Losing your love/passion for the game

[Ando727]

I wouldnt call it the best sport in the world, thats just sounding like an American, great yes but hardly best in the world.

Nah, it's the best sport in the world - that's just sounding Australian about our game.

On the other hand, my interest in the AFL as a league has never been lower. I don't imagine that will change until this whole crappy saga is well behind us.

 

[DogDays]

I'll never lose my passion for the doggies but the umpiring and rules changes drives me insane - if they continue to change the rules and over-umpire every damn game I know that eventually I'll just end up watching local footy.

 

[Catgirl]

I love footy, just not the AFL version.

That's your opinion. I think the game itself is looking great at the moment (minus the umpiring).

Head down to your local VFL game on a sunny Sunday....you are in heaven. $10 to get in, ice cold beer in a can, great standard footy and a walk on to the oval at the breaks.

I'm not particularly interested in opposition teams as it is, let alone watching their second-tier list cloggers bound for the knife at season's end prancing around. Geelong VFL team, sure, but the opposition twos teams (except Port Melbourne) are about as interesting to me as watching paint dry. Also beer is disgusting and I don't see the appeal in drinking it up at the footy.

Go to the AFL. Much better atmosphere, much better standard of football and an overall much better experience. Nothing better than seeing your footy idols in the flesh.

Go to Etihad, pay through the nose and get searched on the way in for the priviledge, buy a beer and a pie for $18 and watch 44 highly paid employees put game plans that involve lapping the oval into play.

Pay through the nose? Don't know about you, but I've never had to pay a huge amount of money for a ticket at Etihad.

You don't get searched either. The security guards only check to see if you have your ticket, which is fair enough is it not?

Buy your own food before the game if it's so expensive.

And if you want to get technical, the AFL players are very much underpaid for professional athletes. EPL players earn in the high millions. The average AFL player would be lucky to see 400k, and with the Australian taxes it doesn't get much better.

To suggest that a sport of over 150 years is construed through simple gameplans is an absolute joke.

 

[Cylon7]

And yet these new clubs open up new pathways for kids who were untapped before they arrived(about 5million if my maths is any good)

I have no doubt that tv money was part of the reason, the other part was opening up a whole new audience to Aussie rules footy.

Lets remember the whole member clubs of the AFL voted us in. With the rules we received and all (true they probably weren't expecting us to extend contracts and they would go running back to (or for the 1st time) Victoria.

I disagree that they will always need "propping up" as you put it as it think they aren't really propped up now (just getting their fair share of the tv dollars from a national comp they helped build).

This is a national comp now (except the for ACT and Tassie, which is shameful), if you want the VFL back go watch it.

And just your point the AFL didn't win the premiership (if GC or us do) it was those players and coachs who trained and learned. This is footy, and wether you get the star juniors or not (allot which have failed) it still takes allot of skill, training and effort to win a flag.

Your point about us deserves only one comment though. Kiss my arse!

It has closed it for one.

 

[Coaster2012]

No

 

[wizzard400]

I haven't lost my passion for watching the hawks play, don't think I ever will. Have definitely lost my passion for watching other teams play however, certainly a lot different compared to 10-15 years ago where I loved watching footy no matter who was playing. Don't mind watching the occasional nail-biter however as that's what makes our game good, but still, how many of those games do we get nowadays in the current climate the game's played in.

Me personally - did a harry o' and lost a fair bit of passion for playing the game during the season for god knows what reasons. Have found myself taking a lot of interest in other sports - cricket, basketball, soccer. I think it was more so down to me watching/playing the game my whole life and wanted to change it up a bit.

 

[Catgirl]

I love footy, just not the AFL version. Head down to your local VFL game on a sunny Sunday....you are in heaven. $10 to get in, ice cold beer in a can, great standard footy and a walk on to the oval at the breaks.

Go to Etihad, pay through the nose and get searched on the way in for the priviledge, buy a beer and a pie for $18 and watch 44 highly paid employees put game plans that involve lapping the oval into play.

Well wasn't tonight's VFL game just a beautiful standard of footy

I sure enjoyed it as a Geelong supporter though!

 

[chunkylover53]

Well wasn't tonight's VFL game just a beautiful standard of footy

I sure enjoyed it as a Geelong supporter though!

200 point wins are rare at VFL level.

 

[DeadlyAkkuret]

I don't care for the Administration. But I love the game as much as I ever have.

This.

The rule changes, dodgy admins etc. have no affect on my love for the game whatsoever. I might be more logical about losses now that I am older, but my passion for the Swans has never diminished.

 

[le dominateur]

The number one turn off for me is the fact that the AFL negotiates with clubs and individuals about penalties. Come on WTF!

 

[PTizzle]

I must admit I haven't been as fired up this season as I thought I'd be. But I blame that on cricket, I think this year has just made me realise that I enjoy cricket more as a sport overall.

AFL is still excellent, if frustrating at times. Can't ever see myself not following it. There's room for footy, cricket, basketball and plenty of other sports in my life.

 

[Reg Grundy35]

Much of the reaction in this thread surely can be attributed to one feral club taking us to a place where the game has never been before. They are rightfully about to be dealt with. As for the game - it is fine - a great spectator sport and club competition. Only one things that compromises it (and even then not sure what to suggest to fix it) the ridiculously imbalanced "draw" surely the laughing stock of other professional sports

 

[clogged]

When the ball is bounced and the game starts my passion is the same as ever. Whether it holds midweek attention is another thing, I have tended to stop watching all the discussion shows on television and reading the papers because football discussion has essentially disappeared, and when it does happen it is usually concentrated on a Victorian club.

 

[TBoyleSuperstar]

I still love the game itself, and of course love my Hawks. I think it is way way way over covered by the media which I think diminshes the love a bit. Every little thing is blown out of proportion.

I still watch probably 3-5 games a week, but the inconsistancy in the umpiring is simply infuriating. We went through periods during the year where the game was let go, and the game was better for it. If they le the game flow, left rules as they are for more than 5 minutes and let the game develop itself, then we would be in a better position.

I'll always love this game I think as long as the Hawks are still in the comp in their current format. I just wish they would leave it alone for a while

 

[Pavlovs Cat]

Still love the game but have little to no faith in those running it
As for the word integrity, Oxford need to revise the meaning of it

This.

Ps - I rate Cyril and really enjoy watching him play.

 

[Fossie 32]

Lost passion for The Game as it became more money orientated in the 80s and they shafted Fitzroy and South and tried to kill Footscray - but passion for my club continues to grow.

 

[Brotherfox]

Yeah cheers Hirdy

Really !! has Hird killed the game for you ?? Are you really that sad ??

 

[Brotherfox]

a year ago i was one of the most passionate supporters around. but this year my love of the game has diminished significantly. i even stopped playing this year, and i cant foresee me pulling on the boots again (not for aussie rules anyway). Im dissapointed in this whole drugs thing and i want to see the right decisions made. I have been growing increasingly frustrated with the AFL over the last 4 or 5 years. and i guess that its just come to a head now

I see you follow Orica-GreenEdge , any chance you will delete them with your disappointment within the cycling community following lance ?? or are you just willing to shitcan AFL ??

 

[CrazyJoeFevola]

Really !! has Hird killed the game for you ?? Are you really that sad ??

Yeah because all posts on the intellectual higher plane this is bigfooty are meant to be taken in a totally literal sense mate

 

[blktreacle]

I see you follow Orica-GreenEdge , any chance you will delete them with your disappointment within the cycling community following lance ?? or are you just willing to shitcan AFL ??

Cycling has always been a sport shrouded in doping scandals and I have known that for a long time. The cycling is getting cleaner
AFL was renowned as being a "clean" sport untill recently. I cant see the AFL getting clean any time soon, its obviously a much bigger problem than they have admitted

 

[JackFlash]

I was mildly interested this week, perhaps when the finals start i will be re-charged. The Essendon saga has drained me and taken a lot of the shine off this season.

 

[Hodge is God]

I find it funny that a lot of people who have lost interest in the game are posting on BigFooty

I think the common theme here is that each person loves their club so much that they will watch every game their beloved club plays but aren't taking interest in the other, neutral, games like we were a few years ago.

Like everyone else, if it wasn't for Hawthorn I would of ditched the sport by now. I think it is the plastic franchises that is the worse, even worse than the MRP.

 

[Colonial]

I think it is the plastic franchises that is the worse, even worse than the MRP.

Yep agree, death to the Tassie oops I mean Hawthorn Hawks

 

[Hodge is God]

Yep agree, death to the Tassie oops I mean Hawthorn Hawks

Hawthorn were near death in 1996, we took the initiative to dig ourselves out of the hole we were in and now we are one of biggest and most successful clubs in the league.

Oh, I must of missed the part when Hawthorn got 6 (or whatever it was) of the top 10 draft picks to make sure the AFL gets some cash and a few 'fans' in a place where no one gives a shit about the sport.

I laugh every single time when I see the turnout at another GIANTS game has failed to get 7k. Far out, it is embarrassing for the code.

 

[Kizaman]

I think it is the plastic franchises that is the worse, even worse than the MRP.

And a plastic franchise is what exactly?