Billy Brownless opening up on his fallout with Garry Lyon was upsetting to watch, writes Mark RobinsonMARK ROBINSON
Herald Sun
March 10, 2016 10:01pmUNFORTUNATELY, for he is one of the victims, Billy Brownless has been the face of this scandal.
He bared his soul on the first show of the 23rd season of The Footy Show and unquestionably the seasoned funny man would rather have been anywhere else.
It was wrenching to watch a harmless and much-loved man ripped open raw on live TV.
It was none of his doing, but he had to swallow the poison.
What could he say?
His one-time best mate Garry Lyon was caught having a sexual relationship with his former wife, and it was he who had to answer the difficult questions.
Not Garry. Not Nicky.
“A good mate wouldn’t do that,’’ Billy said.
“By law it’s not wrong, morally it’s wrong on all aspects. We know right from wrong ... don’t touch a man’s wallet, don’t touch his wife.’’
He didn’t have to talk, of course, but Billy has a) always been a team man and b) he was told to by Channel Nine.
This time, he had to take one for the team, and one for Lyon, because the show must go on.
What a sad and brutal 15 minutes of television.
What Lyon must have thought — that’s if he watched the program — is anyone’s guess.
He is in a vulnerable position, but we can’t see that. All we saw was the emotional vulnerability of a man who felt betrayed.
He had been lied to, Billy said.
He had a “hunch’’ Lyon and his ex-wife Nicky had been doing the tango, but when he asked them, they both said no.
Finally, Billy said, Nicky broke down and told him the truth.
Billy had told others he believed the relationship had been existing for several years, but there was none of that sort of admission.
Three months, Billy said, and he hasn’t spoken to Lyon since.
He sent me some texts messages on the night he found out, but nothing more.
“You get angry,’’ Billy said.
“You want to do something. You’re headless.’’
There were tears from Billy.
From the outset, with Sam Newman to his right and James Brayshaw across from him, Billy was beside himself, fighting anger and embarrassment, wrapped in the love of his four kids.
He couldn’t sit still. He leaned forwards and back, picked at his fingernails.
When he spoke of the children, and two points in particular, Brownless was gutted.
His boy Oscar had turned 16 and they couldn’t have a party or buy presents because the scandal was upon him and his family.
The other was the vicious rumour that one of his daughters had had a relationship with Lyon.
“It’s totally incorrect, unfounded, bulls--t ... that hurts the most,’’ Billy said.
Again, the victim had to defend someone else’s actions.
If there is any salvation in all of this, it was the character of Billy Brownless which shone like a candle in the darkness.
He’s a big teddy bear, Bill, who loves his kids, his mates — he absolutely idolised Lyon — who loves a beer and loves a punt.
But even in the devastating moments of his life, Billy thought of others.
He spoke of Lyon’s former wife Melissa and how the two of them had helped each other deal with it.
“She’s been fantastic,’’ he said.
Amazingly, he said he one day he would have a beer with Lyon and was saddened that Lyon was battling depression.
“That’s the most difficult thing and awkward thing here, we’re all good mates,’’ he said.
“This show has to go on ... but it has to come up.’’
Newman and Brayshaw didn’t pass judgment on Lyon and stressed that he was in a dark place.
They did, however, condemn the rumour-mongers about Billy’s daughter.
“They should be ashamed of themselves,’’ Brayshaw said.
Brayshaw was right.
But that person is not the only person who should be ashamed.
Lyon must have thought that he has hurt beyond comprehension the one bloke who worshipped his every day.
How does he come back from that?
Billy, to his eternal courage and dignity, gave him an opening.
And that’s what you call a mate.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/more-news/billy-brownless-opening-up-on-his-fallout-with-garry-lyon-was-wrenching-to-watch-writes-mark-robinson/news-story/c6af8666ab54b5c530b0bf260a432102
