Allan Jeans' 'Pay the Price' — most popular podcast episode

Episode 2 of the podcast has 5000+ downloads and is the most popular episode so far. It's about footy coach Allan Jeans and his 1989 Grand Final speech about a boy and his shoes.

For several years I’ve been writing a biography of VFL/AFL giant, Allan Jeans, whose life as a player and coach spans much of the second half of the twentieth century. It’s sometimes felt like I’m writing a history of footy.

My previous book was ‘1989 The Great Grand Final’, and I did high definition audio interviews with Hawthorn and Geelong players. I’ve thought of making a podcast series with the audio, along the lines of this documentary I made for the Speakola podcast back in 2020. This is just the doco part of the episode:

Interviewees included Dermott Brereton, Gary Ayres, Robert DiPierdomenico, Dean Anderson, Peter Schwab, Chris Wittman, John Kennedy Jr and Chris Langford.

Paid subscribers can read transcript below.

I had my first mindblowing AI moment this week when I put this audio through the transcript maker (Rev.com), which does a reasonable job, but then it asked me if I wanted a summary, and this was just mind blowing. I haven’t changed a letter:

In the second episode of the Speak Ola Podcast, host Tony Wilson discusses the famous "pay the price" speech given by Australian Football Hall of Fame inducted coach, Alan Jeans, during halftime in the 1989 Grand Final. Jeans, who had a successful coaching career spanning 31 years, was known for his charismatic and powerful speeches. The "pay the price" speech, which used the metaphor of a boy buying a pair of shoes, was remembered by many players for its motivational impact. Despite the physical challenges the team faced during the game, Jeans' speech helped them regain their focus and determination. The episode also includes reflections from players who worked with Jeans, highlighting his influence and the respect he commanded.

Thank you AI overlord. I look forward to my enslavement down the track.

1989: The Great Grand Final is out of stock, despite it being Fathers Day and finals time, which is quite depressing. There will be copies available soon(ish), whether I print them myself or whether it’s Hardie Grant. If you think you’d like to buy a copy for $35 plus postage, email me your name. If you’d pay $45 for one signed by Dermott, let me know.

Tony (00:00):

Hello, that is me, Tony Wilson, and welcome to the second episode of the Speakola podcast.