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Richo autobiography

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B

Bleeding Tiger

Debutant
Mar 27, 2008
92
20
Melbourne
AFL Club
Richmond
Well I received a copy for Christmas and managed to finish it within a couple of days. I was however left a little disappointed, it was more with the way the author constructed the book instead of the story of Richo.

The author was more interested in telling his experience of growing up and touching base with those individuals to get their opinion of Richo.

What I did enjoy were the stories and opinions of those ex Richmond players who played alongside RIcho. Joel Bowden is well educated and is very astute and his comments within the book only touch the surface of what the real problems are at Richmond.

The one funny fact I'll leave you with is which current Richmond player regularly beat Richo in a wrestle.....you'd be right if you guessed "The pushup King"

I'd be keen to get other peoples comments who's read the book...
 
Bleeding Tiger said:
Well I received a copy for Christmas and managed to finish it within a couple of days. I was however left a little disappointed, it was more with the way the author constructed the book instead of the story of Richo.

The author was more interested in telling his experience of growing up and touching base with those individuals to get their opinion of Richo.

What I did enjoy were the stories and opinions of those ex Richmond players who played alongside RIcho. Joel Bowden is well educated and is very astute and his comments within the book only touch the surface of what the real problems are at Richmond.

The one funny fact I'll leave you with is which current Richmond player regularly beat Richo in a wrestle.....you'd be right if you guessed "The pushup King"

I'd be keen to get other peoples comments who's read the book...
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i agree, i too was a bit underwhelmed by the book have found the cuz book far more insightful into life and times of an elite footballer...flannagin went on a self indulgent rant that quite frankly bored me. Glad I only paid $29 for it, can't believe the RRP was $49, flannigan ought to be bought to account like the Powerband mob and deliver a refund
 

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Not sure what the OP was expecting? I am currently reading the book and finding it quite interesting, good to hear how Richo made it to where he is today, he could have gone to the Pies:eek: but chose our great club. A pity we wern't a bit more successful for him. :eek:

IMO it's a good read:thumbsu:
 
I haven't finished it either. It's a bit disappointing but mainly because of the author. The start was woeful where he'd say something like "Competition was to Richo what the sight of a hare is to a greyhound." once a page. I hate it when writers do that three or four times but nearly every page.

I'd rather he didn't talk so much about Buckley's book and little things like that. Don't cross reference your books!

Anyway, I'm not an author so what would I know?
 
CONFESS a bias – as a journalist and writer myself – Flanagan is among my two or three favourites and I find everything he writes to be insightful, well researched and overall entertaining.
Bearing in mind it came with the promise of not being your normal football book, I found it to be well constructed and fascinating. In fact, it took me just two sittings to finish it.
I guess at times it does stray a little too far from the subject, but Flanagan is a great storyteller and some of the tales he relates are fascinating. And it gives a great account of how the footballing fraternity - players, coaches, teammates, opponents and the average fan - view Richo.
I’d highly recommend it.
And Tugga, definitely a biography!
 

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90 odd pages in and it is a shocker to read. I can't work out if Richo didn't venture to offer more insights, but the filler and fluff and personal introspection is just shite. If i want to read about the history of the club, i'll re read Rhett's book, or the others i have on the Tigers. You get these snippets of Richo as a kid, or on his time at Tigerland, but the rest is junk time. Could have been so much better.
 
Could have been so much better but just keep in mind the book was suppose to be totally different. He was supposed to follow Richo for a whole season in his final year, but as we all know that didn't happen.

Although it's not the best book in the world it's still a decent read if you love Richo/Richmond.

But, it's got nothing on the Cousins book. NOW that is a great book. I NEVER read books and I couldn't put down that book!
 
I've got the Cousins book but I haven't started it yet. Will after I finish Richo's.

Either way, nice to have a few Richmond related books. Our players rarely release them!
 
rfctigerarmy said:
I've got the Cousins book but I haven't started it yet. Will after I finish Richo's.

Either way, nice to have a few Richmond related books. Our players rarely release them!
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Can't wait for Dustin Martin to release a book.

It's probably going to be called "Don't Argue"

:D
 
Got as a Chrissy gift also, haven't quite finished yet but I'm like others been left underwhelmed. Have skimmed through parts where Flanagan is rattling on about some boring tale from his life.
 
JR#8 said:
Could have been so much better but just keep in mind the book was suppose to be totally different. He was supposed to follow Richo for a whole season in his final year, but as we all know that didn't happen.

Although it's not the best book in the world it's still a decent read if you love Richo/Richmond.

But, it's got nothing on the Cousins book. NOW that is a great book. I NEVER read books and I couldn't put down that book!
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spot on JR, what a gripping tale, how on earth he was able to get away with what he did for so long is a blight on an elite sporting fraternity
 

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Firstly I have yet to finnish mine but I am happy with what Flannigan has delivered thus far.

I am not sure what everyone was expecting from someone who played for as long as Richo did in the least successful team of that time. If Flannigan only wanted to report on Richo's success, his finals campaigns, the feeling of winning culture etc :rolleyes:, then the book would be lucky to be 10 pages long even with KB's forward.
 
JR#8 said:
Could have been so much better but just keep in mind the book was suppose to be totally different. He was supposed to follow Richo for a whole season in his final year, but as we all know that didn't happen.

Although it's not the best book in the world it's still a decent read if you love Richo/Richmond.

But, it's got nothing on the Cousins book. NOW that is a great book. I NEVER read books and I couldn't put down that book!
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:thumbsu:EXCELLENT point JR ... the whole basis of the book was to be Richo's final year with the club and Flanagan following him (for what it's worth - he spent a year with the Melbourne Football Club the previous year and lots of time with Lima Jurrah), but that didn't eventuate, so he had to make do.

I think a lot of people didn't read the beginning to well ... Flanagan says this is not a normal football book and Matthew did not want it to be, otherwise there would have been no book.

Comparing it to the Cousins' book - well there is no comparison - chalk and cheese. Like trying to compare Chopper Read to the diary and ramblings of some juvenile shoplifter.

Matthew is squeaky clean and held in the highest regard by all and sundry and that comes across.

Simply, if you want to read about footballers taking drugs, what they did on footy trips and attempts to pay out on other players don't read Richo's book. It's a celebration of a legend through many people's eyes!!!
 
TheProwler said:
Firstly I have yet to finnish mine but I am happy with what Flannigan has delivered thus far.

I am not sure what everyone was expecting from someone who played for as long as Richo did in the least successful team of that time. If Flannigan only wanted to report on Richo's success, his finals campaigns, the feeling of winning culture etc :rolleyes:, then the book would be lucky to be 10 pages long even with KB's forward.
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prowler , it pains me to say it as I've got the utmost respect for Richo, so I hope this isn't in any way squared at the man himself. for mine when I read a sports Bio its the warts and all insight behind the scenes stuff, the coaches spray, the build up, the climax, the anti climax that's what i want a sense of. Flanigan took an abstract view and too often went off on a tangent that frankly bored me and left me none the wiser for what made Richo tick.

converesly, i read the Cuz book, shake my head for a number of reasons, do I scorn him, pity him, I'm not quite sure...powerful insight though...oh and he protected a few characters, don't worry about that, although if you read bw the lines he's tainted them with his own brush
 
JR#8 said:
Could have been so much better but just keep in mind the book was suppose to be totally different. He was supposed to follow Richo for a whole season in his final year, but as we all know that didn't happen.

Although it's not the best book in the world it's still a decent read if you love Richo/Richmond.

But, it's got nothing on the Cousins book. NOW that is a great book. I NEVER read books and I couldn't put down that book!
Click to expand...

You want a good book about stars, i suggest a copy of Motley Crue - The Dirt". You'll possibly want to wash your eyes with metho after reading. Awesome read. You wont put it down once you start.
 
Goldust said:
I think a lot of people didn't read the beginning to well ... Flanagan says this is not a normal football book and Matthew did not want it to be, otherwise there would have been no book.
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Bingo!

The warts and all stuff is all well and good if that's what you're looking for. Somehow this book manages to tell us about Richo the man, not Richo the footballer and I'm really enjoying that. I'm glad that MF's also offered a perspective on other (oft-maligned) players at the club. As much as I wish for all of our sakes that Richo had the success he so richly deserved at our club, I almost feel more for the Joel Bowdens and Wayne Campbells who also gave their all but seemingly weren't even appreciated by many of their own fans.

My only criticism of the book is that it seems to backtrack a lot, which frustrates me at times.
 
I enjoyed it. Well written and describes the man well..
Flanagan has done a good job here IMO..:thumbsu:
 

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