bartels grieve in peace FFS, they don't need it in the newspaper. Let's not forget how the Hun sought out Mr Bartel in 2007 after he won the Brownlow with an "I want to reconcile" story that was clearly set up and could only distract Jimmy's preparations for the GF.

What's amazing is I was thinking about this on Monday, the day Bartel passed away. I wish Jimmy and the family all the best and may Terry RIP.
 
Top Bottom