Right now you’ll find him in Düsseldorf, front and centre for SBS, in the countdown to the world’s biggest song contest, Eurovision. But home is where the heart is, which is why Lily of Laguna will get a solid run if Sam Pang has anything to do with it.
A Blueboy from way back, Sam got into the swing of things in the lead-up to the massive event by donning the famous Carlton guernsey in tribute to his team’s meritorious victory over St Kilda at Etihad Stadium on Monday night.
During the week, this image found its way back to Visy Park, together with Sam’s impassioned message to Chris Judd and Co.;
“Hey Boys from Dusseldorf and Eurovision 2011,
Well done on beating The Saints! So happy.
You are the talk of the town over here at Eurovision -
especially when I’m doing the talking.
Doing my best to spread the Carlton word.
Enjoy the week off.”
Together with Julia Zemiro, Sam will again be bookending SBS’s coverage of Eurovision (read “Bluerovision”), which takes in an estimated 140 million viewers across Europe and as such commands bragging rights over Superbowl. As was the case in Moscow in 2009 and Oslo last year, Sam will be seen (perhaps sporting the dark Navy Blue strip) during SBS’s cover of Semi Finals 1 and 2, together with the Final, over the course of this Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights (check your local guides), and he and Julia aim to get a microphone in front of all 43 contestants.
Originally with the dark side (“due to the damned zoning rules”), Sam turned out for Collingwood’s now-defunct Under 19s outfit after progressing through its junior squads . . . not that his allegiance to the good guys ever waned.
“When they (Collingwood) first invited me down as a 15 year-old, I took great pride in wearing my Carlton No.7 guernsey to my first training session . . . it was given to me by ‘The Dom’ (Wayne Johnston) who at the time was a member of the family by marriage,” Sam explained.
“Remember these were the days before designated training jumpers - you just trained in whatever you brought. So I started my first lap at Victoria Park in Johnno’s jumper but failed to get past the Sherrin Stand before I heard the whistle and was called to come over to whoever was in charge . . . might have been Max Richardson actually.
“Anyway I remember him trumpeting ‘You’re not running laps in that jumper son’ or words to that effect. There and then, I should have known me and the Pies weren’t going to work out.”
The 56th Eurovision Song Contest screens on SBS from tonight.
