Hey Gai

Happy Easter and all that. How’s my Easter? Good actually. A lot of Haigh’s chocolate, hot cross buns etc.

The reason I’m writing though is I read your comments in this morning’s media and I immediately thought three things.

1. I have to respond to this;
2. Great move by you to water down the ‘mummy boy’ image Tom has; and
3. Who’s been into the sherry?

Let’s run through your comments one by one and I’ll point out a few things your PR person should have.

“They should stop criticising – all they can ever do, the Greenies and all the rest of them.”

A bit vague Gai but a good start. Who likes Greenies? No one. I’m personally suspicious of anyone who believes in anything. And ‘the rest of them?’ They are the worst.

Let’s see if you can fill out the justification for why they should stop criticising.

“Bugger the criticism. They want to kill every industry in Australia and then they wonder why they are going belly up. I tell you one thing, he is out there working his butt off. If everyone worked as hard as my son Tom we’d have a much better society in Australia.”

Good strong stuff. Love the use of ‘bugger’: real ‘Aussie battler’ stuff. By ‘they’, I imagine you’re still referring to ‘the Greenies’ but you could also mean that anyone who criticises Tom wants to destroy every single industry in Australia.

Not sure what is going ‘belly up’ as Australia seems to be out performing the rest of the world economically. That said, maybe that’s down to Tom working so hard.

Here I was thinking the hard work of all Australians and the fact we have a massive amount of natural resources was the thing. Turns out, it’s Tom.

Would we have a much better society if everyone worked as hard as Tom or would we have a much better society if we had a lot less of Tom?

“They have got the freedom of choice of turning their television off.”

Gai, you’ve possibly lost me here. The powerful logic in your earlier arguments seems to have slowed.

Are we supposed to just turn off the TV and not watch League? Do you want a riot on your hands?

What would we do if we were not watching sport? Read books? Take in theatre? Better ourselves? No thank you.

It is every Australian’s birthright to watch sport. I’m pretty confident it’s in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

What you’ve suggested, dare I say this, is UNAUSTRALIAN. This is the worst thing you can ever be.

“He is not a pseudo commentator, first of all, he does a lot of research into it. Secondly, he has been passionate about sport since the year dot. But, thirdly, they don’t have to pick up the phone to have a bet. They don’t have to pick up a cigarette and smoke it. They don’t have to do anything.”

A lot to tackle here Gai. I’m guessing the sherry was getting a real workout during this interview.

Firstly, agree he’s not a pseudo commentator. This would be giving him too much praise. Let’s agree he’s not a commentator at all. Probably best not to mention he does lots of research. It just makes you wonder why he’s so bad then.

Secondly, last time I checked being interested in something since the ‘year dot’ is not a big selling point in any situation.

Imagine being in a job interview and they ask you what qualifications you have to be an airline pilot and you say ‘Well, I’ve been into planes since the year dot.’

Thirdly, Damn straight Gai. They don’t have to pick up the phone and have a bet. You can do it through apps and iPads and all kinds of gadgets the kids are into.

They also don’t have to smoke. They don’t have to paint a horse to pass it off in a race as another horse as part of a betting scam. It’s called character Gai; let’s you and I be the first to throw stones.

“People have got intelligence and make up their minds. There are plenty of firms out there sponsoring the sport that are selling to the public. But because Tom is a name and we know the name you can criticise it, and that is the problem with the senator.”

Whoa. Just whoa. Let’s be very clear Gai, not everyone has intelligence. I saw an episode of The Shire.

I know the rest of your point is meant to be a defence of Tom but it’s actually the point against him.

See, Tom has painted a big old target on himself by basing a brand around him, saturating the broadcasts and then inserting himself into the commentary team.

He’s made this about him and less so about betting. Much of the groundswell is against Tom, gambling is a secondary issue in this case with many people divided on sports and gambling. Tom unites these groups in not liking him.

It seems Gai, that people have made up their own minds. Unfortunately, they’ve decided Tom has to go.

Anyway all the best, enjoy the sherry.