Ill never forget the first time I spoke to Max Walker, because I felt like I was in a 12th Man sketch.It was May 2007, and I was working on a feature on Australian Test cricketers who had also played AFL football. It was not the kind of story that needed interviews, but it did require illustration. Max was one of the most recent players to have achieved the double, and he had his own website with a photo gallery.So one Friday afternoon I filled in the contact form, politely asking permission to use one of his photos, expecting an email reply from whoever managed Maxs website, hopefully granting permission to use the photo. The weekend came and went, and by Monday morning my attention was on other work, and I had temporarily forgotten about the feature. Until my phone rang.A distinctive voice said: Hello Brydon, its Max Walker here.For years, Id had a running in-joke with one of my cricket-loving mates to answer phone calls in the style of Billy Birmingham. Hheeeello, Max Walker, wed say. To which the caller, mimicking the Wired World of Sports II script, would reply: Max, its Richie Benaud.The next line from that sketch - Yeah, bullshit, who is it? - was pretty much what I felt like saying myself. I had been with Cricinfo, as it was then, barely six months, and by cricket media standards was a complete nobody. But remembering my email from a few days earlier, I twigged that Max Walker really had dialled my number.Instantly he put me at ease. Sure, I could use the photo, but Max just wanted to talk footy. How the legendary coach Norm Smith had come to Tasmania to sign him, how he moved to Melbourne for football first, architecture second, and cricket third, but eventually realised he had to let one of his passions go and gave up football. He tried to name as many others as he could who had achieved the football-cricket double. He mentally filed away a couple of names I gave him that he didnt know.And then - 12th Man fans will appreciate this moment of life imitating art imitating life - he asked me if I had a copy of his new book. I kid you not. In Wired World of Sports II, Richie Benaud replies to the same question tersely: Of course I havent. Despite Richies protests, Max insists on sending him a copy anyway. I was much more polite, and was grateful when a week later a parcel arrived in the post - a copy of Caps, Hats and Helmets, along with a signed note thanking me for my interest.I made a mental note to ring Max back one day for a wider interview, and four years later I finally got around to it. He was open to speaking about anything. How the touring lifestyle of a Test cricketer led to the breakdown of his first marriage. How he and his mother struggled with the death of his sister Lexie, at just 38, and how the humour of the 12th Man parodies helped his mother through the grief.Notably, he was forward thinking. He wondered out loud if Test cricket was in danger of being killed off, and suggested reducing it to four days, with some of the match played at night. And unlike many ex-cricketers who believe that your opinion only matters if you have a Test cap, he suggested that the Argus Review (ongoing at the time) needed more insight from non-cricketers. Theres a tendency to think, hes a legend, and hes a legend, so they ought to know. But thats not necessarily the case in life, he said.Poignantly, he also spoke of how for more than four decades his life had been centred around the MCG. While a student of architecture, he also worked as an apprentice painting the MCG seats, and at one stage operated the old scoreboard that has now been moved to Manuka Oval in Canberra. I go to the MCG so much even these days, to speak at conferences or launches, he said. Its great to be able to look out the window and unlock a filing cabinet of memories.He always had a way with words, hence his success as an after-dinner speaker and author of anecdotes. But as an architect and avid photographer, he also had an eye for the visual. After our interview in the café of the RACV Club in central Melbourne, I asked if I could take a photo to go with the story. Walker remains the only subject I have ever photographed who set up the framing himself. He wanted something distinctly Melbourne, so we set up on the tram tracks as a tram went by.And then he decided to have a bit of fun. How about I give you a bit of the old bowling action? he said, duly posing with the fingers upright in correct seam position. Or a bit of hoooowzaaaat? Crappy photographer that I am, I didnt manage to get these action shots in focus, so I didnt use them for the interview. All the same, they capture the sense of fun that was such a clear feature of Maxs personality. He was not only willing to poke fun at himself, he actively wanted to.I feel greatly privileged to have had my moments with Max Walker. I know Im not alone. Especially remarkable was this reader comment published on News Ltds online story of his passing on Tuesday:As an 11 year old seeking autographs after a World Series game at VFL Park my brother and a couple of mates missed the last bus to the station (we lived in Altona!) Max Walker gave us a lift to Glen Waverley station in his Statesman. We could not believe it, have never forgotten how great and friendly he was. The memories outweigh any punishment received when we got home after midnight. RIP Tangles and thanks again.Always putting people at ease, was Big Max. Discount NFL Jerseys . 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In what the team had called a retirement, Ryan said Thursday that he is resigning as chief executive of the Rangers in a move effective at the end of this month. NEW YORK -- Jessica Mendoza dissected Kyle Schwarbers swing in the World Series and took a brief break from Twitter during her historic first full season covering baseball for ESPN.Mendoza recently shuttled between Cleveland and Chicago for the Fall Classic, giving updates eight times a day for Baseball Tonight and Sports Center.She shared the booth this season on Sunday Night Baseball with Dan Shulman and Aaron Boone, a former player who moved up from Monday night games.Shes as good as anyone Ive ever met at getting in the clubhouse or around the cage and getting information out of players, coaches and managers, Shulman said.Mendoza replaced Curt Schilling last fall, becoming the first woman to call a nationally televised postseason game. The Saturday night dinners the trio shared during the 2016 season helped develop chemistry in the booth.I dont think it took long for us to feel comfortable, whether it was jabbing at each other or talking baseball, Mendoza said.Here are a few things to know about the 35-year-old Stanford graduate who batted .416 during her career, earned Olympic gold and silver medals and spent nine years covering college sports and softball for ESPN:BOOTHMATESHearing former MLB player John Kruk alongside her announcing the Womens College World Series made Mendoza realize how knowledge of one sport could translate to the other.Shulman called Mendozas work ethic and preparation for baseball games off the charts and said she has a great ability to break down a hitters swing.The Cubs Schwarber not only rocketed hits to the outfield after missing most of the season with a knee injury, but his walk in Game 1 against Andrew Miller with a runner on base and no outs in the seventh inning impressed Mendoza as the best at-bat of the game. It was the second walk Miller gave up to a left-handed hitter all season.Schwarber has an eye and a feel, hell have a feel for what a pitcher is going to throw and recognize when he doesnt, Mendoza said. You dont really see him sell out on a pitch and completely miss it. He misses, but its not like hes completely fooled.ARRIETA SPLITSMendoza worked out with Chicago pitcher Jake Arrieta on a Pilates machine for an ESPN segment ahead of Game 6. In her debut on Sunday Night Baseball last fall, Arrieta threw a no-hitter against the Los Angeles Dodgers. She noticed how fresh he seemed coming out for the eighth inning and wondered about his workout regimen. Arrieta showed off his flexibility during the interview, doing the splits and handstands while crediting Pilates for strengthening his hips, shoulders and back.WORK BALANCEMendoza has two sons under 10 and an ex-Marine husband who handles the parenting duties when shes away from their California home on tthe weekends.ddddddddddddShe leaves Friday, has dinner with her boothmates on Saturday, announces the game on Sunday night and returns Monday. In between, shes a Sabermetrics wonk, gathering stats, watching video and interviewing players.Part of what makes this job really cool is that its not just 9-to-5, Mendoza said. Theres something challenging about it that I really enjoy. Hone in on some really cool stuff. Talk to players, get to know managers and just have that ability to go 30 games.Mendoza said its about finding a balance that works and being OK when its not balanced.UNSOCIAL MEDIA:She took a two-month break from Twitter during the season because of negative tweets. Some critics focused on her gender rather than the specifics of her commentary.Mendoza understands with change comes resistance.Theres always just a big reaction. People either feel really great about it, `Sweet, theres a woman on, this is so cool. I love your different analysis, Mendoza said, or this completely, I mean, extreme negativity. Its never just the middle, `Yeah, shes OK.Last month, a Houston Astros minor league player tweeted that No lady needs to be on espn talking during a baseball game specially Mendoza sorry. Brooks Marlow, a 23-year-old for the Lancaster JetHawks with a .233 career batting average, quickly apologized, along with the Astros.I have a hard time that someone who doesnt know me could dislike me so much based on my gender or my position, Mendoza said of the criticism in general. It was more of a disappointment in human nature. I look forward -- and were a ways from that -- to where it becomes genderless.MENTORSMendoza focuses on the opinions of her boss and colleagues and watches tape of her performances. She recently had a conversation with ESPN president John Skipper, who said he was glad she leaned in and expressed an interest in covering baseball.Mendoza appreciates the talents of tennis and Olympics broadcaster Mary Carillo, NBA analyst Doris Burke and enjoys lunches with barrier-breaker Billie Jean King. She learns just by watching King, who Mendoza recalled made them late for a White House event because the tennis great stopped to talk to a security guard and thank him for his service.King calls Mendoza a true professional who is striving to improve her craft while carrying the burden of the first.When women are doing things in the traditional mens arena, we get more attention, King said. Your skin has to be a little thicker, your work just a little stronger.King said gender equality is a work-in-progress, and Mendoza joins others working hard to help us get there. China NFL Jerseys White Wholesale Jerseys 2019 Cheap NFL Jerseys Throwback Wholesale NFL Hoodies Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys Wholesale NFL Camo Jerseys Wholesale Stitched Jerseys Wholesale NFL T-shirts Disocunt Football Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping Youth NFL Jerseys Cheap Wholesale Jerseys 2020 Wholesale NFL T-shirts Wholesale Jerseys 2018 Black China NFL Jerseys ' ' '