Not long ago I turned 50. One foot in the grave and definitely depressing. Unbeknown to me, my wife, not a football fan, but aware of my obsessions, set about arranging something memorable: lunch with the great Alex Jesaulenko!

She enlisted the help of her brother Robert, but they had few ideas about where to start. Going through the club led nowhere. My brother in law remembered that Jezza used to work for Visy. So he called the switchboard and after a moment the operator said "Just hold, I'll put you through". He couldn't believe his luck. Using all his charm Robert launched into a sales pitch about what they wanted, but after a minute or so he realised something wasn't quite right. The guy on the phone then said "I'm sorry I think you have the wrong person, this is Alex Debedenko (not his real name but something similar). Embarrassed, Robert was put back to the switchboard operator who apologised then said. Hang on, Mr Jesaulenko hasn't worked here for a few years, but I still have his mobile number, here it is!!

Totally oblivious, I was told to be at the Celtic Club at 1pm sharp. I assumed it had something to do with my father in law who was Irish. I raced through my clinic at the hospital and arrived 5 minutes late, but the place was deserted. Then I spotted two men in the far corner, and as I walked towards them I recognised the great man first then Robert and went weak at the knees. For the next hour I was pathetic. Awestruck like a child, I could barely put two words together, asking ridiculous and cliched inane questions "how'd you feel when you took that mark" (wince). However, Jezza was his charming and gentle self, had some photos taken with me and gave me some copies of personal football photos that he wrote on, now framed and in my office.

Two things I do remember about our conversation. First, that he didn't like the direction football was going. Not enough one on one contests. And second, and more concerning, that he rarely visited the club because he was rarely asked!!!. This shocked me. As Dr Sherrin and others have emphasised, one thing our club should have going for it is its rich tradition and history of success, which must be preserved and nurtured at all costs. Newcomers to the club should be inculcated in this history and given a sense of awe about what has come before. Including exposure to former greats and their deeds. And for me, before and after this lunch, the greatest of them was Alex Jesaulenko.

I dont know how much my wife paid him for my special occasion, but if you ever get a chance to do something like this for someone you love, do it, they will never ever forget it. But please dont go through the Visy switchboard! We probably got her into enough trouble already.

Thanks for sharing the news of your big day with us Rick.
Amazing at your age you went weak at the knees...very funny....still a kid at heart.

Jezza is a club favourite let alone a favourite son.

Great idea for the induction of new players to have all our legends invited to speak, meet and greet them.
In fact it's a must.

Not sure if Jezza is as easy to get to the club as he may have made out. Nevertheless, if he suggests he hasn't been invited and that's the reason he hasn't been back, then the solution sounds simple. I hope it is, and I hope it happens.

Jezzzzzaaaalenko you beauty.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Thanks for sharing this, Rick! Sounds like you had a great time, and I can completely understand the weak at the knees business. It's a moment where you just do not know what to say at all. Jezza's a great bloke for doing it aswell.

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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."

Good on you Rick

Last year our newcomers were presented their guerneys by a former player who gave a little spiel about what the guernsey represents ...there's a job for Jezza next year for our new #25 (Pianta..?)

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There's so much I could say...

My wife looked at me with astonishment (and with a little tongue in cheek) when I told her how I reacted to the Jezza Lunch. "What's the matter with you. I know you love him but he's a broken down old footballer and you're a middle aged professional man, what do you mean you could barely talk"

No doubt hero worship is a double edged sword. For children, it helps them engage with the game, gives them something to aspire to when they are kicking the football in the backyard, to mimic, to rehearse. I was only a kid when Jezza was at his sublime best, but I vividly remember the hair standing up on the back of my neck and the buzz of the crowd whenever he went near the ball at Princes Park. And who hasnt tried to take a Jezza speccy. (Apologies to younger posters on this forum). If he wasnt the best footballer Carlton ever had he was certainly the most electrifying, and being young, I was captivated by that. And remain so via the memories imprinted into my child and adolescent brain.

On the other hand hero-worship has its downside, both for the fan and the player. Kids get let down when their role-model (hate that word) takes an inevitable tumble. Players built up to be Gods start to think theyre invincible and that the normal rules of society dont apply. (for the life of me I cant think of any examples )

Clearly on balance we need heroes otherwise there'd be no romance or excitement in sport; what would be the point.

Jesaulenko you beauty you bet. Long live Jezza and our memories of him I hope the younger generation of CFC players and supporters are infused with the wonderful history of our club and its players. (Thanks to Blueseum on this forum for contributing to exactly that.)

Any other hero stories. Nicholls, Kernahan, Bradley, Williams, Koutoufides, Fevola, Judd ??

Awesome stuff Rick!

Reminds me of one of my most embarrassing moments in relation to football. Some years ago I was invited to a box at the G and arrived for the lunch. We introduced ourselves to the table and the gentleman opposite me introduced himself as Hassa Mann (please keep in mind that I have only lived in Oz since 1995) - my first question to him was "so, which club do you support".........

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TC suffers from the social media illness - the death of respect and constructive discourse by keyboard.

I hope the administration is reading this. Or do we have to spell it out for them?

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

Could be a great fund raiser for the club (split with the legend, of course).

My boss bought a lunch for 10 with Kevin Sheedy at Windy Hill at an auction for cancer research. It was one of the most interesting lunches I've been too. Sheedy was a class act who remembered everybody's name - and who they supported!!

He obviously did a lot of this sort of thing, but he was very impressive...

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"...that's the thing about opinion - you don't have to know anything to have one..." Andre Agassi commenting on Pat Cash 2004
"...the less you know - the more you believe..." - Bono 2006

Was seated next to Malcolm Blight during an Australian athletes testimonial on the Gold Coast a few years back and had a blast. One of the nicest, most insightful, intelligent gentleman I have met. As he is a chain smoker we spent much of the night with beer and smoke (him only) outside and missed half the speeches, but was a great night talking footy, golf, New York politics and the benefits of retirement in Port Douglas at the Blight mansion.

Thanks Rickj,

it is posts like that which make TC a great place to be!

My only chance at 'hero worship' was when I almost literally bumped into Ang Christou at 21C in downtown Manhattan last year. I was too shocked to even say G'day!!! That probably should bring about a thread of most unusual places where you have bumped into a Carlton footballer... but somehow I suspect the thread wouldn't turn out well.

What a cracking story, thanks for sharing Rick.

Did you ask him why he did this...

[youtube]_u89RfAJeb0[/youtube]

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Went to the Grand Opening of Kouta and Ang's Souvlaki Hut in Templestowe a couple of years back, and was in awe as I had my footy signed by Kouta and photo taken etc. I generally do not talk much when I come face to face with footy players to protect myself from making a tool of myself

Then just last year I ate at Souvlaki Hut again at night, and Kouta was clearing scraps and rubbish off tables, including my own. I didn't say anything, too shy!! Weak at the knees indeed!

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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."

Great thread Rick! I had the privilage of meeting our Pres and Assistant coach at a store opening in Bendigo a couple of years ago. Braddles was a little introverted however keen to talk footy and how things were going, after a while. Sticks on ther other hand was just a great bloke. We got talking about when he was playing and some of the characters he played with. He actually said he wished it was 5 o'clock and we were up the road having a couple of ales.
I didn't need any more after the night I had before....

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Stiffen the wombats!

Palm Cove and not Port Douglas - nice bloke yes but he also doesnt mind having a crack at younger married women.

Did he say whether he named his mansion Casa Del Sainters, after the suckers who paid it off for him?

I was at work (Adelaide Airport) a few weeks ago and saw Sticks. Ran over to him in a mad state of childish fervour, but found myself pretty relaxed when I made my approach. Got him to sign my Glenelg Membership card which was in my wallet, and we had a chat for a few minutes about the Bays & the Blues.

One bloke who I cannot help getting nervous everytime I say hello to is Peter "Super" Carey. A Glenelg & SANFL legend, and a member of the AFL hall of fame. Played a massive 448 games for the Bays. Always at Glenelg games, and will always have a chat. I feel like a little school kid whenever I say hello, which is just stupid, as he is one of the nicest football blokes I've spoken to. Glenelg games are great as there is always a good showing of club legends like Ross Gibbs, Super, Nick Chigwidden, Cornesy, Chris McDermott, Tony Symonds, Scott Salisbury etc.

A former work mate of mine was best mates with Warren Tredrea. Was out having a few beers with him, and Tredders popped into the pub. Was introduced and I said "Nice to meet ya Tredders", his reply was "Call me Warren" Whatta @#$%&! tool......

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Go to http://www.snoutslouts.org/ for a look at the mighty GFC...

Malcolm and Patsy own a few places up there...2 in Palm Cove, one in Port Douglas and a little shack on the beach in Newell. A couple of them you can rent out at certain times of the year. I've no doubt there's a soft spot for the Sainters...the club he was hired supposedly to change a culture of under-achievement on the field and over-indulgence off it. Clearly, the club didn't like what he had to say. Wonder what he'd say about our mob?

LOL Man that is just way too funny, you could just imagine Tredrea saying that too what a nob!!

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