Club disillusionment and the switch

[Dammit]

Hi guys.
This may be a bit long winded but here goes.
I'm a Pies fan and have been since birth. Getting older now (24) and I have become a bit disillusioned with Collingwood. I can't work out why this is. I attend every game in Melbourne (where I live), but I just dont feel the excitement like I used to. If we lose it doesn't hurt much it's just like 'meh', and if we win 'that' feeling just isn't there. Maybe seeing us win one flag in my lifetime was enough? I don't know. I also hate what the club has become. Collingwood is nothing but a brand now in many respects. Maybe this is necessary, but I still hate it.
So, what of it?
Well since inception I have followed the Suns closely. This has increased to the stage that just like I don't miss a pies game, I can't miss a Suns game. I have unashamed man crushes on a few players (big pav, goodesy, 'the panther' nicnat, tommahawk) but none moreso than Dion Prestia. I love watching the Suns play, and to be honest, felt more gutted when the Suns lost to the lions than when the pies lost to the hawks. This has prompted me to really analyse where I stand.
I know to most people that switching allegiances is sacrilegious, however you can't help how you feel and analysis is always good. I feel like I'm searching for a tipping point. Maybe I'm just looking for something to hang my hat on in my decision, not sure.
So I put forward the following questions: (in no particular order, and feel free to expand)
Is it so wrong to change teams?
What are some reasons (even a list) to support the Suns?
Has this happened to anyone else?

I've got a massive feeling like I'm about to get eaten alive, but so be it aye!

 

[MowShow]

Hi guys.
This may be a bit long winded but here goes.
I'm a Pies fan and have been since birth. Getting older now (24) and I have become a bit disillusioned with Collingwood. I can't work out why this is. I attend every game in Melbourne (where I live), but I just dont feel the excitement like I used to. If we lose it doesn't hurt much it's just like 'meh', and if we win 'that' feeling just isn't there. Maybe seeing us win one flag in my lifetime was enough? I don't know.

I had similar feelings in 2009 after the hawks won the '08 flag.. Not sure what it was but I just didnt have the care for footy that i did prior to that.. Sure i still wanted us to do well, and of course was greedy for more success instead of just being happy to lose after winning 1 flag.. The wins just seemed routine and the losses felt like a non-factor.. I think seeing all the doubters and flack the club got for their '09 season was what re-sparked my passion.. Can't see the same thing happening again..

Although I never even contemplated switching for a second, I wouldn't recommend you do it.. I know a couple who have jumped ship ~20 years ago and still cop flack for it. You can tell they semi regret it and still feel for their old club. Stick with it, after a short time of seeing your boys having to do it tough the spark will come back

 

[DivideandMultiply]

Australians much like the Irish have a tragic obsession with the underdog. Ingrained in our culture and probably an attribute borrowed from theirs.

Definitely there has been a loss of romance and "personality" associated with the games transition into a more professional competition. Perhaps the Suns being the young, struggling underdogs trying to build a future have an element of romance or "history in the making" about them. I always thought they represented the worst and most cynical excesses of the AFL's expansionist policy but after watching them win last year against Brisbane, likewise GWS against the Suns this year and finally the Suns against Richmond, I couldn't help but be reminded of the passion I had and more personal nature footy had when I was younger.

 

[Doss]

People can switch clubs for all sorts of reasons. I don't think there's anything wrong with it, unless one is doing it because of a perception the club they are switching to is closer to achieving success. I have no time for that at all.

I actually know of one Essendon supporter in their mid twenties who, until a couple of years ago, was a Carlton supporter and had been their whole life. They were never what I would term the most "passionate" of supporters, but they unmistakably went for Carlton.

Until 2010, that is. The person in question says that Chris Judd was actually what began to turn them off the Blues. Other things gradually occured through the next two years from 2008 to strengthen their disillusionment, and finally, before the 2010 season they jumped ship altogether. It's funny, they stuck fat during the Blues dark era from 2002-07, but once things on-field (and off-field, financially at least) began to improve, they slowly drifted away.

What was amazing in this case was jumping to Essendon, though. There is, rightly or wrongly, an unwritten code that supporters of certain clubs just don't switch to certain other clubs. It just does not happen. Essendon and Carlton, as a pairing, fit firmly in this category.

This guy, to this day, will tell you that he doesn't even know why he switched to them. Just reckons that he began to like them more and more in parallel with his growing disenchantment with Carlton, and that eventually he had a choice to make.

Question is, does this guy get accepted by other Essendon supporters as being bona fide? I personally don't have an issue with it, and welcomed him into the fold. I reckon there'd be a decent number who would regard them with varying degrees of suspicion, though. Hell, there's a large part of me that still wonders how one could go from supporting Carlton to supporting Essendon.

As the OP said, I guess what it really comes down to is that one can't always help how they feel.

 

[Silent Alarm]

I could never do it. The lifetime of disappointment, anger, and confusion means that I've invested too much into Freo.

Next year I won't be living in WA. My mate is moving to Melbourne the same time as me. He's a mad North fan, and I've always admired the culture of the Kangaroos. I don't think I'd turncoat, but is there a chance I'll get roped into grabbing a membership or a scarf?

I can appreciate genuine reasons for switching teams. It is just a game after all. A friend of mine has been a Hawk since birth, but his dad turncoated after he and his old club (Melbourne) had some fairly serious, personal issue (I can't even remember what it was..). And if you move cities or your son plays for another club, hey, that's totally acceptable. The thing I hate is this current obsession many kids have. A lot of talented footballers I know aren't even fans of a club: They have three jumpers and 'like' six clubs on facebook. That's what irks me.

 

[Bowski]

The only legitimate and consistent reason I can think of is if your son gets drafted to another club.

 

[DivideandMultiply]

I could never do it. The lifetime of disappointment, anger, and confusion means that I've invested too much into Freo.

Next year I won't be living in WA. My mate is moving to Melbourne the same time as me. He's a mad North fan, and I've always admired the culture of the Kangaroos. I don't think I'd turncoat, but is there a chance I'll get roped into grabbing a membership or a scarf?

I can appreciate genuine reasons for switching teams. It is just a game after all. A friend of mine has been a Hawk since birth, but his dad turncoated after he and his old club (Melbourne) had some fairly serious, personal issue (I can't even remember what it was..). And if you move cities or your son plays for another club, hey, that's totally acceptable. The thing I hate is this current obsession many kids have. A lot of talented footballers I know aren't even fans of a club: They have three jumpers and 'like' six clubs on facebook. That's what irks me.

Never on the scarf and I doubt genuine signs of support (pity membership maybe if you have the cash moneybags?).

Sometimes I think it is the fans more than the club that prevent people from co-supporting other sides. All it needs is one Freo away game in Melbourne against North and if they win or its a close game and you are sitting next to particularly obnoxious North supporters I imagine 99/100 would be more inclined to develop a strong dislike for their best mates team.

Likewise reading comments by Meltdown Mario or SLF post match.

Now I don't hate Fremantle, have attended a lot of their matches and certainly even cheered for them against certain teams but I would definitely not clasify as a Freagle.

Last season I was in Perth for a few months and decided to buy a 3 game Freo membership so I could see the Derby with one Eagles supporting and two Freo supporting mates.

Come Derby day, with my mate getting stuck in at every opportunity and crowd sledging and abuse from a hostile home crowd flying left right and centre, that kick from Ballantyne and the crowd reaction up, then down was an amazing moment.

 

[Righteo]

At least you're not as bad as the Eagles fans who purchase full 11 game memberships and go to every game decked out in full WC attire and cheer whoever Freo is playing, absolute tragic human beings.

OP, personally I think it's quite offensive to teams like Melbourne, Bulldogs, Richmond and of course Freo that you would take a premiership win so lightly and be "bored" with success. I think it's a low act to switch allegiances but it can provide moments of levity, celtic_pride being the best example

 

[gaelictiogar]

You sound like you are searching for romance in your footy.

Hop aboard the Tiger train and leave the Pies.

 

[MaddAdam]

Likewise reading comments by Meltdown Mario or SLF post match.

I take it as a compliment that you hold me as the antithesis of turncoatery.

I shall leave you quislings to your natter now.

 

[tonk]

I take it as a compliment that you hold me as the antithesis of turncoatery.

I shall leave you quislings to your natter now.

I thought you were incognito?

 

[Username_lost]

Players do it. Coaches do it. Birds do it. Bees do it. Just do it...

 

[MaddAdam]

I thought you were incognito?

Cognito? Is that in Italy?

Nah, I'm in Melbourne mate.

 

[fpm84]

My supporting habits definitely changed after we won the flag in '07. I honestly thought I'd never see one. While the 2008 season was incredible, I didn't enjoy each big win like I had the previous year, I was just hanging out for the finals instead of enjoying the ride. I was shattered when we lost the grand final but I still had the comfort of having seen one the year before. It didn't hurt half as much as losing '92, '94 or '95 (I was too young to remember '89).

The team has set such high standards since then that this season has admittedly been a bit of a grind, given we've played the poorest football we've played since 2006 (completely understandably mind you, given retirements/so many young players/senior players not at previous levels). Sometimes I have to stop and remember that we're still in the top 8 and a lot of teams would gladly swap ladder positions with us. On the flip side, I was more excited by our win over Essendon last week than any H&A win in ages, because it was an unexpectedly great performance. I don't expect us to be great each week anymore, so when we are I appreciate it more than I previously had, if you get my drift.

Collingwood's key players are young enough to ensure the team will be in premiership contention for a few years yet. But trust me, once you start the inevitable slide down the ladder you'll regain your passion. We have another must win game v Adelaide this weekend and I haven't been looking forward to a game at Geelong this much in a long, long time, because I have no idea whether we're going to win or not. And that emotion, expectation and uncertainty is what makes following a football side so great.

 

[Eshay187]

If the passion is for another club, that is who you support.

The real test is Pies v GC. Who do you honestly want to win?

 

[RobV]

As a pies supporter (im guessing geelong supporters went though the same thing) the H&A season doesn't mean that much these last couple years, we are just waiting for the finals. Judge your passion on the finals, for me I don't get overly excited if we win a home and away games but i love finals wins and for the loses its the same.

If you find yourself not caring about a finals lose or win then that is the time you should leave. For me I hate losing finals and to this day wont talk about the Grand Final from 02/03 and 11, unless i'm with fellow pie supporters.

When there are seasons when our team is crap then I care about every win and lose.

 

[Cap]

I have no isue with people switching clubs - players do it - so why can't fans.

A friend of mine was a Crows fan, but has lived in Perth for 15 years, attends WCE games, her kids follow WCE and husband follows WCE....after 15 years of watching them I can't see how she would associate more with the Crows than WCE given she lives in Perth

she came to the game on the weekend and cheered for both teams

 

[GreatBradScott]

OP, I believe this is for you:

 

[stellation]

Normally when you have to get beaten in to join a club you have to get beaten out to leave as well. Based on the Collingwood cheer squad's dental work it's clear there's a beating in policy. Be very wary.

 

[pazza]

It's a hard decision to make. You can influenced by peer pressure (like my mates trying to get me to follow North in 1987) or by so many other reasons.

Ultimately though, you tend to want to stick fat with the team you first followed and learn to love the ride.

 

[Username_lost]

It's a hard decision to make. You can influenced by peer pressure (like my mates trying to get me to follow North in 1987) or by so many other reasons.

Ultimately though, you tend to want to stick fat with the team you first followed and learn to love the ride.

Is there really a choice? I see it as a totally uncontrollable thing, like falling out of, or in love with someone.

 

[Hearts to hearts]

OP, do whatever makes you happy. This is for fun. You can switch if you want to or you can have a second team and see how you feel when they play each other.

I've watched every Collingwood game for 13 seasons and can quite happily barrack for them ever week they don't play North. But I care more for the sake of my loved ones - my feelings for the actual club and team aren't in the same galaxy as how I feel about North Melbourne.

Only you know what your feelings are telling you, so go with it. Collingwood won't notice you left and the Suns would be delighted to have you.

I know a few Collingwood supporters who are losing their rabid interest. Maybe you wait so long to win that when that hunger's gone you're not sure how to feel. My friends are a bit over the rigmarole it's become with too many night games, too much pre-booking angst and too much commercialism in their club and the AFL.

 

[Roobs321]

In the early 2000's I was dangerously close to switching to Freo or the Swans. I saw every match they played, and while I was a WCE supporter, it was really a three-way situation. Honestly, I think the Judd brownlow and the wizard cup final loss to carlton came at just the right time. If WCE werent good that season, I would probably be a swans fan now.

Even nowadays, my parents go for the swans, they are easily my second team, and I have watched every swans game I can for the last 10-15 years. If I married a swans supporter, and our kids were swans fans, I could see myself changing. I love the club, and how they go about it, and it is the only other club where I know every single player. The introduction of GWS into the west sydney-act region has also made me think as well. Plus I never plan to live in WA. But for now I still barrack for West Coast. I was more mature during the 08-10 period, and still loved the club, compared to say 2001.
Right now, I am a West Coast supporter who also gets behind the NSW teams (especially the swans).

Growing up in NSW, most of my friends were into league. I chose the Canberra Raiders to support in 1999/2000, but when the Titans came in, I was saying that I would switch to them. Never happened though. Still the Raiders (bandwagoner though)

 

[West Coast 06]

At least you're not as bad as the Eagles fans who purchase full 11 game memberships and go to every game decked out in full WC attire and cheer whoever Freo is playing, absolute tragic human beings.

That's nothing. We have been sitting in our current seats as West Coast members for seven years. There is a guy that sits in our block every home game wearing the oppositions scarf! He is there every week, and every week in the colours of whoever we are playing!

I always feel tempted to ask him why he pays money to the club for the membership when he so obviously hates them!

 

[Magnum27]

I could never switch teams, and no i didn't have a team before the Eagles started, followed the WAFL. I'm a proud and passionate Sth Freo supporter, and alot of fellow Souths supporters jumped on the Freo bandwagon once they started, couldn't do it myself. If you don't get excited or upset with the Pies results each week i would say you never were that passionate about them in the 1st place. I only wish for my team to win, and couldn't give a hoot what the result is for the games my team is not involved in.