All things Bears...

[POBT]

I may be wrong but I don't think that this thread is designed to debate Fitzroy v Bears issues. There are about a million threads where heritage, jumpers, mergers etc have been brought up.

One of my proudest moments as a Bears supporters was the 1995 Grand Final where Carlton beat Geelong by 10 goals. It now seems hollow but realising that we got the closest of any club in the finals to one of the most dominant premiers of all time made me so proud at the time. Given where we had come from, it seemed like such a quantum leap forward. I will always admire Walls and co for what they achieved that year.

 

[The Flying Belgian]

I may be wrong but I don't think that this thread is designed to debate Fitzroy v Bears issues. There are about a million threads where heritage, jumpers, mergers etc have been brought up.

Indeed. I don't want to have to start editing this thread. This is a tribute thread where we can post our memories of "the little team that could".

One of my proudest moments as a Bears supporters was the 1995 Grand Final where Carlton beat Geelong by 10 goals. It now seems hollow but realising that we got the closest of any club in the finals to one of the most dominant premiers of all time made me so proud at the time. Given where we had come from, it seemed like such a quantum leap forward. I will always admire Walls and co for what they achieved that year.

Proud to say I was at the Bears first finals game vs Carlton at the G. While we never really looked like winning that day, my Carlton-supporting family were getting awfully nervous in those final few minutes. I still remember ol' Papa Bear thinking he could fly!!

It was an interesting game for me to watch as I'd also been a Carlton man until the Bears had moved up from the Goldy and I wasn't quite sure if I'd feel my support for the Blues coming back. I didn't!

 

[lionbear]

I may be wrong but I don't think that this thread is designed to debate Fitzroy v Bears issues. There are about a million threads where heritage, jumpers, mergers etc have been brought up.

One of my proudest moments as a Bears supporters was the 1995 Grand Final where Carlton beat Geelong by 10 goals. It now seems hollow but realising that we got the closest of any club in the finals to one of the most dominant premiers of all time made me so proud at the time. Given where we had come from, it seemed like such a quantum leap forward. I will always admire Walls and co for what they achieved that year.

Remember that day it was just a 10 min patch in the last qtr that won it for them, we were coming back but we run out of time. I thought that was the day when Voss showed how good he was going to be on the big stage. Have this game on tape at home it is the only match I will watch that the Bears actually lost because I was so proud of their effort that day.

 

[POBT]

Remember that day it was just a 10 min patch in the last qtr that won it for them, we were coming back but we run out of time. I thought that was the day when Voss showed how good he was going to be on the big stage. Have this game on tape at home it is the only match I will watch that the Bears actually lost because I was so proud of their effort that day.

1995 was Vossy's first club championship too. A really special time in our history.

 

[Hollow Knight]

Remember that day it was just a 10 min patch in the last qtr that won it for them, we were coming back but we run out of time. I thought that was the day when Voss showed how good he was going to be on the big stage. Have this game on tape at home it is the only match I will watch that the Bears actually lost because I was so proud of their effort that day.

I just remember Lambert with the ball on a string.

 

[lionbear]

My 10 favorite Bears Moments (In no particular order)

1st Victory vs North Melbourne Round 1 1987
1st Finals Appearance QF 1995
1991 Bears Reserves win the premiership (1st Flag of any kind to leave Vic)
219 to 57 V Sydney Round 8 1993.
1st Finals Victory by one point V Essendon QF 1996.
Round 22 1995 V Melbourne win to give us a chance of playing in finals.
Round 16 1995 V Hawthorn Biggest 3 qtr time comeback in AFL History.
Round 11 1994 Break Victorian losing streak by Beating Geelong at Kardinia Park.
Win 1st game against Melbourne after Gabba relocation round Rd 3 2003. By 2 Points.
Richard Champions Emotion after Sydney Def Collingwood to give the Bears their 1st Finals appearance.

 

[Black*]

I must have been the only Bears supporter who hated that jumper. The maroon one with the gold v was OK, but holds nothing on our jumper now.

I was stoked when I heard we were merging. Just seemed like the push we needed to go the extra step.

I detested that jumper with a passion But I still loved that club I thought it was very noble of Brisbane to actually let Fitzroy merge with them but it was an 11th hour thing mind you. Fitzroy were very close to signing with North Melbourne but the kangas pulled out of the deal right at the last moment. Brisbane then stepped in and said they will do it.

Besides I love Lions they are my favorite big cat and animal.

 

[John]

I detested that jumper with a passion But I still loved that club I thought it was very noble of Brisbane to actually let Fitzroy merge with them but it was an 11th hour thing mind you. Fitzroy were very close to signing with North Melbourne but the kangas pulled out of the deal right at the last moment. Brisbane then stepped in and said they will do it.

Besides I love Lions they are my favorite big cat and animal.

.

 

[weevil]

I just remember Lambert with the ball on a string.

Was on a suicide mission in that game. Talk about hard ball gets...

Rate that as the best in and under performance I have ever seen.

 

[Black*]

.

I meant I thought it was good of them to offer to merge with them. Sure the club Fitzroy no longer plays in the afl but at least their logo does like I said before if it wasn't for North Melbourne having second thoughts about merging with Fitroy right at the last minute our mighty club might not even be around today even as the Brisbane Bears. Who knows?

 

[Hollow Knight]

I meant I thought it was good of them to offer to merge with them. Sure the club Fitzroy no longer plays in the afl but at least their logo does like I said before if it wasn't for North Melbourne having second thoughts about merging with Fitroy right at the last minute our mighty club might not even be around today even as the Brisbane Bears. Who knows?

The cash that the AFL were offering probably helped us be a little noble.

 

[weevil]

The cash that the AFL were offering probably helped us be a little noble.

...Plus the fact that the other clubs voted to block the North bid...

 

[John]

The cash that the AFL were offering probably helped us be a little noble.

My point entirely. Not too sure the short history is correct either but better posters than I, Roylion for example, will correct any discrepancies.


I have different feeling for the Bears to be honest. As much as a few of the older players during the glory years like Vossy, Nig, Whitey, and some supporters may have had their memories I had stopped going to the Bears regularly at Carrarra once the dead crim was not bringing them to Brisbane were they belonged. Yeah it was great when we got into that 1st final but the feeling of no longer belonging was deep so I was always keen on the merger. Just seemed like the right thing to do. I can't say why it felt right, it just did at the time. Maybe it was that Fitzroy, who I might add I had not ever given any thought to prior, seemed to have a sense of history. What did the Bears have? A poor jersey, were owned by a crim and played 60 k away. I am not going to justify those feelings but that is the way it was. In fact being there one night while they got bashed by 180 points and Jumpin Johnny Fidge sticking it up Capper on the training field shore up those feelings.
When I see threads complaining about us only getting 22,000 at a game I remember crowds of about 5,000 at Cararra and most of the people in the ground supported the opposition. When we got to the Gabba I remember a crowd of about 15,000 for a Freo game one day and me and a mate commenting on the improvement. No such thing as the good old days for me and the Bears.

 

[lionbear]

I wasn't in favour of the merger when it first happened. But then I went to the Fitzroy V Brisbane match at Optus Oval and seeing what the Fitzroy supporters where going through emotionally I from that point fully supportered the merger. As I could see that day we could together make a great club for the future.

The Bears where great I followed them for 10 years, but the time was right to merge with a fantastic club. It set up the club outside Queensland as I can remember going to a Bears match in Victoria and the support for the Bears was so low that the opposition cheer squad had to hold up the Bears banner.

I now enjoy reading about Fitzroy and learning about there history. I think they are a great club in there own right, and now as the Brisbane Lions we have become one of the best teams to support in Australia.

 

[Bjay]

If you deny or forget the past you will be doomed to your fate in the future.

The Swans wanted to deny their South Melbourne roots in the late 90's but when they dsicovered the spirit of 'the bloods' they started winning important games and the big one in the next decade.

We can't give up on the Bears past as it is a strong part of this merger and as an old royboy, I love the Bears as there is a kindred spirit with the old two clubs.

don't forget the past.

I'll never forget the past, but there is no sense in dwelling upon it - what's done is done and, as a F-Lions/B-Bears/B-Lions supporter, I am proud of what our united club has achieved. We go forward....

 

[The Majestic]

1991

I'd like to see that jumper worn in heritage round, I don't know why but I liked that one. There any photos of Mark Williams playing for the Bears? I remember his last game against the Pies, well some of it I know it was at Carrara and the Pies won it.

Sad game with the retirement of Williams, who if I recall rightly went back and play for Port Magpies, right?