I was filling in at Sea FM the other morning while the brekky crew were on holidays.
Ever-patient professional announcer Bec Turnbull tossed up to what I was famous for: Priscilla the python which crawled into Robert Irwin’s pocket at an inappropriate time and stole the show.
I have a few ‘claims to fame’ – probably none to be proud of but still infamous.
As a 15-year-old hot head playing AFL for the Nambour Blues, I pushed an umpire (there was more to it, but still no excuse), got sent to the judiciary and made the Nambour Chronicle for all the wrong reasons.
They wanted to give me a life ban but a very nice goal umpire at my end (possibly my best mate’s dad) told the judiciary that the umpire poked me in the chest first, so I got six weeks.
Phew!
A few years later, I made the front page of the Longreach Leader for being the first player sin-binned in Central West Rugby League when the new rule was introduced: game one, first half.
A couple of years later, playing for Maroochydore, I got sin-binned three times in one game after coach Harry Reed told me to keep doing the same thing to the same bloke.
By the way, we won the game, and I only found out two decades later (when I went to work for Harry) that he thought we were a better chance winning the game with 12 men rather than having me on the field.
Nice.
Then, there was the time I was in a busy bookstore in Eumundi and I was staring at this bloke and he was staring back.
It turned out he thought I was someone he knew but was wrong, and I thought he was comedian Eric Idle.
We both exchanged greetings and I told him how much he looked like Eric Idle.
He went on to say how talented Eric was and laid it on pretty thick, which was all fine – until I found out the next day that it was him (via a media friend I had).
So, I guess I am famous for getting the p*ss taken out of me by someone who was really famous.
While all of the above probably explain my mediocre existence, the real icing on the cake must be my starring role on a certain social media page.
Vision of me in a fluoro Bintang singlet, barefooted, trying to solve a traffic altercation on Nicklin Way and nearly getting punched by a female has to be my shining moment.
Eat your heart out, Priscilla!
Ashley Robinson is chairman of the Sunshine Coast Falcons and Sunshine Coast Thunder Netball, and a lifetime Sunshine Coast resident.
