Albany, New York is a long way from Carlton North, not that Mike Fondacaro is particularly flustered.

American-born he may be, and still yet to witness an AFL game first-hand, Mike is an impassioned Blues man whose solid interest in all things Carlton can be sourced to a chance TV moment more than 30 years ago.

More of that later.

Mike also commits part of his time to website maintenance for the Australian Football Association of North America, which caters to the needs for Australian Rules devotees in the United States and Canada.

“AFANA was founded in 2005 and serves as a fan-based promotional organization for the sport, consisting of mostly Americans with a few ex-pats. The website is a resource for fans seeking information on radio, TV, and other coverage of the sport.”

Ask Mike if he sees merit in a Carlton push into the US, and he’ll tell you it’s a no-brainer.

“Perhaps during the offseason, a couple of the players could visit New York City. I would certainly travel down to there for that,” he said.

“I also think Carlton’s and the AFL’s participation in events like the recent citizenship ceremony will make a difference with the families of those new citizens back in their homelands. I very much like that AFL has placed an emphasis on multiculturalism and honoring Australia’s indigenous population.”

Mike is amongst the countless thousands of Carlton followers spanning the globe, and all power to him. Here is his story, as told in a recent Q and A (or should that read “Blue and A”)?

Can you relate the story of where you were, and when and how you first came to support Carlton?

It was around 1980, and I was 13 years old. It was when ESPN was in its infancy, and did not have the rights to broadcast God, much less any of the major four American professional team sport leagues (NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL). So the network filled its programming with polo, squash, college gymnastics, and this wild sport with what seemed like 50 men per team running on this huge field with abandon. And the officials with what looked like the lab coats and the flags.

And I saw this one gentleman who was bald on top, but had hair on the sides and back of his head. He seemed the best of them all. I saw the jersey he wore, and decided that the team that wore the dark (navy) blue with the interlocking C, F and C on the front would be my favorite.

Wow, what I bought into.

It was not until 2008 that I learned his name was Bruce Doull. I found out after I was interviewed by ABC Radio Melbourne for the Grand Final Party I was holding in Albany, NY (about 240 km north of New York City.) Someone was kind enough to email me.

Also coming out of that interview is the fact that there is an Australian who lives about a mile from me. He comes over on Grand Final Day.

I would like to throw in a shameless plug for the fact that I am having another GF party. People have driven more than two hours to attend in the past, so if any Carlton supporters have family and friends in Upstate New York, let them know about me. I get meat pies, Aussie beer and Tim Tams.
 
What were your first impressions of the game itself? What do you like about the game and what don’t you like?

My first impressions were, “Holy s—t!!! This is cool!” My brother and I were just amazed by it. My brother may not have remained as interested as I have, but I think I have more than made up for it. The action and athleticism are what I most like. There is also an atmosphere at the big games that is very similar to American College Football in the South, and Midwest. There is a tremendous enthusiasm among the fans. Of course, the songs have a great similarity to the college fight songs. (The Swans fight song is borrowed from the melody of the Notre Dame Fight song.)

I honestly can’t think of a thing I don’t like about the sport, other than the weeks in which the Blues do not win.
 
To what extent have you gone to, particularly in the early days, to access Carlton matches on television?

We were always at the mercy of the weekly replay on ESPN, usually on an afternoon after I got home from school. The game might have featured Carlton, but not on a regular basis. It has been better, in that we have ESPN3.com, and AFLLive. I have my computer hooked up to my HDTV, so it is easy to watch the games now. If I am not awake to watch the games, I can catch them on delay at my convenience. I also enjoy the radio calls, especially Rex Hunt on Triple M, and also SEN and 3AW.
 
Have you ever been to Australia to see a Carlton game?

No. I have a great fear of flying. But I did go to India in 2009 to meet my wife’s family, so there is hope for me to one day get to Etihad or the MCG.  There are also a number of Fondacaros in Australia, several of whom I am friends with on Facebook, so that’s another reason to come over.

Do you have a favourite game? A favourite player?

My favorite game, I suppose, is the 70 Grand Final. I have the DVDs of every Carlton GF win from 1968 on. As for a favorite player, how about a few, including “Jezza”,  “Juddy” (talk about someone who made a difference and put the Blues back on the map), Murphy, Kreuzer and Gibbs.

If there’s one question about Carlton you would like answered, what would it be?

Do you think you will ever have an American on your team?

Do you have a message for the Carlton players? Members? Supporters?

For the players, I am thrilled to see such a great start to the season, and am looking forward to seeing you all play past the first week on the finals, and hopefully on that first Friday in October.  Members, allow me to say that if I lived in Australia, I would be amongst your distinguished ranks. Supporters, I am happy that few if any of you lost faith during those dark years last decade.