Open Mike - Chris Lewis

[@danielcorbett3294]

He is my mother's 1st cousin, i call him uncle. He gave me tickets to go watch the Eagles play Melbourne for the last played game at the "Wacca". Unc didn't play that game, infact he didn't even go to the game. I slept at his place that night and didn't see him until the next day when i was ready to drive 450 kilometres home. I can honestly tell you Uncle Chris is a good honest loving man.

[@douglasringholt2606]

Very happy to see this come up on U Tube. I was fortunate to have been a team mate of his father Irwin when I moved from Melbourne (Carlton FC )) to Claremont in 1965. Irwin and I became good mates and traveled to country Western Australia together in our respective jobs several times. It was a pleasure watching Chris, Cameron and Clayton growing up. Irwin ( the original Lew Lew ) was an honored guest at a function when my wfe and I returned to Victoria forty six years later. I spoke to Irwin shortly before he passed away, and it sent a shiver up my spine when he said in finishing, " Thanks for ringing me Bro." Doug Ringholt ( Carlton and Claremont Past Player )

[@fuzzy8mike]

No bitterness, a gentleman. What a likeable fellow.

[@kalebarancelovic]

Would love to have a beer with this bloke!

[@thomascollard765]

Chris Lewis was a absolute star in his playing days. great interview told it how he saw it. ON YA LEWY

[@joememphis1571]

One of my favourite West Coast players. Chris Lewis was tenacious, fearsome, fearless and outstanding.

[@hobomillionaire]

Everyone who meets Chris tells a story of how cool he is 🙌

[@danielbutcher4369]

One of the genuine legends of West Coast. Hero of mine as a kid.

[@dockerdave]

One of my all time favourite players. I was at his debut senior game for Claremont in 1986. So sad to hear of the passing of his father this week. He (Irwin), along with sons Chris and Cam, was a legend of the Claremont Football Club

[@vkradio1656]

A Champion on and off the field!

[@paulfrench7179]

Chris's dad Irwin lewis was one of the most respected men in WA. The prototype of what Australia could be. Equal parts footy player, artist and scholar. Makes me proud to be Western Australian.

[@protoindoeuropean]

Scholar?

[@SuperDecdog]

@@protoindoeuropeanfirst aboriginal man to get a degree from Uwa

[@lukescanlon6883]

Chris conducted himself in a 10/10 in this interview. He could have threw a few people under the bus and everytime he gave them a consideration for what they were thinking at the time and what the AFL environment did to people. He could have been subjectively spiteful but each question was answered objectively. Humble words from a wise man 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@reaganking1732]

The 3 Chris's the eagles had in that era in Lewis, Waterman and mainwaring all outstanding footballers

[@nobbyg4407]

I was fortunate enough to have spoken on numerous occasions to this young lad Louie and what a gentleman he was not to mention how good of a footballer he was too.

[@darrenjray]

Almost as feel-good as the Jacko Open Mike! Joking. This was a very good, measured interview. Make no mistake, it was easy to dislike Chris as a spectator back in the day, but I love his attitude to it all. A great footballer and even better bloke. Winner.

[@sirwinstonlennon6486]

What a great man!!....one of the top 5 indigenous to play the game!

[@thecurrawongs3503]

One of the best episodes of Open Mike that I've watched.

[@wades9327]

Very measured, intelligent, down to earth bloke. The stuff he copped was completely inexcusable. Great interview.

[@kurtflahavin5994]

Chris Lewis was a real star player in the late 1980s & most of the 1990s at West Coast. I like him as a bloke, he's a simple man & humble.

[@derekbos4404]

Nice interview. A lot better than I anticipated. Good bloke. Port Hedland mate 🤓🤩

[@MogarTheGamer]

Sad to hear that him and many other aboriginal players faced the racism they faced, glad things have changed over the years! Superb player and a wonderful bloke

[@shanefisher1034]

SgtDenny67, sadly things haven't changed.

[@jamiekelly6851]

@@shanefisher1034 yeah they have mate, csnt rule out dickheads that I'll say whatever to piss you off but not many that are genuinely prejudice nowadays.

[@SuperDecdog]

@@jamiekelly6851still a massive amount of racism sadly

[@jeffchaloner9665]

Funny how can dislike a player but then watch stuff like this and learn they are a great human being!!!!! ❤❤❤

[@jamessquire1]

I reckon Lewie was the best balanced kick I've ever seen. He also had that typical aboriginal ball handling ability that footy fans have been fortunate enough to have witnessed over the years. Uncanny. And in this, he comes across as a pretty good bloke as well.

[@ceedub3894]

@J G dude go away , noone cares about your soccer

[@nathand4500]

Scraping the bottom of the barrel. Met him down in Hobart in 2015 at the Salamanca markets at a local cafe. Tried to cut the line in front of me. Total flog.

[@SuperDecdog]

@@nathand4500hahahahahhahh

[@adriang6259]

I can tell you, I'm liking Mike more than I did back in the day. But Geez, Chris comes across as a terrific bloke. Glad he played for us. Love those memories.

[@FalconEB43]

Loved watching this bloke play. Awesome player.

[@angusyates828]

He was one of my idols as a kid. I never knew what he went through. He wasn't an aggressive person though he was reported so many times. He was retaliating against racial vilification not acknowledged at the time,

[@kevscranes]

Enjoyed the interview give a totally perspective of Cris Lewis when you hear what he has to say . Very nice and balanced man credit to the game and a terrifically talented footballer.

[@stevefrench5716]

You're a legend Chris. Great attitude after copping all that bullshit. You're a better man than most.

[@shanemoran518]

Loved watching Chris Lewis play, very talented footballer. As he said the Eagles became an even unit and played the team game without one individual needing to take control

[@Swerve_City]

What a lovely fella. Wouldn't mind him back at the club again one day.

[@CraigScortaioli-rb9qx]

What legend one my favourite players

[@jossoid]

Love his attitude towards footy and life. Im honestly shocked at how well he approaches the disgusting racism he faced. If it were me i'd be so bitter and mad people like dermy and gary lyon have the positions they do after what they've obviously said.

[@Christian3174]

Agreed.. sitting on their moral high horses while things like this come flying out the closet. Mind you Gary's proven to be a bit of a naughty boy again recently. Funny that.

[@MrRealityCheck88]

Different times. Racial abuse was the norm back 25+ years ago

[@kurtflahavin5994]

Garry Lyon is worse than a naughty boy, he's a dog of a bloke for what he did to Billy Brownless, by betraying Brownless in a very bad way. You never betray a friend in the way Garry Lyon did.

[@timbo2421]

Yes, cannot consider Lyon to be a great example of a human being.

[@sportreactions6401]

lee cummings stfu

[@bookmarksbindery7850]

When Chris Lewis appeared on 'The Front Bar' I couldn't believe just how incredibly funny he was, given that he was such a hard-nut on the field. This was an excellent interview, but I recommend you check out his appearance on the Front Bar if it's still on YooToob to really see yet another side to this man's very rich character.

[@DaleHardiman]

Very underrated player. Had some magical skills, was a beautifully long and gifted kick and possibly could have won a brownlow if not for his indiscretions. But what a disgrace that he had to put up with racial abuse!

[@melissareid4005]

Really enjoyed watching that 👍

[@louiseg4100]

Decent man on every level. Acknowledging his faults, but never blaming or shirking an issue.

[@gpet23]

I wonder if the racists and their remarks make them feel guilty after all these years and eventually contact these absolute legends and apologise.

[@johndesign39]

Lovely to watch.

[@mavtyson]

great attitude ...really changed my opinion of chris not a sook

[@shawross262]

I saw Chris play one of his last games for Claremont in 1986 before he played with the Eagles. It was his 3rd WAFL game I think and he was probably still at school. He played on Dean Laidley who played for West Perth who I followed. Even though he was very young you could see he was going to be a champion and he dominated playing in the centre.

[@travismarangoni8268]

You’re all class Lewis

[@twomindz79]

lol. He bit players, eye gouged and spat at an ump. He was filthy.

[@bishgroundwork3089]

legend. what a star

[@themanwhosoldtheworld5350]

It's a fucking pity and shame that such a good player has to spend so much time being interviewed for essentially non-football related incidences. And it's not Sheahan's fault because this shit was part of Lewis' career on the field. An indigenous player not only has to battle the opposition in the game of footy, they have to battle the racism and slurs that no other player has to battle.

[@The_Bit_Player]

Legend.

[@slipslop7156]

Great interview

[@garryablett100]

Love Lewi . Great to watch

[@Christian3174]

'How did his finger get into your mouth?' 'Ahhhh Welllll.. i dont know' haha

[@saveriojetta1435]

@K Monster why would someone being called a black cunt be funny

[@greenisnice68]

Great bloke sublime footballer.

[@MrDanMac]

Legend

[@chemistryset1]

really likeable bloke, tells it straight - was an awesome player too, classy. disgusting some of the shit he had to put up with on the field - fuck, I was a teenager back in those days and I knew full well that racist shit like that wasn't on - blokes in their 20s like Brereton, Lyon & Shaw knew full well how nasty they were being in referring to Lewis' racial background in such a vile way.

[@angusyates828]

Common decency should've prevailed. Of course they knew it was wrong.

[@wiselistener4978]

Class act.

[@nh11]

It was a different time and Gary and Dermott have both publicly apologised for things that were said on the field.

[@hanajinks1044]

It's a total lie. As if people in 1990 didn't know it was wrong to call people bad names.

[@peterquick8384]

Good interview...balanced bloke, great footballer..

[@todbenjamin7081]

Chris Lewis was my favourite eagle

[@genuineturf9446]

Notice Chris doesn’t play too heavily into the racism questioning too much. Would help if more people could take his approach. Good level headed bloke and one of the best players I ever watched. Legend of the game

[@pauldizzly]

It would help if people could just take the approach of not being a racist idiot.

[@RexMundi_UTC]

Too much focus on skin colour over skill in this interview. Chris Lewis was such a beast, was great to watch as a kid. Classy fella as well.

[@EnglishTodayOnline]

A very impressive bloke

[@absinthedream9668]

Great player to watch seems like a lovely guy, it's a disgrace the indigenous guys had to put up with on field racial abuse. Lewis, Wanganeen, Long, Pickett, Peter Burgoyne, Matera etc etc the 90's were a golden time for the emergence of indigenous stars.

[@XXMDQ-o9y]

Came across well.

[@774CISCO]

chris seems like a good bloke, sheahan is more of a golf tee , something you could easily break.

[@stevencusworth7219]

I remember Chris Lewis being awesome on field.like Mark Bays from swans from halfback yay 80's90's.everyone deserves chances.just don't be a Barry about it...from AFL fan.marngook.hope u ok MR Brett Staker.who judge's?all the best legends.

[@Al_Bundy_1966]

Glad to see an indigenous player who is willing to concede some vilification on a footy oval can be more about an opposition player purposely using a tactic to put him off his game, rather than it being a 100% racist act. And for him or any indigenous to understand that is a good thing for their own mental health. Not everything is so clear cut and the reason why football has come a long way since the 70s 's to 90's is not because racism has been stamped out, it's more the attitude of players using racist comments understand more the hurt and ugliness of it. I'm sure very few players are actual racists.

[@donna25871]

Al Bundy still does not excuse the use of racist comments as a tactic to undermine an indigenous opponent. The motivation does not excuse the behaviour.

[@clay754]

Still racist. Nothing you say will defend it no matter how hard you try

[@SuperDecdog]

@Phil McCrackin lol that is not the same thing

[@SuperDecdog]

@Phil McCrackin not at all, just that saying poofter isn’t the same as racially abusing someone. You actually know this, you’re choosing to be flippant

[@saustfootball]

Sheahan didn't do all his homework - Lewis was also cited for pinching...nonetheless, Lewis comes across as a good bloke; interesting he thought that the comments aimed at him were like a cricketers sledge, and not necessarily racism

[@hanajinks1044]

In my Best 18.

[@waynee6127]

Love me lewy

[@VickiNeil-y1k]

Tod Viney knows what happened with Chris Lewis, pity he didn't tell the truth. Today Viney would be absolutely vilified and suspended for what he said to and about Chris Lewis. You're a disgrace Viney. Stand up and be a man and tell the truth and clear the ledger.

[@marcusholmes7942]

What a dead set great fella.

[@malcolmlee2935]

Was a great footballer, but could be dirty,like a lot of good footy players

[@pillwolak]

Garry Lyon should be ashamed of himself

[@nh11]

Neither Dermott and Gary would have been racist, comments said at that time were made to get Lewis off his game, and it worked. And he says that "they thought I was a threat to them winning the game" it doesn't mean they are racist.

[@clay754]

It definitely means they are racist no matter how you put Dermie and Lyons are both racist pieces of shit

[@nh11]

​@hanajinks Just a difference of opinion/personal experience. I'm dark-skinned and a footy fan. I know theirs a difference between being racist and sledging on the footy ground.

[@brettbrett9973]

The host trying his best to draw out racism ?

[@Mustardonmyjeans]

Always difficult to tell whether Mike is playing dumb or just dumb.

[@hanajinks1044]

Dumb as rocks, and disingenuous with it.

[@daryllmesser1179]

Why did , Mike Sheehan try to make this a racial thing instead of celebrating a great career

[@nathand4500]

Scraping the bottom of the barrel. Met him down in Hobart in 2015 at the Salamanca markets at a local cafe. Tried to cut the line in front of me. Total flog.