Aussie Rules Football--Grand Final Tonight

[BrooklynRed]

Don't know if any other Red.fans members are followers of the sport but the Grand Final is on Fox Sports starting between midnight and 12:30AM. I've been a fan since the mid 1980's. I've been to one Grand Final in 1990 when my favorite team Collingwood Magpies won. The crowds at the Melbourne Cricket Grounds are larger than US Super Bowl crowds. In 1990, I ended up in a seat within in the Magpies fans and when they heard a "Yank" rooting for the Pies, I didn't have to buy another beer (Victoria Bitter) or meat pie (4 and Twenty) again.

So I am set with some VB and a pie for a little in game tucker. Hope my Pies can win although the team they are playing has won both games this year. We hope the MCG will be the difference.

 

[austour]

Used to go to a grand final party every year in New York back in the day. Always a big night, and late of course. Also attended a couple games at MCG. Great venue, especially in the lux boxes I was sitting in.

For some reason at the time I became a West Coast Eagles fan but my interest has waned over time. I'll still stop at a game every once in a while. Is that big guy from Texas still playing for Collingwood? I remember sharing a story about him with some Melbourne pals in his early days and they said he was a beast with a lot of potential, just needed to learn the nuances.

Unfortunate that the game isn't televised here despite being able to catch regular season games throughout the season.

I had a good friend who played for North Melbourne as a youth. He unfortunately passed way too young a couple weeks back.

 

[BrooklynRed]

Used to go to a grand final party every year in New York back in the day. Always a big night, and late of course. Also attended a couple games at MCG. Great venue, especially in the lux boxes I was sitting in.

For some reason at the time I became a West Coast Eagles fan but my interest has waned over time. I'll still stop at a game every once in a while. Is that big guy from Texas still playing for Collingwood? I remember sharing a story about him with some Melbourne pals in his early days and they said he was a beast with a lot of potential, just needed to learn the nuances.

Unfortunate that the game isn't televised here despite being able to catch regular season games throughout the season.

I had a good friend who played for North Melbourne as a youth. He unfortunately passed way too young a couple weeks back.

Interesting comments. As to lux boxes, in 1990 my friend tried to get us into our firm's but they were full. Instead we sat among the Pies fans in one of their season ticket holders sections. I was happy as hhell but he being a Demon fan sulked throughout the game.

Mason Cox, the "American Pie" is still with the team. Played Bball at Okla. State. I believe, he now holds dual citizenship now. Starts at Ruck; because of his height he is awkward at times.

WEst Coast had some success in early 1990's and won 2 grand finals. Peter Sumich was a big player for them; I knew his cousin who was living in NYC. Met him on a flight from Mel to LAX and chatted-good guy. The West Coast Eagles and the Melbourne Demon were on the same flight as us to LAX as they were going to Calif to play an exhibition. It was the only time I have been on a plane that ran out of CocaCola. During the stopover in Auckland, the boys all went to the duty free and purchased Bunderburgh Rum and kept it in their seat pockets and they acted the choir boys as they kept asking the stewardesses for soda and then mixed their own. I guess the beer would have been a no no for training.

It is televised. The regular season games are shown here on Fox Sports Soccer network. The playoffs this year were carried on Fox Sports 2. Tonight the Grand Final will be on Fox Sports 1 starting between Midnight and 12:30 AM. If you are in Calif, you are lucky as it might go on at 9PM.

 

[BrooklynRed]

Used to go to a grand final party every year in New York back in the day. Always a big night, and late of course. Also attended a couple games at MCG. Great venue, especially in the lux boxes I was sitting in.

For some reason at the time I became a West Coast Eagles fan but my interest has waned over time. I'll still stop at a game every once in a while. Is that big guy from Texas still playing for Collingwood? I remember sharing a story about him with some Melbourne pals in his early days and they said he was a beast with a lot of potential, just needed to learn the nuances.

Unfortunate that the game isn't televised here despite being able to catch regular season games throughout the season.

I had a good friend who played for North Melbourne as a youth. He unfortunately passed way too young a couple weeks back.

You can host a Grand Final Footy party tomorrow, Sunday, as Fox Sports Extra is reshowing the game from 3PM to 6PM. No conflicts with Giants and Jets who play night games this w/e.

It was a truly exciting Grand Final and the result was one I loved.

 

[austour]

Yeah looks like a classic and I remember Peter sumich well.

 

[TX Redman]

I used to watch AFL back in the day on ESPN but got back into it when we heard a local kid (Mason Cox) was with the Pies. My sister lives north of Melbourne and we visited her this summer. One of the many highlights of our trip was getting to see a game at the MCG, Collingwood vs Geelong. It was a great game, but Mason did not play. The Grand Final was terrific, wore my Magpies polo all day. It's such a great sport; only hockey comes close.

 

[BrooklynRed]

I used to watch AFL back in the day on ESPN but got back into it when we heard a local kid (Mason Cox) was with the Pies. My sister lives north of Melbourne and we visited her this summer. One of the many highlights of our trip was getting to see a game at the MCG, Collingwood vs Geelong. It was a great game, but Mason did not play. The Grand Final was terrific, wore my Magpies polo all day. It's such a great sport; only hockey comes close.

Glad you liked the MCG--quite a venue. Hope you enjoyed a VB and Four and Twenty meat pie. I thought Mason's performance in the Grand Final was one of his best as he controled the ruck hit outs thanks to DeGoey. I also was wearing my Magpies polo and cap for the game.

Was pissed that they did not cover the post game activities and interviews but you can go to the AFL.com.au and connect to Collingwood to see some great interviews.

Head coach had a great story--his wife gave birth to their first the morning of the game. She apparently woke and needed to go to the hospital at 6AM and her sister took her to the hospital but she would not wake her husband as she felt he needed to his sleep to be top form for the game.