Written on Saturday, 10 July 2010 10:01
It's Monday September 27, two days after the 2010 Grand Final. Fox Sports, in conjunction with Crocmedia, airs the Australian version of The Decision, with Gary Ablett Jr in the LeBron James role.
Here's how it all breaks down:
7:29 pm - Ryan Phelan wraps up another edition of Rolling The Ball Backwards With Your Feet.
7:30 - Opening montage featuring footage of Gary Ablett Sr and Jr, with a stirring voiceover by Samuel Johnson.
7:32 - Seven minutes of sponsorship billboards.
7:39 - Liam Pickering puts on his "broadcaster's hat" and explains tonight's proceedings.
7:41 - Gerard Whateley hosts a roundtable discussion with Danny Frawley, David Parkin, Wayne Schwass, Jason Dunstall, Matthew Campbell, Brian Taylor Glen Jakovich, Leigh Colbert, James Hird, Mike Sheahan and Gerard Healy. The table is officially the largest ever used on Australian television.
7:48 - Live cross to Warwick Capper who makes stupid jokes about the Gold Coast.
7:50 - Live cross to LeBron James who says he has "absolutely no idea" who Gary Ablett Jr is.
7:55 - Pickering takes off his "broadcaster's hat" and puts on his "manager's hat." He explains that Gary Jr has finally made a decision and will announce it after the break.
7:58 - Commercial break. Promo for upcoming Superbikes race that's a bit about motorcycles and a lot about Jessica Yates' cleavage.
8:00 - Back to The Decision. Another montage, this one with scenes of high-rises and surfers on the Gold Coast intercut with 7-11's and K-Marts in Geelong.
8:02 - Pickering takes off his "manager's hat," puts on his "former player's hat" and talks about the history of Geelong and how much the city means to the Ablett family.
8:07 - Live cross to pub in Geelong where a packed house holds up signs, and chants "We Love Gary, We Love Gary."
8:09 - Live cross to wine bar on the Gold Coast where no one's really sure why the camera is there.
8:11 - Pickering takes off his "former player's hat," puts on his "broadcaster's hat" and announces that Gary Jr's announcement will be handled by Craig Hutchison.
8:12 - "Hutchy" thanks "Pickers," then explains that in actuality, Damien Barrett will be handling the interview.
8:15 - Barrett throws to "exclusive" vision of Bomber Thompson talking about how much the Cats want Ablett to stay.
8:16 - Shaky, grainy camera footage shows a student journalist chasing Thompson down the street. You can barely hear Thompson saying "No comment."
8:19 - Pickering takes off his "broadcaster's hat" and puts on his "manager's hat." Barrett asks Pickering if Ablett is ready to announce his decision. Pickering says "Yes."
8:20 - Gary Ablett Jr joins Barrett and Pickering at the desk.
8:21 - Following the lead of stellar American journalist Jim Gray, Barrett asks Ablett questions like "How's it going?" and "What have you been up to?"
8:23 - Ablett says it's been a very difficult decision. He's consulted with his father, Pickering, his mates and the dial-a-horoscope in the Herald Sun classifieds.
8:25 - Ablett announces that he'll be playing for the Gold Coast.
8:26 - Ablett says a big factor is the just-passed AFL rule that will allow the Gold Coast to take Chris Judd from Carlton and Buddy Franklin from Hawthorn.
8:27 - Live cross to Geelong where the pub is being trashed.
8:28 - Pickering takes off his "manager's hat" and puts on his "laughing all the way to the bank" hat.
8:29 - Credits roll.
8:30 - Asian Champions' League match between Melbourne Victory and Pyongyang Weasels.
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The Decision, Ablett-style


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