14 July 2015

Hi Mark
RE: James Hird could have died on Monday, now is the time to reflect and move on,
writes Mark Robinson - Herald Sun July 14, 2015 8:00PM
On Fox Footy 360, you appear not to give a stuff about how a player or team played last
month or last year. You hone in on last weekend. Im like that with respect to journalists. I
dont care whether you were fair to James Hird last month or last year.
Two weeks ago, you opined Hird would be gone by 2pm the next day. It was inflammatory
garbage you couldnt substantiate. But as you would expect, the fools, including Bambie, aka
Gerard Whateley, jumped on board and death-rode Hird the way you and McClure death-rode
Mick.
Tonights article is more reprehensible because it is bordering on dishonest. To judge
tonights article you must understand your attitude to interviews. I have written many human
resource manuals, and although I am not a lawyer, I can argue with the best of them about
what constitutes sexual harassment and bullying. On 360, you bully your fellow panelists
Thompson, Goddard, Lewis to answer questions they dont want to answer, and shouldnt
answer. On occasions last year you gave Mark Thompson a dreadful time. I have no problem
with that approach. My beef is you have to understand other journalists are just as
demanding.
During Hirds 3AW interview, which you have taken great exception to, Hird was asked
some very provocative questions, and he gave very tame answers that you would not have
accepted had you been the interviewer. In particular, you would have bullied Hird to respond
to the outrageous question asked by Michael Warner about a Carowhine column. Hird had a
great opportunity to smash the witch, but he let it go through to the keeper.
Item (Robinson) 1: Its why he has to stop taking pot shots at the AFL.
My Comment:
Your comment is bordering on dishonesty. Hird didnt take a pot shot at the AFL. Hird was
asked whether he agreed with his lawyers comment earlier in the week that Demetriou and
Evans had to take a lot of the blame. Hird said Of course I think the AFL must take some
of the blame. Given that the AFL nailed Hird through a corrupt investigation, it is hard to
imagine a more insipid response than Hirds. Hird had three choices. He could have lied and
said No.. He could have climbed in, which the interviewers were hoping he would. Or he
could have given, as he did, an insipid response, hoping not to inflame the situation. Your
bullying on FF 360 suggests you would not have accepted Hirds response and you would
have pushed harder.
Item (Robinson) 2: It achieves nothing other than prompting people to ask: Will Hird ever
move on from the AFL and ASADA debacle?
My Comment:
1

1. You have no evidence Hird hasnt moved on. Hirds comment that he didnt intend
reading Chip Le Grands book suggests to me that he has moved on.

2. If Hird had wanted to achieve something, he would have climbed into the AFL. He
would have said he was denied procedural fairness. He would have said the AFL
conspired with the Gillard Government and ASADA to find Essendon guilty of
trumped up charges. He would have said the AFL, the Gillard Government and
ASADA conspired to put him out of the game for 12 months.

3. The people who want to move on from the AFL and ASADA are those who disgraced
themselves Mike Fitzpatrick and the AFL commissioners; Andrew Demetriou;
Gillon McLachlan; Brett Clothier; Aurora Andruska; Jason Clare; Kate Lundy et al.
And lets not forget the media which damaged the profession more than any other
time in its history. And last, but not least, the supporters of the other clubs who
swallowed the lies churned out by the media.
Item (Robinson) 3: James, we get it, you abhor whats happened to you and the players and
the football club. We know you believe the AFL corrupted the investigation and evidence. We
know you hate Mike Fitzpatrick. We know you hate Andrew Demetriou. We know youre
barely on speaking terms with Gillon McLachlan.
My Comment:
1. This is gutter journalism. I cant recall Hird mentioning Fitzpatrick, Demetriou or
McLachlan in the 3AW interview. I cant recall Hird ever saying he hated Fitzpatrick,
Demetriou or McLachlan. I cant believe Hird ever told you he hated them. If he did,
it would have been off-the-record. In one email from Hird that disgusted me, Hird
said he felt sorry for Demetriou.

2. Much to your shame, and the shame of your newspaper, and every journalist in
Melbourne, you have never put the AFL or Fitzpatrick, or Demetriou or McLachlans
behaviour under the microscope to ascertain whether the AFL ran a corrupt
investigation. You have never even questioned whether the AFL ripped off $2 million
dollars from Essendon. To my knowledge, your paper has never mentioned clause 7.4
of the AFLs anti-doping code; it has never mentioned Dr Reid self-reporting on 19
October 2011; and it has never mentioned the Essendon organisation structure nor
Hirds job description.

Item (Robinson) 4: We know who you are talking about when you said the AFL didnt want
the truth. We know how much it affected your family and especially your wife Tania, who was
attacked because she dared to speak her mind. We know your mum was hurting and still is.
We know youre angry because you believe the public was fed propaganda. And we know if
2

the Court of Arbitration for Sport finds the Bombers not guilty then you and others will
want to sue the pants off everyone. We know all that and more.
My Comment:
To be honest, I think you know bugger all. Last week you said Hird could be gone by 2pm
Monday. I dont believe anyone else in the world believed that crap. I could rattle off over 50
stories you were given you didnt write about. Im not sure you even know what your
responsibilities are as a journalist.
As a peace offering, lets assume that you do know everything you have listed in item 4. Why
dont you write about it? Im sure your readers would like the full story.
Item (Robinson) 5: But, James, life is too hard and too short to be weighed down by anger
and a feeling of injustice. When the time is right, Hird can take action against any
organisation or individual he cares to. But the time is not right now.
My Comment:
Once again, this is gutter journalism. You have no evidence that Hird is weighed down by
anger and a feeling of injustice. It is dishonest to imply that Hirds insipid comments on 3AW
were designed to seek justice or retribution.
Item (Robinson) 6: On Sunday on 3AW, Hird went on the attack. There are certainly some
people within the AFL industry that I have no time for who I think are ordinary individuals
and dont speak the truth, he said.
My Comment:
Hird went on the attack. This is more garbage. As stated previously, Hird could not have
given a more insipid answer. Boy, Id like to buy you at my price and sell you at your price.
You claim you know everything, please tell us know how Hird should have answered the
questions.
Item (Robinson) 7: Those comments might satisfy Hird in his fight for justice, but they dont
really help anyone else.
My Comment:
Now you are either treating us like idiots or you are taking the piss. Do you really think Hird
was fighting for justice when he said there are people in the AFL industry that I have no
time for. I should hope Hird has more ammunition than this when he begins his fight for
justice.
Item (Robinson) 8: And if they continue, the Essendon board might not have any alternative
other than to sack him. Hird doesnt want to be sacked, he wants to be a premiership coach.
My Comment:

1. I dont think a 15-year-old kid on work experience would make such a dumb
comment as this. Hird was asked a direct question and he gave the most insipid
response imaginable. If the board tried to roll Hird for similar comments, I suspect the
board would be rolled. Im a nobody but Im now a member of Essendon. Id be
pretty confident I could get the numbers to roll the board if they moved to sack Hird
because of these types of comments.

2. Your hypocrisy is mind-boggling. Last year you bullied Mark Thompson to say things
his lawyers advised him not to say. This year you have bullied him to make comments
about Hird he shouldnt make. And now you imply Hird shouldnt answer questions
from other journalists or he should lie.
Item (Robinson) 9: Ones anger cannot be more dominant than ones joy and you have the
feeling Hird wrestles with those two powerful emotions daily.
My Comment:
Your last couple of columns, which attacked Hird, suggest you have a lot to learn about
journalism, before you practice psychology. What are your qualifications that enable you to
talk about Hirds alleged anger and joy? You have no idea. Without betraying your doctor
patient confidentiality, could you please gives us a little insight into what Hird said last time
you had him on the couch?
Item (Robinson) 10: But he cant be coach and angry at the same time. Its one or the other.
Give up the anger, James. Life is too short.
My Comment:
I hope you changed hands at 99.

Mark, your last two columns about Hird were irresponsible. You have given the masses more
reason to dislike him. And you have given aid and comfort to officials who should be driven
out of the game.
Bruce Francis