So true + all the night Grand Finals, Haw, Melb, Carl, St Kilda, that we lost....4 day and 4 night gfs before we won one.....
Opinion Have We Become THOSE Supporters?
- Thread starter BlakeyNoFlakey
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- Jan 25, 2008
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I have experienced plenty of fan bases across lots of sporting codes in different locations. And I can safely say they are all the same. They all contain predominantly good people, with a few complete ****wits thrown in for good measure. There are some that are passive, and some that take it all way too seriously. But at the heart of it, all are pretty much the same. If there are enough of them, they are just a reflection of broader society.
Some clubs have more fans than most, and this increases your odds of having to experience the ****wits from that club.
As to how we are perceived by other clubs, I honestly think that other supporters are just sick of us. Think of all the clubs we have had rivalries with over the last 2 decades - Hawthorn, St Kilda, Collingwood, Richmond (and to a lesser extent Freo and maybe Brisbane). We have had that many rivals because we have been at the pointy end for so long. All of those clubs have been at the top and the bottom during the last 15 years, some have been up and own multiple times. But we have been the one constant at the top.
The one thing these supporter bases could hang their hat on was that our decision to continually contend has meant that the degree of difficulty for actually winning a premiership was higher - our constant high ladder position has meant that we never were bad enough to get the high end young talent. That is why this year's flag has been particularly galling for supporters these clubs, we were not supposed to be able to do it this way and they no longer have the belief that we will always be "close but no cigar" to hold on to. And then to top it off after winning the flag we have actually managed to get access to the top end young talent by circumventing the draft process.
If I was a supporter of one of these clubs I would be sick of us too.
Some clubs have more fans than most, and this increases your odds of having to experience the ****wits from that club.
As to how we are perceived by other clubs, I honestly think that other supporters are just sick of us. Think of all the clubs we have had rivalries with over the last 2 decades - Hawthorn, St Kilda, Collingwood, Richmond (and to a lesser extent Freo and maybe Brisbane). We have had that many rivals because we have been at the pointy end for so long. All of those clubs have been at the top and the bottom during the last 15 years, some have been up and own multiple times. But we have been the one constant at the top.
The one thing these supporter bases could hang their hat on was that our decision to continually contend has meant that the degree of difficulty for actually winning a premiership was higher - our constant high ladder position has meant that we never were bad enough to get the high end young talent. That is why this year's flag has been particularly galling for supporters these clubs, we were not supposed to be able to do it this way and they no longer have the belief that we will always be "close but no cigar" to hold on to. And then to top it off after winning the flag we have actually managed to get access to the top end young talent by circumventing the draft process.
If I was a supporter of one of these clubs I would be sick of us too.
The natural progression was meant to be from "handbaggers" losing all those GFs (to some bloody good teams might I add), just one brief blip of success (2007-2011) and then a failed top up strategy (laughing stock for losing finals) before falling off a cliff.
I think the nature of 2007 through 2011 annoyed enough people because it involved bouncing back not just once but twice. Almost more infuriating than 3 straight flags then falling down the ladder. The 2011 flag in particular people would have thought took the Mick (pardon the pun).
To finally be vindicated with two GFs including at last another premiership: in many respects dulled people's retrospective shadenfreude of the previous decade. A nasty after taste, as Geelong being thereabouts was at least meant to be "well they never actually achieved anything".
It's natural for Cats supporters to give a bit back after the "feedback" the club got during this time. It would happen for any supporter base.
Oh yeah! I’d forgotten those night games…seemed like we just couldn’t get over the last hurdle in anything for a while there
BlakeyNoFlakey
Brownlow Medallist
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I think it's a good time to remind people that the derogatory nickname "Handbaggers" was given to Geelong by Lou Richards in the sixties because Geelong started to play a handball-heavy style game (think Polly Farmer), which was against the norm of those days. Football back then was predominantly a kick/mark game, so when Geelong started using handball as a major weapon in their game plan, it ruffled a few feathers of the VFL establishment. Hence, the nickname. As it turned out, every club now plays this handball game that Geelong started. That's why Polly Farmer was an absolute Champion because he changed football.
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Derogatory how? Sexist?
BlakeyNoFlakey
Brownlow Medallist
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Might get a handbag tattooed on me one day since I like patchwork.
4 flags, 6 grand finals, 13 prelims since I was 7. I’d be proud to be a ‘handbagger’
- Apr 6, 2017
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Yes!
Thank god I don’t read the main board.
Everyone is drinking their own bath water here.
We’re turning into self entitled pricks.
Thank god I don’t read the main board.
Everyone is drinking their own bath water here.
We’re turning into self entitled pricks.
- Jan 25, 2008
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Bathwater never tasted so good
"I’ve never paid so much attention to a trade period. And I mean never.
I normally don’t care about the trades or the draft.
I reckon the last time I listened to trade radio was in 2005.
I can only put it down to one thing.
I have an illness that makes me enjoy seeing other club supporters melt.
I received a great dose after the flag.
I must need more."
Yeah I saw this absolute classic from a poster here the other day. Think his name was Timmy Brubar.
- Apr 6, 2017
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Yes. And now find a post where I’ve given an opposition supporter crap.
Hint: it doesn’t exist.
That’s actually the worst you’ll find.
In second place would probably be a post pre finals where I said the flag was all over.
Wasn’t being a prick. I just thought it was.
- Jun 22, 2011
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I tend to think of myself as a pretty gracious poster on these forums but I must admit, it has been fun taking this opportunity to rile up the Richmond nuffies on the main board or the Pies supporters on the trading board. I'm sure it'll be out of my system by xmas though!
Over a long period, Cat's supporters have been known mostly as very gracious winners. We always kept the lid on. We had reviled at what appeared to be the arrogance of some supporters about their team. Hawthorn, Richmond, and Pies supporters have been very distasteful to us, and some of us vowed never to be like them.
But do other supporters now see us like that?
Do they think we're the arrogant ones basking in the glory of our success?
It fits the definition. You've simply morphed it into your own definition of "are supporters interacting with others on the main board". Tit for tat on the main board has been going on between rival supporters regardless of flags won. The question was about arrogance. So just be careful before rubbishing others, that's all. Hypocrisy ain't such a flash look.
- Apr 6, 2017
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Hey mate. Just for the record, I didn’t expect one person to agree with my original post.
That would only go to dismiss my suggestion of self entitlement.
Kobe Gryant
'07, '09, '11, '22
Vdubs your Dad?
I've been trying to keep it a secret, but it looks like the cats out of the bag on that one
- Jan 25, 2008
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How is the weather up on Mt Sanctimonious?
Congratulations. We should all be more like you
BlakeyNoFlakey
Brownlow Medallist
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- #69
I'm surprised by the discussion my thread generated. I hope you all realize what I said was all tongue-in-cheek. A bit of fun.
I haven't regularly posted on BF for various reasons (3000 posts in 15 years), mostly stick to the Politics forum whenever I pop over occasionally. One of the main ones being the overzealous mods particularly the ones who are Hawthorn fans who banned me from their club board over something trivial, me disagreeing that a dog act by Buddy didn't deserve a lengthy suspension, over a decade ago (around 2010/11). The Hawthorn mods have also for several years continually deleted or edited my posts in the main board for no good reason other their hurt feelings I presume. Not for anything that would be considered trolling or else I would have been banned/suspended.
To be fair it isn't just their mods * cough * * cough * that are guilty of being overzealous but they have the most notoriously thin skinned ones that I have come across. Hawthorn posters love to talk sh*t but crack the sh*ts when they get a taste of their own medicine, not surprising since most Hawthorn fans strike me as soft c*ck glory hunters.
The looney tunes conspiracy stuff from Richmond fans that Geelong are being given leg ups through their connections with former players who've happened to have worked in different roles at the AFL just cracks me up and has me rolling on the floor in stitches, it's pure comedy gold.
Where I draw the line though it's when these numpties start to come up with self serving delusional hypotheticals like the crap Dimmer, living up to his nick name, gobbed off in their Best and Fairest. Implying that the AFL had somehow unfairly intervened in the ARC process and that had they got up against Brisbane they would have beaten Geelong in the Prelim assuming they even made it that far.
So I have no problems in giving them a much deserved whack and delivering some home truths for coming up with such fanciful deluded tripe on the main board, it's just nonstop garbage with those idiots, someone has gotta slap some sense into them. It's telling that mods and site admin in general tolerate the thinly veiled trolling at Geelong 'cos I sincerely doubt it would be if it was directed at other clubs.
The numerous Geelong beltings handed out to the Tiggies in the past 40 years has done irreparable damage to their fragile psyche, poor diddums. A couple of flags, subsidised by sheer ineptitude of perennially finishing at the bottom of the ladder for decades, has given these flogs an inflated sense of importance. Can't wait for normal transmission to resume and using Richmond games as much needed percentage boosters.
You won't see me trash talking the likes of the Saints, Dogs, Melbourne, etc.. unless provoked, who I have a lot of respect for. They didn't jump on the bandwagon of a team that was experiencing success in their formative years like a lot of kids do when they decide to pick a club to support.
Look up 'envy'.Over a long period, Cat's supporters have been known mostly as very gracious winners. We always kept the lid on. We had reviled at what appeared to be the arrogance of some supporters about their team. Hawthorn, Richmond, and Pies supporters have been very distasteful to us, and some of us vowed never to be like them.
But do other supporters now see us like that?
Do they think we're the arrogant ones basking in the glory of our success?
I was amazed at the negativity we received during the trading period, all because the Catters dared to manage their list well and create a culture other players wanted to be part of. Oh, the humanity! How dare we do well. But going by the negative comments directed not only at the club but also at us Cat's supporters by opposition fans, I think they now see us as we once saw them.
How the wheel turns.
Am I worried, you may ask? Does it keep me up at night?
I love it.
It's about time we Cats supporters enjoyed the success of our club and, of course, rubbed it in the faces of the riff-raff.
Yours
Blakey
Some of the stuff written about us is flat earth stuff. Start with Hock being placed in the AFL to thwart the Tigs game plan by introducing the "Stand" rule.
- Aug 15, 2009
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Youve had a mixed couple of years Blakey
A Geelong Premiership of course soothes all sorts of pain
You lost dear old Olive ( the last of your crew ) what was it - a year or so back - killed in a house fire in North London
I must admit back in the day - that was one of my favourite shows
Poor old Blakey hey - they use to take the pisss out of him
BlakeyNoFlakey
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I'll get you, Butler. Mark my words, I'll get you
When I signed up to BF, my username was a statement about Geelong ruckman Mark Blake. Not the character from On The Buses.
- Sep 15, 2005
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ha; I usually forget the night Grand Finals these days, but you're right, it all tied in to a big ball of disappointment and misery for a loooong time.
