Help me find a club!

[RiggoDiesel44]

God I hate the way you yanks talk about sport...

Elaborate, please....just curious as what is so annoying. Didn't think it was too much different that what I've seen here. But I dig the AFL and you're stuck with me as a fan. Not to worry, the league is virtually unknown here, unfortunately, so there won't be a wave of newbies bombarding BF with our annoying sport talk.

And plenty of Americans don't care for Australia-speak (well, I only know of one)....so nitpicky narrowmindedness is universal.

Personally, I like the subtle differences in terminology/culture. Vive la difference....

 

[Ed_Gein]

to our american friends selecting teams.... have you mentioned this sport to your friends? what's the reaction been like? are you all going to buy team guerseys to wear about?

 

[The_Reaper]

He's pissed off at the "Americanization" of his Ford.

Americanisation

 

[carrben12]

God I hate the way you yanks talk about sport...

Is this the way you behave when you aren't on an anonymous forum? Whenever I've shown interest in a foreign sport, everyone in earshot online/offline has been excited that someone new is willing to get on board (especially the yanks). They're always friendly and eager to explain rules convert a new fan. This has been the standard response from most Australians on this thread, and then you have to go and embarrass us with this.

In my experiences getting into new sport, I've never seen/heard anything as rude as this.

 

[pethouse]

Is this the way you behave when you aren't on an anonymous forum? Whenever I've shown interest in a foreign sport, everyone in earshot online/offline has been excited that someone new is willing to get on board (especially the yanks). They're always friendly and eager to explain rules convert a new fan. This has been the standard response from most Australians on this thread, and then you have to go and embarrass us with this.

In my experiences getting into new sport, I've never seen/heard anything as rude as this.

In every walk of life there are always some Nuff Nuffs. Unfortunately you have stumbled across one. In the majority of cases the posters on this board are very accommodating.

 

[Apollo2011]

Cbf reading thread, can someone give me cliffs, did OP ever find a club?

 

[RiggoDiesel44]

Is this the way you behave when you aren't on an anonymous forum? Whenever I've shown interest in a foreign sport, everyone in earshot online/offline has been excited that someone new is willing to get on board (especially the yanks). They're always friendly and eager to explain rules convert a new fan. This has been the standard response from most Australians on this thread, and then you have to go and embarrass us with this.

In my experiences getting into new sport, I've never seen/heard anything as rude as this.

Ehhh, not to worry. My experience on BF (and in Australia itself) overwhelmingly positive. I've fired off plenty of AFL questions and have gotten great feedback. Thanks, boys. And like you said, it's cool when there's a foreign interest in our sports.....plenty on this board. Hell, some of those guys know more NFL than I do.

Ed-
If AFL broadcasts were more readily available here, I'd be telling more people about it. Interestingly, a friend of mine came over to watch some hockey and I had a Geelong Cats hat on. Eventually, I spoke brought up my interest in the AFL and the Grand Final and he said, "Oh, I knew exactly what your hat was. I watched that game too!" So there are a few here that are onto it. I'm carrying the flag in southern Indiana. As for guernseys, ehhhh....probably not. I have a bunch of hockey sweaters that I rarely wear...getting too old for that. BUT...I did pick up a few t-shirts (Essendon, Adelaide, Geelong) at the Victoria Market, along with a couple other items at Simmonds and the MCG.

 

[ashs35]

Geelong have won 3 of the last 5 GF's so... or Hawthorn are the only club with brown on their jumper & will go close this year.

 

[Bardo State]

OP still hasn't chosen a team?

To be fair it took me about 2 years and 3 goes to choose an NFL team.

 

[DerpWerls]

Cbf reading thread, can someone give me cliffs, did OP ever find a club?

Lost interest, is following Curling now

 

[funk44]

the club he supported used to read gold coast now its richmond so I guess he has made a decision

 

[DerpWerls]

I haven't chosen Richmond yet, but they are in the lead. This website won't let you sign up without picking a team for your profile.

Tiges are winning the race

 

[happy_eagle]

Tiges are winning the race

Been a while

 

[DarkPhoenix]

This website won't let you sign up without picking a team for your profile.

There should be an "unlisted" option, which basically means no team.

From your description I agree that North, Tiges or Dees are probably the three teams to choose between.

Being biased of course Id welcome you with open arms to the Roos

 

[LiterallyNobody]

To the OP and anyone else really, who is thinking of which team to support, you need to let the team pick you (I realise others have said this already) - What that means is to watch several games (as many as possible) and see which teams seem to speak to you "Pick me, pick me"

I reckon if based on what you've said so far, there's a few teams - I've devised a list of pros and cons for them each but ultimately it is your decision:

Richmond - Clearly the best song, the most passionate supporters and draw a lot of similarities to the Browns - they are also on the way up which is sort of like starting with Gold Coast or GWS or something - as some have said here they do tend to "eat their own" or in other words when things go wrong, they attack their own players, supporters and club staff, however you'll find a majority of teams do anyway. Also, they may be disappointing in the last 30 or so years but prior to this, won ten flags and are ranked as one of the msot successful clubs in history. An ideal candidate and I wouldn't at all be disappointed or surprised if you chose them.

Western Bulldogs - Are one of two clubs that have been in it for a long time with only one premiership to their name. Apart from that, nothing else really screams to pick this club. They are sometimes affectionately reffered to as everyone's second favourite team as everyone on here (except Saints supporters which I'll explain shortly) wants them to win a premiership. Terrific club song too.

Melbourne - Similar to Richmond, are starting to get their way back up and do have a proud history - despite not having won a premiership since 1964, at that stage they had won the most with 12 flags. They play at the MCG which is the Home of football, according to a lot of people, but being a Yank, you wouldn't really pick a team based on their stadium. (Biased I know, but I think the MCG is one of the finest sporting stadiums in the world) Their supporters are loyal however tend to jump off them pretty quickly, a common joke made on here (and everywhere really) is the ski season (which typically starts in around August/September here in Australia) and how all Demons fans like skiing because Melbourne never plays in September or if they do, never achieve anything of significance. But hell, based on that we might as well say the same about St Kilda or Bulldogs fans too.

Geelong - Many people here will be surprised to see this team in this list, but if you want a successful team, don't go Collingwood, Carlton or Essendon (because these three teams have enough supporters and are the clear three most successful teams in VFL/AFL history) - the cats have a terrific team, great blend of youth and experience (which you can't say for many more), are in one of the best periods of their history at this time (they have won three flags in the last five years after ending a 44 year drought) - the drought makes them have something in common with the other ones mentioned here. They also are the only team in Victoria who plays on a genuine ground with a Home Advantage - the non-Victorian teams all play games at either the MCG or Etihad Stadium so when those ground tenants host someone there they don't really have a complete advantage.
Geelong are the only team to play at Kardinia Park in Geelong however. Gives them a real advantage against other sides such as interstate or weaker Melbourne teams. (Last year Sydney broke a 29 match winning streak at the Ground by the cats) they also have hands down the most attractive game plan. The only thing against supporting them I can say is they have just broken that drought and virtually turned their history around and now have ten premierships, equal with Richmond, one behind Hawthorn, two behind Melbourne, five behind Collingwood and six behind Carlton and Essendon taking them from somewhere at the bottom to close to the top in a few short years so there's not much to relate to their.

Fremantle - The only non-Victorian team in this list since four (Adelaide, West Coast, GWS and Gold Coast) are franchises and/or created from a bunch of local teams for the sake of expanding the league) and the other (Port Adelaide) are in a pretty awful spot right now and seem to be more about bragging about things that happened back when they were in the SANFL (which the club actually does still exist in). First, Freo have the worst song in the AFL - well, I think they are changing it but I haven't heard their new version so can't comment on it. Second, they have not won ANYTHING in the AFL yet, the only club (apart from Gold Coast and GWS) with nothing in their trophy cabinet - HOWEVER - they are in their prime at this point and its probably only a matter of time until they do. They are on the rise and a good healthy club with passionate and loyal supporters (but again, so do most clubs). Possibly the crux of the argument though is their coach. Ross Lyon used to coach my club St Kilda, however he quit last year to move to Fremantle instead. He coached us to back to back Grand Finals (which I will explain the significance of shortly) and FOUR consecutive finals appearances and helped take our club out of a spiral the previous coach had left us in. So the man can coach, despite what many on here may say. Good days ahead for Freo.

Again, skipping Carlton Collingwood Essendon and Hawthorn as they are four of the most successful teams in recent history and in the entire collective VFL history. Also skipping North because there is conjecture over their future and they are probably too successful for you to support.

This leaves one final club for consideration and I'm not going to stake a claim as to why you should support my club but I will make one point - you said that we don't seem very passionate or supportive of our team.

Again, everyone will tell you that their club has the most loyal and passionate supporters in the league - and they probably are all right.

This is a brief snap shot of St Kilda's history for you.

St Kilda were founded in 1873, in the VFA (the first professional AUssie rules football tournament) and never won a premiership in that competition. they were asked to join the breakaway competition the Victorian Football League (starting in 1897) simply because of the location of their home ground.

St Kilda lost their first 48 games, a record which still stands to this day (it was broken by three games by a team called University who disbanded six years after joining, this team lost their last 51 games) - in the first 100 games they played, St Kilda's record was 2 wins and 98 losses.

We made finals for the first time in (I think) 1907 and made our first Grand Final in 1913 - we actually won the Grand Final however the final system back then allowed the team who finished on top of the table before the playoffs to challenge any opponent who beat it in the finals and St Kilda could not win their second attempt.

St Kilda did not make another Grand Final until 1965, when they finished on top of the ladder (for one of only three times in their history) when they lost to Essendon, before ending a 69 year drought (to this day the second biggest drought in history and biggest in VFL history) when they defeated Collingwood by one single point in 1966.

that win remains our only premiership and in amongst that we have finished bottom of the table (called the Wooden Spoon) twenty-six times although i need to point out, most of those times were in the first fifteen years of the competition when we finished bottom perpetually and also in the eighties when we had a horror period with something like eight wins in a four year period.

St Kilda used to be one of the least supported clubs, but now we're right up there in the mix at this stage with plenty of fans. Had we had this sort of growth fifty or sixty years ago, it might have helped our development in terms of money and stuff like that.

St Kilda has come close to extinction on more than three separate occasions but not since 1995 - since then, we've been pretty financially sound.

St Kilda made their fourth Grand Final in 1971, which they lost. They lost again 1997 and made two in a row in 2009 and 2010 which they lost both.

They initially drew the 2010 Grand Final and lost the reply convincingly the following week (to Collignwood of all teams)

However our period from 2008-2011 has been amongst our most successful despite not winning a premiership and has been a highlight.

Now we are in an unknown position - half the people think we are in decline, half think we may go allright, so we are just an unknown prospect at this stage.

Now I realise I have just given you an extensive list of reasons not to follow us, but really, these reasons are why you should follow us because when we do finally win that premiership, it will be the biggest celebration imaginable (except of course for your beloved Browns winning it, in your case).

Teams from other clubs will celebrate with us because we've waited so long, been involved in so much and as supporters who stick through it in thick and thin, we really deserve it.

ON bigfooty, for some reason we are one of the most hated teams. Not sure why it is, but don't really care because it's just a fan forum. its irrelevant for picking a team anyway really.

Being a St Kilda supporter recently is like being on a date with this smoking hot bird who for some reason, just does not put out.

Being a St Kilda supporter, you have to take all of this and more on board and just let it roll off your back.

No sane person would ever choose to follow this football club, so why should you?

Here's the reason why, because once you start barracking for us, you start to fall in love and once you fall in love with us, you wonder how the hell can you support anyone else?

One premiership in 110 years. All of us just want that one more.... some of us just to know what the feeling is like. I'm sure you can relate.

Good luck choosing.

 

[The_Reaper]

Lots of stuff

How are Freo any less of a franchise than West Coast or Adelaide?

 

[happy_eagle]

Probably because they can be matched to a geographic town

 

[Rakuten06]

Just back from an game of Australia Rules Football in Arlington, VA. I was wearing a North Melbourne guernsey, which my friend from Australia sent me as a gift for sending him a nice birthday gift. So yeah, I'm picking North Melbourne this season and it does have a good chance that North Melbourne will become my permanent favorite team to stick with

 

[The_Reaper]

Probably because they can be matched to a geographic town

So can Adelaide

 

[DarkPhoenix]

Also skipping North because there is conjecture over their future

lol

Just back from an game of Australia Rules Football in Arlington, VA. I was wearing a North Melbourne guernsey, which my friend from Australia sent me as a gift for sending him a nice birthday gift. So yeah, I'm picking North Melbourne this season and it does have a good chance that North Melbourne will become my permanent favorite team to stick with

Welcome aboard mate feel free to drop by the team board for any and all info you could ever need, quite a few on this forum with inside contacts and the club posts/reads the forum regularly.

 

[Bardo State]

Just back from an game of Australia Rules Football in Arlington, VA. I was wearing a North Melbourne guernsey, which my friend from Australia sent me as a gift for sending him a nice birthday gift. So yeah, I'm picking North Melbourne this season and it does have a good chance that North Melbourne will become my permanent favorite team to stick with

This is now a 450 post thread full of reasons to choose a team.

But to be honest, this is as good a reason as any.

This is kinda how i chose my team (except I was 3 and chose a hawthorn jumper over a Carlton one)

 

[KDSnap]

Lost interest, is following Curling now

LOL on the curling! No, I'm not Canadian

 

[Danog]

Now you're a Tiger. Good man

 

[Wacky Tiger]

Now you're a Tiger. Good man

Welcome KDsnap

 

[KDSnap]

Just to be clear, the Tigers are in the lead, but as I have said a few times, I will watch as many games as I can to make my final choice. Unfortunately, that just became much harder, since ESPN3 wont' be carrying games anymore (which is how this thread was revived, I posted my displeasure about that fact.) Anyway, I am investigating the on-line subscription options that I have to get my AFL fix for 2012...