Foxtel remembers Clinton Grybas

Foxtel management today paid respect to Clinton Grybas, who passed away on the weekend.

Grybas was a key sports commentator for Foxtel and host of White Line Fever and FOX Footy games.

“Clinton Grybas was quite simply a brilliant sports journalist and one of Australian television’s foremost sports presenters,” said Brian Walsh, Foxtel’s Director of Television & Marketing.

“He was highly respected and much admired by everyone with whom he worked. I cannot think of a more popular guy amongst our channel community. He embodied all the attributes of someone who lived by the principles of decency, integrity and professionalism. On that score, he had no peer.”

Press Release:

The Management and Staff of Foxtel joined industry colleagues today to pay tribute to Clinton Grybas.

Mr Kim Williams, AM, Chief Executive and Managing Director of Foxtel issued the following statement.

“Clinton Grybas was a truly remarkable person and was loved and respected by all his colleagues at Foxtel who had the pleasure to work with him at the FOX Footy Channel, in Main Event broadcasts or in his recent 2007 appearances on FOX Sports covering his beloved AFL. Clinton has represented Foxtel extensively over the last six years and has done so with grace, authority and originality. He was a central element to the personality of Foxtel.”

“As a broadcaster Clinton imbued everything he did with his profound knowledge of all sport and communicated a passion and professional attention to the essence of the sport he was covering or discussing so that it uniquely came alive for Foxtel viewers and radio listeners equally. He was without question one of the great broadcasters of the modern era and his passing is a personal tragedy for all who knew him and treasured his work or has had the pleasure of his company. We are all in disbelief that someone so young could have had his calling so cruelly cut short. His was the rarest of talents and he will be missed long into the future as his career had in so many ways only just begun and had the brightest prospects ahead.”

I join with all my colleagues in saluting Clinton and extending our most heartfelt condolences to his family and extended band of friends. His memory will be with us always – we are and will forever be in his debt.”

Brian Walsh, Foxtel’s Director of Television & Marketing said that all the staff of the company would miss him greatly.

“Clinton Grybas was quite simply a brilliant sports journalist and one of Australian television’s foremost sports presenters. He was highly respected and much admired by everyone with whom he worked. I cannot think of a more popular guy amongst our channel community. He embodied all the attributes of someone who lived by the principles of decency, integrity and professionalism. On that score, he had no peer. He was the face of “FOX Footy” for all of its five years, hosted his own nightly news magazine show, “White Line Fever” and was the anchor and chief commentator of all game coverage, numerous AFL Awards shows and specials. He was the very fabric of Foxtel’s football coverage. He had already achieved so much and yet his best was still ahead. It is a tragic loss for our industry. He will be deeply missed by all of us who had the privilege of knowing him and the honour to work alongside him. Our thoughts are with Clinton’s parents, family and partner.”

Rick McKenna, founding Channel Manager, FOX Footy Channel said “Clinton Grybas was the Cornerstone of Foxtel’s AFL coverage. In the new era of AFL broadcasting, as far as commentators went, he set the height of the bar. From day one, he inspired those around him to excel, not with slogans, but with accuracy, work ethic & genuine passion.

Given his dedication to the game to try and define him its fitting to use a footy analogy: he had the leadership & drive of Michael Voss, the passion & tenacity of Nathan Buckley & the finesse & excitement of James Hird. He had class.

And as if that wasn’t enough, he was a great company with an innate ability to chat & debate sport with everybody, whether they be Sports superstars, CEOs or an everyday footy fan. That’s what defined him as a commentator – he was an everyday footy fan & I was blessed to have had the privilege of working with him.

If Sports broadcasting had a Brownlow medal, Clinton polled 3 votes every game he called.”

Sean Riley, former Channel Manager, FOX Footy Channel said “Australian Sport has suffered the loss of an extraordinary Broadcaster. All of us who had the pleasure of knowing Clinton have suffered the loss of a true friend. I have the pleasure of working with the best in our business and greatness is something that we all aspire to but only a select few ever achieve. Clinton had already reached that point. I am fortunate to have worked with him for all of the years at FOX Footy and like so many, I will miss him deeply.”

Foxtel extends their deepest sympathies to Clinton’s family and friends.