Thanks Camel for that Youtube clip; you've now completely ruined my childhood image of the great man. Glad they didnt show that one on Melbourne television! As a moderator please put a ban on that ever entering the Blueseum.

I have a couple of Kouta stories as well that really speaks volumes about the man (and his lovely wife)

1. The Sunday morning at Princes Park, the day after the 1999GF (and only one week after THAT game, where Kouta played the final quarter from heaven - is there a goosebumps emoticon?). No one was hugely disappointed, given the great deeds of the previous week, and the reality that were we were probably not premiership material. Kouta was seated in the Robert Heatley stand signing autographs etc, with a long line of people (including me and my then 6 year old son) waiting to meet him. It was probably the last place he wanted to be after a GF loss. The rest of the players were up in the bar in the Social Club overlooking the Heatley stand, gesticulating for him to come up and join them and bagging him about being stuck signing autographs. I remember Scott Camporeale in particular laughing at him. (Kouta said that they had a roster and several of them were supposed to be helping him out. None did, David Parkin aside) Anyway he was patient, charming, lovely with the children, and sat there for 2 hours until everyone in the line had seen him. I still remember my son's face when he had his photo taken with him (I flashed back to 1968...).

2. Flash forward to 2009, ten years later. I was walking through the Emergency Department at the Royal Children's Hospital where I work and noticed that a Koutoufides was waiting to be seen (one of his kids obviously). They had been waiting patiently for nearly 3 hours, not unusual. I pulled rank on the junior staff, said that Id see this patient, and called them in. Celebrities arent used to be kept waiting (believe me there are many celebs that come to RCH and almost all want special treatment), but Kouta and his wife were completely unaffected and apologised to ME! "We're sorry to trouble you we know you are so busy". Even though they had a sick child they were worried about!. I've since seen his kids several times in my rooms at RCH and my reception staff always comment how lovely his wife is, how she never asks for anything special, how she and her husband are completely unaffected by their lives in the spotlight.

On the surface these are small things, but its these small things that mark a man and have a big impact on kids

Please dont post any youtube Gladiator clips, it'll ruin this fantasy as well

Many thanks for sharing your Jezza and Kouta stories, RickJ- absolutely fantastic! (No pun intended!) I've got a couple of stories, both about Kouta and the great man, Jimmy Buckley. Incidentially, I ran into another fave of mine, Glenn Archer as I was doing the banking- he was looking at some vacant property out in Doncaster Rd. Anyway, I digress- I agree with you RickJ, about Kouta- an unaffected and genuine gentleman. I was at Tullamarine dropping off my sister for a flight to Perth in 2006 (just before that memorable game when we were overrun after holding a 7 goal lead during the 3rd 1/4 against the eventual premiers) and I saw the Blues' team in the departure lounge. As they left to embark on the plane, I saw Kouta pass me and I mumbled, "Have a great game- go Blues". He acknowledged me and said, "Thanks mate!" I saw him again at last year's B&F dinner when we were sitting at the same table; never a more charming and friendly person to have a chat to. His wife was lovely too; she sat patiently as Kouta and I chewed the fat. An hour later, Jimmy B came over to our table and sat next to me; talk about going weak at the knees!!! A player whom I idolised when growing up; like Kouta, very friendly and a pleasure to listen to. In fact, the whole night was a real highlight- I know many of you have mixed feelings about Ian Coutts and his role as communications manager- on this night, he was brilliant and made me and my brother feel really at home and asked us how we both got into Carlton, etc....

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Be positive to all those @ TC- the wait is almost over!

What would have happened if you had called him WOZZA

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"Get ready, Teddy - you're on": Ron Barassi half time 1970 Grand Final

Yeah I'll add to the Kouta sentiments. I came across him in Myer in Melbourne in 2007, just after he had retired. The blues were playing in Melbourne and it was about 1pm, and we were on our way to the game.

A bloke on the pa system said that Kouta and some Rugby League bloke were upstairs in the cooking department showing off some sort of new kitchen product. My pal and I shot up there and said hello to the great man, and he was really fantastic to talk to. Mentioned his retirement and said how he'd love to be out there still, we explained how we were from interstate and had checked out the Blues at training and he asked us how it went. Took a photo and was totally embarrassed as I was wearing my home-made t-shirt (a friend made it for me as a present) which had KOUTA and 43 painted on the back of it. Truly a great bloke.

Conversely went to a book signing by SOS in the early 2000's and he clearly wanted to be somewhere else. Didn't even look up when he signed my copy of The Blue Boys. Pretty disappointing in comparison.

These blokes must get hassled a fair bit by us fans so full credit to them when they take the time to say hello.

My SIL is a mad Filth supporter and she was working at Angus & Robertson at the time that Kouta released his book.

It killed her to realise how lovely he was but she attributed that to him barracking for the Filth as a kid.

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“It is a state of mind, a system of belief, a way of seeing the world, a deep faith that, because you are Carlton, you belong to something great.” - Mike Fitzpatrick articulating what Out of the Blue means.

Not Carlton related...well, maybe a little, but I went to the 1999 North Melbourne Premiership Reunion in September last year and met the following people: Glenn Archer, Wayne Carey, John Longmire, John Blakey, Peter Bell, Martin Pike, David King and Denis Pagan. They were all quite good.

However, the standouts were Archer (truly a great bloke), I shared a laugh or two with Pagan, David King and John Blakey were great aswell. Got photos taken with all I have mentioned (spewin I couldn't find Winnie anywhere), and took along a pre-printed picture of Archer and got him to sign it. It is on display in my room. I have to admit to being weak at the knees when in the proximity of Archer, but his genuine personality is one of absolute gold.

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Premierships: 1869, 1871, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1877, 1887, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1914, 1915, 1938, 1945, 1947, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1995.

"GIBBS."

You went to the reunion of the premiership team that knocked us over?

Gee, I don't think I'd be able to stomach that, personally.

Well to be honest, I didn't pay a cent for the tickets to it. Somebody bought me a Grand Final tickets package (don't ask why, the story is way too long), they bought it through North Melbourne and included in the package was this particular function.

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Premierships: 1869, 1871, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1877, 1887, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1914, 1915, 1938, 1945, 1947, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1995.

"GIBBS."

OK, mine happened when I was a young kid. I got to Arden Street early to watch the ressies before the game, and was standing on the terraces on the wing.

When I got there, I thought "bloody hell, those blokes in front of me are pretty big... maybe we'll have to find a better spot so I can see something".

After a few seconds, I realised that pretty much the entire senior team was standing in front of me, watching the first half of the reserves.

I got out the autograph book and pen, gave it to the guy in front of me, and they pretty much passed it on down the line until they'd all signed it. Pretty much filled the book in two minutes flat.

And then after half-time, they left, and I had my view back!

Other than that... sat next to Andy McKay on a plane once. Seemed a nice bloke; very polite. But if I see any of these guys in public, there's no way I'd hassle them. I'd probably make an exception for Ken Hunter though - my favourite ever carlton player. Met his wife once: lovely.

I see Riewoldt out heaps, in Melbourne's nicer restaurants. Doesn't strike me as the booze cruise kinda guy. More a cheeky glass of pinot grigio, chilled just a little more than strictly necessary.

Nice to see Dr RickJ posting again and that lunch would have been along the lines of having a meal with Don Bradman such is the reverance that Jezza is held in by Blues fans..great story..

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"When you have the attitude of a champion, you see adversity as your
training partner."
- Conor Gillen

Nah, he could just smell Glenelg

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I worked under Hassa when he was running one of the sporting teams in Australia. Really very nice guy.

Btw - thanks Rick. That's awesome. Happy belated Birthday!

Sheeds was impressive. More than once after Essendon* games we'd hang around to see a few of the Blues post game as they were leaving (back when my cousin was in the lineup) - my mother and I weren't anyone special (most people didn't even know that my cousin played, nor would they have cared) but following the first time where Mum gave him a piece of her mind if he saw us as he was leaving he'd stop and say hello.

Mum couldn't trash him half as bad after that. He is impressive for all of his obvious faults.

my greatest childhood memory is of meeting Jezza when i was a 10 year old (back in 1975) and getting his autograph. i felt like i was in the presence of a God. i still have that autograph. And i cried the day he joined the Saints... but he's still my favourite Blue ever.

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i don't wanna spend my life explaining myself. Either you get it, or you don't- Frank Zappa

That reminds me, many moons ago I was working for CUB in Bouverie St. One Monday morning I was at the Abbotsford brewery talking to a colleague, when Terry Waters a chemist at CUB,and Collingwood captain walked past. My mate was an avid magpie fan, and said to Waters, ''Great game on Saturday Terry''.

Waters stopped, walked back and said ''That's Mr Waters to you". I cracked up, which didn't make me popular with ''Mr Waters'' either. My mate hated him as only a collingwood fan can from then on.

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The problem with Socialism is, you eventually run out of other people's money.

I'm not surprised, Murray, you weren't popular with Mr. Waters- what did you expect?!! Giving a bloke the brown eye......

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Be positive to all those @ TC- the wait is almost over!

That is a !@#$%& classic

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When you're a Jet you're a Jet all the way!

I Just Met the MAN!

ThE man at the hospital today

My foot's three times it size and in walks a Blue.

When I was a kid my folks moved us to a non English speaking country and we all used to hang out at a private "country club" that basically had pools,b/ball cts and a cafe.

They became friends with a nice American man with a mo.

Thank-you Mark Spitz for teaching me to swim.