Roast The Chronicles of Alan Richardson - Part II - Richo Resigns (16/07)

[StCicatriz]

Why can't we learn from the best?

we sure can, but that wasnt my complaint

the issue i had with it was the all blacks could have players effectively run training on their own with minimal intervention due to the accumulation of development. they were literally the best side in their sport and for a long time. theyve built their culture and professionalism from the group up over a long period of time. now they have leaders that can really drive things. they can do that.

we on the other hand can't even get into the 8. we are miles off that point. look how the season went. do you think it was a success implementing the all blacks methodology of letting the players train themselves? by all accounts we've gone the other way if anything. identified the need for more experience with someone like hanners. there seems to be more hands on from someone like ratten to really drive things.

richo just didnt pick the right thing to implement for where the list and club was at

 

[StCicatriz]

You're forgetting Buddhist Richo as well, talks about it in the article here... Geez he's been given a lot of opportunities for development compared to other coaches we've had....

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl...arch-for-selfimprovement-20161202-gt2kjx.html

people will look back on this era as blatant day light robbery. they'll be like "how in the * did he last so long"

 

[George]

we sure can, but that wasnt my complaint

the issue i had with it was the all blacks could have players effectively run training on their own with minimal intervention due to the accumulation of development. they were literally the best side in their sport and for a long time. theyve built their culture and professionalism from the group up over a long period of time. now they have leaders that can really drive things. they can do that.

we on the other hand can't even get into the 8. we are miles off that point. look how the season went. do you think it was a success implementing the all blacks methodology of letting the players train themselves? by all accounts we've gone the other way if anything. identified the need for more experience with someone like hanners. there seems to be more hands on from someone like ratten to really drive things.

richo just didnt pick the right thing to implement for where the list and club was at

Without knowing what actually happened I don't think anyone can make comment, but one thing I'm sure of is that players didn't train themselves. Why would there be a need to pay any coach if the players are doing it.

Sure, give them more freedom and let them direct their teammates in certain situations and/or drills, but Richo is good with the younger players and really with a young developing list I can almost guarantee he had control of the sessions for the majority of the pre-season.

Your comment about Ali isn't what the vision shown to the players was meant to entail. Most certainly a struggling club like ours can use that as a learning tool, irrespective of where we are at or how successful we've been in the past. That vision wasn't about how Ali is a champion and built up credits over time, it was simply about changing strategy when things aren't working - and that lesson can be applied anywhere in any business or with any person.

What better person to learn elite level principles and strategy than the greatest of all time.

No wonder we have brought in coaches from successful clubs and already implemented things that they have done into our own program heading into 2019. You want to learn from the best.

I just cant see how the club can be criticised here. Nobody at the club thinks we have built the same kind of reputation as someone like Muhammad Ali or the All Blacks, that should be obvious. If we thought we were already at that level then we wouldn't even be bothered with stuff like this.

I think Richardson has done a good job here. I think that to be a good coach/mentor/manager, you need to keep those under you stimulated. You can't keep feeding them messages in the same way. You need to change it up. I think getting a message across of "lets be open to change if we see things aren't working" by showing them vision of an athlete at the elite level is a good way of doing that rather than writing it on a white board and getting the players to write it down. Seeing it and dissecting it for themselves is a much more powerful way of getting through to a group, IMO.

 

[CursingFijian]

people will look back on this era as blatant day light robbery. they'll be like "how in the **** did he last so long"

Whether Richardson is the right fit for the club will sort itself out this year, one way or another. Either Richo surfs or he turfs; time will tell. If he ends up riding the ‘winning’ wave though, the Cho deniers will still abound. They will pass it off as a consequence of Ratten, Lade and Slater’s input. And of course they will be right.

From where I sit though I like that the club hasn’t cast Richo out onto the street. They want to try a new arrangement first and see where that leads before they make the change.

A good analogy for this is the treatment of Jack Bytels injury. The club has said we drafted him knowing he probably needs surgery, but we asked him to complete a training bloc in rehab, to see how his body responded. It hasn’t so they are now going to surgically intervene.

Same with Richo’s coaching. Last year after spending some time with the All Blacks Richo had an epiphany. To grow and succeed he has to take a step back and trust the ability of his line coaches in conjunction with the players to develop, train and execute tactics within Cho’s overall game strategy.

Season 2018 has highlighted the inability of some of our former line coaches. Changes have been made. And Richo has been given one more bloc to prove that his ideas can yield wins. Failure in 2019 will see him surgically removed.

But I think that Richo has finally been given all the instruments that he has been petitioning for thanks to the arrival of Lethlean.

A proven leader via trade/FA in Hannebery. A solid injection of ready to go pace via trade/draft. Some well respected assistant coaches in Ratten and Lade. An inspirational mentor in Slater. A footy manager who actually understands footy and will help attract elite players to the club in future years.

If these are all elements that Richo has asked for and received then give the man some credit for his vision. I think most of us are erroneously saying that Lethlean is playing a lone hand in this and that he is the real genius. I believe the truth to be that Richo has helped to design the framework that we have now. And I for one like what I am seeing.

I think we are going to have a bright start to the year. I didn’t have the same confidence leading into last year.

 

[Mowman]

I hope the club continues to invest in the development of every coach we have from here on in.

In the very first episode of the Linton St series Hunter mentions about how last year before games the players would pair up and talk up each other’s playing strengths.

So the new approach of doing the same in team meetings could just be a natural progression of that.

With regards to Battle in the backline I think it’s a great play. Last year in his few games he took a couple of easy chest marks in the forward 50 that were a direct result of his elite gut running. He just outworked a defender, in an almost Riewoldt like manner. That sort of elite running could be a real weapon on the overlap running out of defense and could allow him to find some space in the front half. And we know he loves a crack at the big sticks.

Worked well for us

 

[VDS66]

*bites tongue in rare display of self control...

 

[Drake Huggins]

You know the Cho man is patient, he's had a long slow drawn out plot to act like he has no idea what he's doing only to unleash on the comp in 2019. He's Keyser Soze, just makes everyone think he's like an innocuous beige idiot, then bam. Premiership tilt for the Cho-pa-dope. Well, or maybe he's just an idiot, definitely one or the other though.

Whether Richardson is the right fit for the club will sort itself out this year, one way or another. Either Richo surfs or he turfs; time will tell. If he ends up riding the ‘winning’ wave though, the Cho deniers will still abound. They will pass it off as a consequence of Ratten, Lade and Slater’s input. And of course they will be right.

From where I sit though I like that the club hasn’t cast Richo out onto the street. They want to try a new arrangement first and see where that leads before they make the change.

A good analogy for this is the treatment of Jack Bytels injury. The club has said we drafted him knowing he probably needs surgery, but we asked him to complete a training bloc in rehab, to see how his body responded. It hasn’t so they are now going to surgically intervene.

Same with Richo’s coaching. Last year after spending some time with the All Blacks Richo had an epiphany. To grow and succeed he has to take a step back and trust the ability of his line coaches in conjunction with the players to develop, train and execute tactics within Cho’s overall game strategy.

Season 2018 has highlighted the inability of some of our former line coaches. Changes have been made. And Richo has been given one more bloc to prove that his ideas can yield wins. Failure in 2019 will see him surgically removed.

But I think that Richo has finally been given all the instruments that he has been petitioning for thanks to the arrival of Lethlean.

A proven leader via trade/FA in Hannebery. A solid injection of ready to go pace via trade/draft. Some well respected assistant coaches in Ratten and Lade. An inspirational mentor in Slater. A footy manager who actually understands footy and will help attract elite players to the club in future years.

If these are all elements that Richo has asked for and received then give the man some credit for his vision. I think most of us are erroneously saying that Lethlean is playing a lone hand in this and that he is the real genius. I believe the truth to be that Richo has helped to design the framework that we have now. And I for one like what I am seeing.

I think we are going to have a bright start to the year. I didn’t have the same confidence leading into last year.

I hereby rename you, "The Thinking Fijian." a gem of a post amongst many from you.

 

[StCicatriz]

Without knowing what actually happened I don't think anyone can make comment, but one thing I'm sure of is that players didn't train themselves. Why would there be a need to pay any coach if the players are doing it.

Sure, give them more freedom and let them direct their teammates in certain situations and/or drills, but Richo is good with the younger players and really with a young developing list I can almost guarantee he had control of the sessions for the majority of the pre-season.

Your comment about Ali isn't what the vision shown to the players was meant to entail. Most certainly a struggling club like ours can use that as a learning tool, irrespective of where we are at or how successful we've been in the past. That vision wasn't about how Ali is a champion and built up credits over time, it was simply about changing strategy when things aren't working - and that lesson can be applied anywhere in any business or with any person.

What better person to learn elite level principles and strategy than the greatest of all time.

No wonder we have brought in coaches from successful clubs and already implemented things that they have done into our own program heading into 2019. You want to learn from the best.

I just cant see how the club can be criticised here. Nobody at the club thinks we have built the same kind of reputation as someone like Muhammad Ali or the All Blacks, that should be obvious. If we thought we were already at that level then we wouldn't even be bothered with stuff like this.

I think Richardson has done a good job here. I think that to be a good coach/mentor/manager, you need to keep those under you stimulated. You can't keep feeding them messages in the same way. You need to change it up. I think getting a message across of "lets be open to change if we see things aren't working" by showing them vision of an athlete at the elite level is a good way of doing that rather than writing it on a white board and getting the players to write it down. Seeing it and dissecting it for themselves is a much more powerful way of getting through to a group, IMO.

there literally was an article written explaining thats what richo was going to do.

how can you say richo has a done a good job here, he had 5 seasons to develop leadership within the side, sent roo and monty off packing, let them take more control at training as per what he took away from the all blacks. then he whinged that we did not have enough leadership. we had players jet setting off on a weekend before our first JLT game.

there's nothing wrong with keeping the list stimulated and using different ideas to drive continual improvement. he's just picked stuff that has literally no relevance for where we are at and it's an ongoing theme. instead of focusing in with razor like focus on areas that are relevant. we get this promotional crap with literally no relevance to where we are at and you wonder why our list is the way it is right now with the performance we got to date.

as for the strategy comment. i dont think the players have been poor in adapting to different strategy mid flight. i think theyve done very well in adapting. their starts have been horrendous at times (the ali or all blacks situation does not address that), but they don't give up. they get thrown into all kinds of positions and give it a genuine crack. the issue is the strategy has been all wrong. we have not had any emphasis on maintaining possession of the ball nor the need for a short disposal game. we have not had a focus to be patient with ball use inside 50.

we've basically had 5 years of utter crap, where players are banging their head against a brick wall trying to implement something that last worked in 2013.

as for the last part. i reckon the ali vision would have no problem being used in a club like hawthorn. for the reasons you mentioned. it just has literally zero relevance for where we are at.

 

[George]

there literally was an article written explaining thats what richo was going to do.

how can you say richo has a done a good job here, he had 5 seasons to develop leadership within the side, sent roo and monty off packing, let them take more control at training as per what he took away from the all blacks. then he whinged that we did not have enough leadership. we had players jet setting off on a weekend before our first JLT game.

I'm not talking about the past. I said he has done a good job here. Right in this moment. They weren't training themselves mate.

there's nothing wrong with keeping the list stimulated and using different ideas to drive continual improvement. he's just picked stuff that has literally no relevance for where we are at and it's an ongoing theme. instead of focusing in with razor like focus on areas that are relevant. we get this promotional crap with literally no relevance to where we are at and you wonder why our list is the way it is right now with the performance we got to date.

Changing things when they aren't working is not relevant to us? How so? Giving the players the ability to show some leadership is not relevant to us? These aren't reasons as to why our performance is the way it is. I think you've taken those two instances (Ali & NZ) way out of context. We aren't saying we are at that level. They are just simple tools used to make us better. And we aren't where we want to be for a number of reasons but showing the players some vision of someone changing their strategy is not one of them.

as for the strategy comment. i dont think the players have been poor in adapting to different strategy mid flight. i think theyve done very well in adapting. their starts have been horrendous at times (the ali or all blacks situation does not address that), but they don't give up. they get thrown into all kinds of positions and give it a genuine crack. the issue is the strategy has been all wrong. we have not had any emphasis on maintaining possession of the ball nor the need for a short disposal game. we have not had a focus to be patient with ball use inside 50.

We also on a number of occasion let teams score heavily against us without response. We let games get away from us far too quickly. We fall asleep for extended periods of games. We have a tendency to just keep doing the same things when they aren't working. That's on the coaches in part, sure, but the players need to also show some resiliency in critical moments of games. But this is fine - we are a young, developing football side. I would be worried if this was happening to a team inside the top four. But we are still learning.

we've basically had 5 years of utter crap, where players are banging their head against a brick wall trying to implement something that last worked in 2013.

Well I don't agree with that comment at all - we've had one year of utter crap. Richardson took over when the list was at an all-time low. And year on year he improved our W/L to the point we were percentage or a game out of the eight. Sure, that's not good enough, but we are one of the youngest sides in the competition. There was always going to be teething problems after Riewoldt & Montagna left, I just feel like the supporters and club didn't expect it to have such a big impact, so the vitriol when we stunk it up was even louder than normal.

as for the last part. i reckon the ali vision would have no problem being used in a club like hawthorn. for the reasons you mentioned. it just has literally zero relevance for where we are at.

I don't think you understand what the vision was used for. Again, the vision was not used to show that we are a successful club with a rich history of winning. Richardson did not show the players the visison for this reason. He showed it to show them that it's possible to change things if they aren't working to still come to your desired outcome (a win). Writing it on a white board is boring and won't get the message across to the players, and showing them anything less than elite level performance is a disservice to the entire playing group.

I think you're overthinking this way too much, and I highly doubt the players would be thinking what you're thinking. They were shown vision and told to take note of how strategy changed.

 

[VDS66]

I'm not talking about the past. I said he has done a good job here. Right in this moment. They weren't training themselves mate.


Changing things when they aren't working is not relevant to us? How so? Giving the players the ability to show some leadership is not relevant to us? These aren't reasons as to why our performance is the way it is. I think you've taken those two instances (Ali & NZ) way out of context. We aren't saying we are at that level. They are just simple tools used to make us better. And we aren't where we want to be for a number of reasons but showing the players some vision of someone changing their strategy is not one of them.


We also on a number of occasion let teams score heavily against us without response. We let games get away from us far too quickly. We fall asleep for extended periods of games. We have a tendency to just keep doing the same things when they aren't working. That's on the coaches in part, sure, but the players need to also show some resiliency in critical moments of games. But this is fine - we are a young, developing football side. I would be worried if this was happening to a team inside the top four. But we are still learning.


Well I don't agree with that comment at all - we've had one year of utter crap. Richardson took over when the list was at an all-time low. And year on year he improved our W/L to the point we were percentage or a game out of the eight. Sure, that's not good enough, but we are one of the youngest sides in the competition. There was always going to be teething problems after Riewoldt & Montagna left, I just feel like the supporters and club didn't expect it to have such a big impact, so the vitriol when we stunk it up was even louder than normal.


I don't think you understand what the vision was used for. Again, the vision was not used to show that we are a successful club with a rich history of winning. Richardson did not show the players the visison for this reason. He showed it to show them that it's possible to change things if they aren't working to still come to your desired outcome (a win). Writing it on a white board is boring and won't get the message across to the players, and showing them anything less than elite level performance is a disservice to the entire playing group.

I think you're overthinking this way too much, and I highly doubt the players would be thinking what you're thinking. They were shown vision and told to take note of how strategy changed.

Brave effort mate.

But you wont win the argument. Its like trying to reason with Bin Laden who's only solution is total destruction.

 

[BrutThough]

Wasn't the point of the All Blacks story from Richo was that the players need to start taking more responsibility during training because they are the ones out on the field during the game and they dont have the coaches there to tell them what to do next like at training. Players need to be able to make those adjustments by themselves and if they cant do that at training, how will they do that during a game.

 

[Drake Huggins]

For those of us old enough to remember, Clayton's was a spectacularly unsuccessful and scorned non-alcoholic mixer, designed to replace spirits and liquers for teetotalers and those with no sense of taste or class.

While Clayton's had all the appeal of tertiary stage syphillis, the advertisers who came up with the slogan, "Clayton's, the drink you have when you're not having a drink", soon cemented itself in to the Aussie lexicon. They even used Australian acting legend, Jack Thompson in the ad, surely the nadir in what was otherwise a solid body of acting work.

Bill Hunter must have been unavailable, while John Mellion would never endorse, nor drink something that didn't get you pissed.

Long after the product disappeared from the shelves (will they ever understand that most people drink for effect, before taste?) the slogan lived on in everyday conversations whenever someone wanted to make the point that something, or someone, was a fake.

The appointment of Ratten was a stroke of genius by Satan Lethlean. It was the "Clayton's" sacking of Cho. Ratten effectively seems to be the coach, while Cho remains in an overseer role, further in the background than an extra in a Hollywood blockbuster crowd scene.

It saved us the embarrassment and bad press of an actual coach sacking, saved us a packet in payouts and potential legal action, allowed reputations to be salvaged and face retained, while keeping the club and playing group from spiralling into instability.

If any of you have had the pleasure of viewing the recently released movie, Vice, you'll know what I'm talking about. While George W. Bush the lesser was POTUS, it was Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, and a collection of carefully selected cronies who actually ran the country, and by default, the world. The illusion of the POTUS being in command was carefully maintained by a phalanx of lawyers, lobbyists, White House staffers, captains of industry and powerful financiers.

The American experience in Vice is analogous of the Cho situation. Alan is the figurehead, who probably won't even be calling the shots on match day (Sexton? Lord help us. The Dan Quayle equivalent). No, it's Ratts, here there and everywhere in the preseason. He is like Rumsfeld. The jolly, likeable and fiercely intelligent achiever, who knows what it takes to be successful and has experienced it first hand.

Satan Lethlean is Cheney. Lurking menacingly in the background. The Kingmaker who weilds supreme executive power with impunity. Never quite the bride, but the bridesmaid who makes sure the wedding day goes off without a hitch. No matter what it takes! Even the Dark Lord from Star Wars bends the knee when Lethers enters the room.

Gubby, Gags and Lade are variously the equivalents of Wolfowitz, Powell and Rove.

When the fit hits the shan in the season proper, it will be Ratts and company who will run the show, in the same way Cheney and his gang took control on and after 9/11. Cho will just keep mumbling inanities on 360, in the same way Bush kept reading a story book to elementary school kids while his country was suffering it's worst ever terrorist attack on home soil.

In the end, only true insiders will know the truth. The rest of us, like the great unwashed we are, will be satisfied if the wins start coming. If things turn really sour, Satan has the ideal scapegoat, perfectly positioned to take the fall. It will then be business as usual, without so much as a hiccough behind closed doors.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Lethlean is an evil genius, I tells 'ya. Thank goodness he's on our side!

 

[George]

Brave effort mate.

But you wont win the argument. Its like trying to reason with Bin Laden who's only solution is total destruction.

Hey, it might not be popular, but I do like StCicatriz (I'll be in Perth next weekend if you want to go for a beer lol). But I think this time it's just a bit too much.

 

[plugger66]

Would love richo to coach for the next 5 years

 

[gringo2011]

You're forgetting Buddhist Richo as well, talks about it in the article here... Geez he's been given a lot of opportunities for development compared to other coaches we've had....

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl...arch-for-selfimprovement-20161202-gt2kjx.html

The club just needs to get rid of him for at least a month a year so he doesn't monologue for hours like he does on TV. The club looks good in the off season because they don't have to all avoid him. Probably trying to get him on those silence retreats.

 

[sunny3193]

For those of us old enough to remember, Clayton's was a spectacularly unsuccessful and scorned non-alcoholic mixer, designed to replace spirits and liquers for teetotalers and those with no sense of taste or class.

While Clayton's had all the appeal of tertiary stage syphillis, the advertisers who came up with the slogan, "Clayton's, the drink you have when you're not having a drink", soon cemented itself in to the Aussie lexicon. They even used Australian acting legend, Jack Thompson in the ad, surely the nadir in what was otherwise a solid body of acting work.

Bill Hunter must have been unavailable, while John Mellion would never endorse, nor drink something that didn't get you pissed.

Long after the product disappeared from the shelves (will they ever understand that most people drink for effect, before taste?) the slogan lived on in everyday conversations whenever someone wanted to make the point that something, or someone, was a fake.

The appointment of Ratten was a stroke of genius by Satan Lethlean. It was the "Clayton's" sacking of Cho. Ratten effectively seems to be the coach, while Cho remains in an overseer role, further in the background than an extra in a Hollywood blockbuster crowd scene.

It saved us the embarrassment and bad press of an actual coach sacking, saved us a packet in payouts and potential legal action, allowed reputations to be salvaged and face retained, while keeping the club and playing group from spiralling into instability.

If any of you have had the pleasure of viewing the recently released movie, Vice, you'll know what I'm talking about. While George W. Bush the lesser was POTUS, it was Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, and a collection of carefully selected cronies who actually ran the country, and by default, the world. The illusion of the POTUS being in command was carefully maintained by a phalanx of lawyers, lobbyists, White House staffers, captains of industry and powerful financiers.

The American experience in Vice is analogous of the Cho situation. Alan is the figurehead, who probably won't even be calling the shots on match day (Sexton? Lord help us. The Dan Quayle equivalent). No, it's Ratts, here there and everywhere in the preseason. He is like Rumsfeld. The jolly, likeable and fiercely intelligent achiever, who knows what it takes to be successful and has experienced it first hand.

Satan Lethlean is Cheney. Lurking menacingly in the background. The Kingmaker who weilds supreme executive power with impunity. Never quite the bride, but the bridesmaid who makes sure the wedding day goes off without a hitch. No matter what it takes! Even the Dark Lord from Star Wars bends the knee when Lethers enters the room.

Gubby, Gags and Lade are variously the equivalents of Wolfowitz, Powell and Rove.

When the fit hits the shan in the season proper, it will be Ratts and company who will run the show, in the same way Cheney and his gang took control on and after 9/11. Cho will just keep mumbling inanities on 360, in the same way Bush kept reading a story book to elementary school kids while his country was suffering it's worst ever terrorist attack on home soil.

In the end, only true insiders will know the truth. The rest of us, like the great unwashed we are, will be satisfied if the wins start coming. If things turn really sour, Satan has the ideal scapegoat, perfectly positioned to take the fall. It will then be business as usual, without so much as a hiccough behind closed doors.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Lethlean is an evil genius, I tells 'ya. Thank goodness he's on our side!

Love that you know how to spell “hiccough”

 

[Joffaboy]

Would love richo to coach for the next 5 years

That would mean at least one flag in the next year or two

On SM-G960F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Nutsngum]

Excellent. This forum desperately needed another overwritten piece on how terrible Richo is whilst exerting fundamental misunderstandings of a coaches role in the modern game.

 

[VDS66]

Nice little story that should be copy and pasted into the Richo thread where it belongs

 

[VDS66]

Hey, it might not be popular, but I do like StCicatriz (I'll be in Perth next weekend if you want to go for a beer lol). But I think this time it's just a bit too much.

I also like him...

 

[Drake Huggins]

Excellent. This forum desperately needed another overwritten piece on how terrible Richo is whilst exerting fundamental misunderstandings of a coaches role in the modern game.

He's not terrible, Nutsngum. He's just not very good. I knew you wouldn't get it. It wasn't written for you. I thought after the last time, you would've stopped reading as soon as your sensibilities were offended. Couldn't help reading to the end though, could you? That's the very definition of good writing. Engaging, moved you to reply and satisfied a basic need for you, which is to be offended. I'm glad I could help. Overwritten? Of course it is. That's the whole.......oh never mind. I had you on the timer for the predictable, miserable response. Have a nice day.

 

[VDS66]

Clever? Tick.

Amusing? Tick.

Offensive? Nope.

I just think there's a few of us who want to move on and look forward to the season.

Its been done to death.

The coach you sack when you're not sacking a coach.

I was more of a Brandavino guy in my yoof.

 

[Drake Huggins]

Nice little story that should be copy and pasted into the Richo thread where it belongs

I would've, but that is a serious thread. I've just finished digging my tongue out of my cheek.

You're right, VDS66, it's just a little diversion at the end of a long week writing for a living. Very hit and miss, although this one may just have sailed a suburb or
two wide of the old barn side.

Just a bit of fun. Don't tell nuts ngum. I've already ruined his day once. I'm sure he'll now have me on ignore.

 

[VDS66]

I would've, but that is a serious thread. I've just finished digging my tongue out of my cheek.

You're right, VDS66, it's just a little diversion at the end of a long week writing for a living. Very hit and miss, although this one may just have sailed a suburb or
two wide of the old barn side.

Just a bit of fun. Don't tell nuts ngum. I've already ruined his day once. I'm sure he'll now have me on ignore.

I get it.

The whole Richo thing is like Masterchef.

Interesting for first years, and then...

Just curious, did you get an advance or writing off your own coin?

 

[Drake Huggins]

Clever? Tick.

Amusing? Tick.

Offensive? Nope.

I just think there's a few of us who want to move on and look forward to the season.

Its been done to death.

The coach you sack when you're not sacking a coach.

I was more of a Brandavino guy in my yoof.

I get it.

The whole Richo thing is like Masterchef.

Interesting for first years, and then...

Just curious, did you get an advance or writing off your own coin?

I have a publisher for two books in the works. Whenever i get it all done, I'll shout the bar. I don't get offended by criticisms of my writing anymore. The pros are far more brutal than i imagined. They even make the goons on saintsational sound restrained!

I guess it's their money on the line. I've had a quivering bottom lip a few times when receiving "feedback" from them.

Friends, family and colleagues are not much use in the critiquing area. Too kind in general but useful in terms of judging engagement and interest, which is crucial. Free, signed copies for you, VDS66, whether you want them or not.