Today's President's Lunch

[Cannibal]

First, I'd like to thank MargOz for drawing my name out for a ticket to today's President's lunch. I've been to a couple in the past when a bank to a company I was working for invited me along. I now have a perfect record of wins (3) when attending President's lunches!

Second, thanks to P4E who drew the other ticket and who graciously sent his elderly father along in his place. You're a gent, Cary, and your dad is a bloody terrific bloke. He's got lots of stories to tell and I hung on his every word. You really should sit him down and get him to talk about them into a tape recorder and then write a piece on his behalf about growing up in Collingwood with two Melbourne supporters for parents!

Third, thanks to a terrific bunch of ladies (four of 'em) from the Horsham Collingwood Supporters Club. Jeez, they're bloody mad! Ann must be the world's maddest, most exuberant, enthusiastic, one-eyed Collingwood barracker around. More about that later. I gave Sharon (also from WIB - Women in Black to the uninitiated) Nick's web address to get 'em to join in the on-line community that we have.

Anyways, on with the story..........

MargOz contacted me a couple of weeks ago and Bree sent the tickets in the mail. The accompanying letter stated 12:00 for pre-lunch drinkies but I thought I might arrive a tad earlier and get stuck in before the mob arrived. Foolish hopes. Bloody AFL staff happily let me into the carpark (carparking was included under the Dome in a special level for guests and I imagine it's where the players park their cars, too) and then kept everybody (there must have been a good couple of dozen even earlier arrivals than I with an eye on some early drinking, too!) waiting at a gate, would you believe?! Couldn't even get into a lift or up the stairs to the dining level.

When they finally opened the gate to entry, naturally enough, being on the upper parking level, the only TWO lifts were chockers, so everybody opted for a walk up a few levels of stairs. Finally arrived and had to check for my table. Another bloody queue! Get in, grab a glass of wine off a long line of smiling waiters and meander towards the table.

First sight was one of those "statue" types, dressed as a 1980's umpire, unblinking and surely no bloody sense of humour then. How mistaken can you be?! Walk towards her (yep, despite the makeup and painted "mo", unmistakeably a sheila!) and wink. Struth, she crosses her arms and points me back outside. Sent off already! When did that bloody rule come in, sez I? Get a wink back and all's well.

Table 1 is already occupied by four ladies, of a certain age, shall we say? I'm a gentleman, after all. Six unoccupied seats, so move to the left of one of them and introduce myself, and find I've got four ladies from the Horsham Collingwood Supporters Club. Good-oh, from just down the road. Conversation starts on that and never stops for the rest of the arvo.

P4E's dad, whom I'm expecting, arrives next and I've been looking forward to meeting him after P4E's "introduction" by way of pm. Tell him whio I am and where I know his son from and then he's off! By the time entree arrives, I know his life story. Including that about having two Melbourne-supporting parents. How did you manage with that at school, I ask? Never took any notice, he replies! On yer, Bob.

In the meantime, the remaining four guests turn up. Forgive me, people, but I didn't hear your names properly when we spoke and I've got a lousy memory for names, so if any of you read this, pop us a pm and I'll add your names.

Drinks were white wine, red wine, beer and spirits (from the bar). Sharon from Horsham upsets me by ordering a Scotch and coke (oi, I say, I'm Scottish, you can't drink that!) and she enjoys every drop. I give up. Women!

Entree is rigatoni in a veal ragout. Not enough salt used in cooking the pasta. Bucket loads added at the table!

The main is lamb shanks on gnocchi. Clearly, there's an Italian in the kitchen! I thought Collingwood was Greek?!

In the middle of lunch, the "umpires" return to stands in the main foyer and proceed with a choreographed routine. Having imbibed a few white wines, I decide to join in from my chair. So, it's a lean to the left and arms out straight, it's a lean to the right and arms out straight.... Whoops, they went left again and I'm copping a wagged finger and shaken head from the nearest umpire! Start again. It's a lean to the left and arms out straight and it's a lean to the right and I'm away! Keeping in time, well close enough! Then, we lean to the right and we roll our arms. Got it! And a nod of approval from the ump. BOG today, I reckon. And away again and I keep more or less in synch with the umpies. Mutual applause at the end.

Anyway, after mucnhing our way through entree and main, it's time for the speeches. The MC opens up proceedings, Guy McKenna has a bit to say but the mics get turned the wrong way and we can hardly hear a word he says. Then Eddie turns up and has a bit to say and introduces a few past champions in the audience - Lou Richards is there, as is "Thommo".

The, as the teams run on to the field, dessert and coffee turns up. Good timing. Too many wines by now and I've got a car to drive at the end of the day, so maybe stop. The girls grab the chocolate mousses (mice?) and grin at the poor blokes who have to cop their leftovers. Grab a lovely lemon tart, though, and a strong coffee and I'm apples.

Then, it's out for the start of the first half. It's pretty much even stevens but the 'Pies have a good second quarter and look good for the win. Ann from Horsham is VERY enthusiastically cheering everu Collingwood goal, so much so she almost lands in the laps of the two blokes in the seats in front of her! Methinks they wouldn't object if she did!

At halftime, it's back inside for the halftime munchies - party pies, sausage rolls and fruit scones with jam and cream - and some more coffee. No need to mention which plate the girls got stuck into, eh?!

And sooner than you can yell Rocccaaaaa!, it's time for the second half. The third quarter seems even stevens again but the last quarter sees Collingwood steamrolling to a magnificent win. Ann stays inside but comes back out close to the end (just after Rocca gives away that reversal as Dids marches to the square after getting a 50m penalty) and we're all dancing, singing, clapping as the theme song is played over and over again.

I was watching the game so closely, I never even saw the Gold Jacket come out. Sorry, Joffa mate!

Bob is going to leave straight away, so shake hands and wish him well (he's a good bloke, Cary, look after him mate!). Inside, the staff are clearing up but the bar is open and serving away. Bugger it, that was a great win, so I'll have one more drink while waiting for the traffic to clear.

The girls are staying at the Travelodge, I'm at the Crown Promenade but have a sore back (it was so sore this morning, I wasn't sure I'd even make the game), so will take the night off. But I brought my laptop with me, so can read what my fellow Nicksters are posting. It's good stuff.

It's been a terrific day, so I'm opting for a quiet night.

[Proud Pies]

Glad you had a fantastic day Cannibal, I must say I was crossing my fingers, toes, eyes and everything else hoping that I got a winning ticket in that raffle. I am just soooo jealous!

I'm a member of Women in Black and they certainly have been informed about Nick's, after all, Magpies.net hosts their site (yes, i know, it still needs more information and more work)

http://womeninblack.magpies.net/

[rumple]

Thommo was the Qld Magpies representative, and from all accounts had a great time.

[P4E]

Thank you MargOz for the Presidents Lunch ticket and thank you Cannibal for taking care of my father - he had a great time!

In fact three generations of our family (and thus Collingwood supporters) were at the game today - with my father enjoying the Presidents Lunch, I used my fathers reserved ticket to take my 3 year old son to his first game. And what a game, especially as he got to sing the song loud and proud with 25,000+ Magpie faithful. My 3 year old loved "The Magpies" (the chaps dressed up in big Magpie suits), the siren (as we all did at the end) and the "roar" of the crowd. Ahhhh, its the simple things in life that are the best. A very special day indeed and you never know it could be the start of something special, I know it was for my son.

[Vincenzo]

Great Post, Cannibal. We share a bit...a sore back and Scottish ?
Did Eddie have anything of interest to say ?
Vincenzo

[i_luv_licca]

The Pres Lunch was so so sooooooo good! Good food, great company, lots of fun! A fantastic day :)

Ed really just went on for like 10 mins about all the sponsors who were there... 600 people in the room haha

[HAL]

What do you really want to ask me?

[Cam]

a good read cannibal, they breed em wild over horsham way

[stui magpie]

Great post cannibal and glad someone won the tickets who thoroughly enjoyed them.

I too have stories about presidents lunches but I don't think they'recovered by the statute of limititations.

Re the scotch, I'm mixed breed british by ancestory, 4+ generations ago. Bits of english, scots, irish, welsh.

One practice I've always observed with spirits, if you can't drink it straight up at room temperature (20 c) then don't drink it at all.

That practice caused me to have some sad next mornings after imbibing on the southern back in the '80's.

[MargOZ]

Fantastic post Cannibal. Great to hear you had such an enjoyable day which was topped off by an even better win!

And P4E, your Dad sounds like a top bloke - glad he also got to enjoy the day and lunch. And taking your 3 year old to his first match would have been a huge highlight I'm sure.

Sounds like a great day all round!

Marg