"So, how have you coped?"

[Beloved]

When i first really got into football, it was when Carlton was entering the period we have just been through, so I personally can't say how it feels to have been on the winining end of the stick, but i'm keen to know what it feels like, and when finals time does come, i'll be there in full flight!

Seeing as i'm still in school, every week is contious crap from my peers, but all I can do is take it on the chin like a man and pray that the glory days come around the corner faster.

 

[Blueinblood]

i chose blues coz i loved the way they played when i went...

 

[avid blue supporter]

Just before Christmas I caught up with an old colleague from Melbourne whom I hadn't seen since leaving there 6 years ago.
We had lunch (well okay it was a piss up) and one of the first things he asked me was, "So, how have you coped in the last 5 or 6 years?"
I knew he wasn't asking how I'd coped with the move to a new city, new job or getting married.
No, I knew exactly what he meant! He wanted to know how I had coped as a Carlton supporter over the last few years.
Being a Swans fan (an old South Melbourne by) I reckoned he had some gloating rights, so I wasn't about to give him the satisfaction of letting him know how bad it had been.
Instead I mumbled something about riding out the storm and having no option but to sit back and take all the crap that was dished out to me. Although I added that I drew the line at putting up with a St Kilda work mate who thought she had the art of arrogance down pat! Huh! Bimbo, arrogance is earned and St Kilda are a long way from that.

So, how have I really coped? It hasn't been pretty that's for sure.
There is so much that I can't forgive, or forget.
Never, ever will I forgive all those who danced on our grave, or all of those who actually hoped we would fold. How the hell could anyone, who is a true lover of this game, hope to see a club fold? It beggars belief!
The delight they showed as we went from one horror to another or the sheer spite they spat at us with their hate fuelled vitriol.
No, I will never be able to forgive them, nor will I ever forget it.

I can also never forget my tears of frustration, the hurt and pain of watching this great club being brought to it's knees.
The total despair of thinking we'd finally reached rock bottom only to be mortified that we could drop even lower.
And that God awful gut wrenching feeling that this nightmare would never end.
Some things are so painful that they can never be forgotten.

In the past I have given financially to other clubs in crisis.
Back in the days when Footscray were in dire straits my family dug deep to help them. The last thing we wanted to see was them fold. We all felt the pain of the Doggies supporters.
I've helped North Melbourne, Melbourne and even bloody Richmond!
Everytime a club was in trouble I'd imagine how bad it must feel to think that something you love with your heart and soul could possibly be in danger of no longer being there.
I never wished 'closure' on any club. I still wouldn't.

But this has hardened me. I still reel everytime I think that supporters from those very same clubs I had helped out, and felt for in the past, could have so much hatred for the Carlton Football Club they'd wish us dead!
Not ever again will one cent come from this little black duck.
From now on when they are in trouble they can bloody well get themselves out of it!
It's left me angry, bitter and scarred.
These last 6 years have taken their toll, but through it all my love for the Carlton Football Club has never waived in fact, if possible, it has strengthened and deepened.
When we are back, and we will be back, I can't wait to kick their sorry, pathetic arses until they bleed.
The glory, the strength, the power and the arrogance that is the Carlton Football Club will return and when it does it's pay back time. But I will never ever forgive, nor forget!

So, how have you coped?

Any time any of these muppets (particularly the Filth and Saints supporters) have tried to have a go at me, I have one simple answer to them - I have seen my beloved Blues win 8 flags in my life time, how many have you seen that useless non-achieving mob of yours win. One!!!!!

That is normally enough to shut them up. I personally don't give a rat's tosser what these clowns think, because I know that we will be back up on top ( where we belong) winning flag no.17 before they will. They have a history of non achievement and choking at the final hurdle, whereas we have a history of winning.

Let them carry on, I couldn't care less because I know that we were where we were because Demetrio and Ron Evans tried to choke us. Well they have failed.

Once we got rid of Collins, Smorgan and Pagan (and their hacks and hangers on) we could start to rebuild and put back our beloved Club back on top. Dick Pratt started the ball rolling last year and we are on our way. This year is the first big step back to the top, let's all sit back and enjoy the ride. You can hear all the other Clubs starting to whinge on how unfair we been - won't it just break your heart to hear them!

I have only one thing to say to these people " We are Carlton f*ck the rest and if you don't like it then find someone who cares because we don't!!!!

 

[mediumsizered]

Great post, Bee. No doubt about your passion for our Mighty Blues. I think the last 6 years has made Carlton supporters more passionate than I have even seen them in 38 years of following the club. Certainly our membership numbers point to greater passion for the club than witnessed before.

I think we, as a football club, became complacent because of our amazing run of success from the time Barassi got us back in the finals in '67. From 1967-2001 we missed the finals only 9 times & bounced back strongly each time we did miss the finals. We did not see the cracks appearing at the club. Why would we? Even in 2001 we knocked off both Grand Finalists & it seemed, on paper, that our premiership window was well & truly open.

2002 gave us a scary reality check, but the club still treated it as a minor glitch that would be quickly put behind us. Then of course all hell broke loose. The coach was sacked. There was salary cap penalties & the board was overthrown. Suddenly this minor glitch had turned into a massive malfunction. This was when the supporters really stood up to be counted. All 33.5k of them. This is when the passion started to show.

History tells us that 1 year turned into 6, but the spirit of the Carlton supporters hasn't been broken. Supporters of a lesser club would have pulled the pin, throwing their arms in the air saying "what's the point".

For me personally, I have looked at the game through totally different eyes. In the '70s & '80s I was coming away from some games disappointed that we coasted in the last quarter instead of totally burying teams. Just winning wasn't good enough. I wanted to humiliate the opposition. Nowadays I still eagerly want to see us win & continue to tip us every week in footy tipping competitions. I hate losing more than ever, but I am thoroughly enjoying watching the development of our younger players & always try to find a positive from our losses. To me it is still a bit of a novelty seeing so many kids at the club, because up until 2004 our club had not really invested in the draft. We hadn't really seen the club develop from the ground up.

This new journey we have been on for the last 3 years has created a whole new excitement & I can't wait to see the end product when Judd, Stevens, Murphy, Gibbs, Carazzo, Walker, Simpson, Scotland etc are dominating opposition midfields. Fevola, Waite, Fisher, Houlihan, Betts & hopefully Edwards & Hartlett consistently kicking winning scores & Thornton, Jamison, Bower, Hadley, Armfield, Setanta, Anderson doing the job in the back half. Combine this with potentially the most exciting ruck combination for many years ie Hampson, Kruezer & Aisake, & you know there is a very strong light at the end of the tunnel. Seeing the development of our playing list is how I am coping & I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to our imminent return to the top end of the ladder because payback is going to be so sweet.

 

[BlueMania]

The last 6 years have been tough . knowing a multitude of filth and scum supporters , most of them have taken great delight in handing me wooden spoons at any opportunity . I also remember the '1 only premiership' saints supporters bringing their own wooden spoon collections to princes park several years ago . I used to feel for the saints when they were perenial spooners . I atually felt for the filth at 1 point in the 90's too . like previous respondants , i have donated to the tin rattlers trying to save their clubs in the past . Now I share the general blue view 'we are Carlton , f*** the rest .
With the Bluetiful sweet smell of number 17 in the air ( not meaning this year or next , but funny things happen ) , I look forward to hopefully return some of these spoons .

Go Blues

 

[BlueMania]

The last 6 years have been tough . knowing a multitude of filth and scum supporters , most of them have taken great delight in handing me wooden spoons at any opportunity . I also remember the '1 only premiership' saints supporters bringing their own wooden spoon collections to princes park several years ago . I used to feel for the saints when they were perenial spooners . I atually felt for the filth at 1 point in the 90's too . like previous respondants , i have donated to the tin rattlers trying to save their clubs in the past . Now I share the general blue view 'we are Carlton , f*** the rest .
With the Bluetiful sweet smell of number 17 in the air ( not meaning this year or next , but funny things happen ) , I look forward to hopefully return some of these spoons .

Go Blues

 

[HBF]

What a great post Bee.
How have I coped, I don't know, but I have made it this far. I've taken a bit more of an interest in the kids over the the past couple of seasons, which has seen me attend a number of TAC games. This has certainly helped, as it has taken the "tunnel vision" off the Carlton Footy Club. We, as supporters, have been so spoilt with success over our history, that we are just not used to loss after loss after loss.

Since I have taken an interest in the TAC, it has also meant I have followed more closely the paths taken by the likes of Walker, Simpson, Murphy and Gibbs - just to name a few.

I can honestly say that this is the most optimistic I have felt over the Summer in some time. Our kicking still needs quite a bit of work, however, I have been heartened by the fact that this now appears to be the focus of our training. We still have a bit of work to do in this area, however, the boys are improving.

Despite our recent history, I love the Carlton Football Club. Through thick and thin, I will always be Navy Blue!

 

[thylacine60]

Great post, Bee. No doubt about your passion for our Mighty Blues. I think the last 6 years has made Carlton supporters more passionate than I have even seen them in 38 years of following the club. Certainly our membership numbers point to greater passion for the club than witnessed before.

I think we, as a football club, became complacent because of our amazing run of success from the time Barassi got us back in the finals in '67. From 1967-2001 we missed the finals only 9 times & bounced back strongly each time we did miss the finals. We did not see the cracks appearing at the club. Why would we? Even in 2001 we knocked off both Grand Finalists & it seemed, on paper, that our premiership window was well & truly open.

2002 gave us a scary reality check, but the club still treated it as a minor glitch that would be quickly put behind us. Then of course all hell broke loose. The coach was sacked. There was salary cap penalties & the board was overthrown. Suddenly this minor glitch had turned into a massive malfunction. This was when the supporters really stood up to be counted. All 33.5k of them. This is when the passion started to show.

History tells us that 1 year turned into 6, but the spirit of the Carlton supporters hasn't been broken. Supporters of a lesser club would have pulled the pin, throwing their arms in the air saying "what's the point".

For me personally, I have looked at the game through totally different eyes. In the '70s & '80s I was coming away from some games disappointed that we coasted in the last quarter instead of totally burying teams. Just winning wasn't good enough. I wanted to humiliate the opposition. Nowadays I still eagerly want to see us win & continue to tip us every week in footy tipping competitions. I hate losing more than ever, but I am thoroughly enjoying watching the development of our younger players & always try to find a positive from our losses. To me it is still a bit of a novelty seeing so many kids at the club, because up until 2004 our club had not really invested in the draft. We hadn't really seen the club develop from the ground up.

This new journey we have been on for the last 3 years has created a whole new excitement & I can't wait to see the end product when Judd, Stevens, Murphy, Gibbs, Carazzo, Walker, Simpson, Scotland etc are dominating opposition midfields. Fevola, Waite, Fisher, Houlihan, Betts & hopefully Edwards & Hartlett consistently kicking winning scores & Thornton, Jamison, Bower, Hadley, Armfield, Setanta, Anderson doing the job in the back half. Combine this with potentially the most exciting ruck combination for many years ie Hampson, Kruezer & Aisake, & you know there is a very strong light at the end of the tunnel. Seeing the development of our playing list is how I am coping & I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to our imminent return to the top end of the ladder because payback is going to be so sweet.

Can't touch that .

 

[smithos]

The worst thing I find is that people refer to us getting our arrogance back. We have nothing to be arrogant about yet. The draft penalties we copped are an over-used excuse for our mediocrity. 02' and 03' were some of our best recruiting years of the last decade. We landed in the shit because of the 'we're Carlton **** the rest' attitude that we carried from the 80's and early 90's. Refusal to embrace the draft, antiquated attitude to sports science and little care for the protection of the brand. We never needed to pour money into recruiting or development, because who needs promising talent when you have 16 premiership cups.

The past 7 years has been a stinking pile of shite which we should all hope lingers in our thoughts as a reminder of how close you can be to coming completely unstuck. We're nowhere near putting this time behind us, but it's good to feel like we're turning it around. I just hope the club remembers where we've come from when it's fine tuning our future.

That said, I'd love and support the blues through another 5 years like the ones we just had, I just hope I don't have to.

 

[BlueMania]

Thats a nice new avatar HBF . I bet they're not your legs .

 

[thylacine60]

Thats a nice new avatar HBF . I bet they're not your legs .

Thank God. I was starting to think he actually was No 3.

 

[Dramoth]

Badly...

I have had to put up with shit from scum supporters from scum teams bragging about how good they are and how shit we are...

They seem to forget that in AFL/VFL it was 106 years before we won a wooden spoon and since the invention of the game as Melbourne Rules, we have some something like 22 or 23 premierships not including the night grand finals.

The Eagles have been around for 20 years? and have only won 3 grand finals.

In the first 20 years of Carlton FC, had won 7.

The eagles supporters will come out and claim that the game was a lot simpler back then and that their premierships came against quality opposition.

So when those muppets from other clubs start bagging on Carlton, I just start thinking 1864. 143 years and 3 wooden spoons in 106 of those years.

Geelong and Melbourne are the only other clubs that are as old or older in the world of a formal football league. and even they havent played in every season.

 

[Dramoth]

Great post, Bee. No doubt about your passion for our Mighty Blues. I think the last 6 years has made Carlton supporters more passionate than I have even seen them in 38 years of following the club. Certainly our membership numbers point to greater passion for the club than witnessed before.

I think we, as a football club, became complacent because of our amazing run of success from the time Barassi got us back in the finals in '67. From 1967-2001 we missed the finals only 9 times & bounced back strongly each time we did miss the finals. We did not see the cracks appearing at the club. Why would we? Even in 2001 we knocked off both Grand Finalists & it seemed, on paper, that our premiership window was well & truly open.

2002 gave us a scary reality check, but the club still treated it as a minor glitch that would be quickly put behind us. Then of course all hell broke loose. The coach was sacked. There was salary cap penalties & the board was overthrown. Suddenly this minor glitch had turned into a massive malfunction. This was when the supporters really stood up to be counted. All 33.5k of them. This is when the passion started to show.

History tells us that 1 year turned into 6, but the spirit of the Carlton supporters hasn't been broken. Supporters of a lesser club would have pulled the pin, throwing their arms in the air saying "what's the point".

For me personally, I have looked at the game through totally different eyes. In the '70s & '80s I was coming away from some games disappointed that we coasted in the last quarter instead of totally burying teams. Just winning wasn't good enough. I wanted to humiliate the opposition. Nowadays I still eagerly want to see us win & continue to tip us every week in footy tipping competitions. I hate losing more than ever, but I am thoroughly enjoying watching the development of our younger players & always try to find a positive from our losses. To me it is still a bit of a novelty seeing so many kids at the club, because up until 2004 our club had not really invested in the draft. We hadn't really seen the club develop from the ground up.

This new journey we have been on for the last 3 years has created a whole new excitement & I can't wait to see the end product when Judd, Stevens, Murphy, Gibbs, Carazzo, Walker, Simpson, Scotland etc are dominating opposition midfields. Fevola, Waite, Fisher, Houlihan, Betts & hopefully Edwards & Hartlett consistently kicking winning scores & Thornton, Jamison, Bower, Hadley, Armfield, Setanta, Anderson doing the job in the back half. Combine this with potentially the most exciting ruck combination for many years ie Hampson, Kruezer & Aisake, & you know there is a very strong light at the end of the tunnel. Seeing the development of our playing list is how I am coping & I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to our imminent return to the top end of the ladder because payback is going to be so sweet.

And unfortunately for opposition teams, that light is the rapidly approaching Carlton juggernaut getting ready to run straight over them.

And as for the fellow blues supporter who suggests that we have nothing to be arrogant about... 16 flags in AFL/VFL in 111 years (23 total in all forms of the game in 143 years), 106 years without a spoon... more players than any other team in the AFL team of the century (5 - 6 if you include Brassarse) and one of those players was still actually playing.

We have had possibly the worst 6 years in the history of the club... but we are still there... the AFL commission hasnt managed to kill us off yet.

 

[blue gunslinger]

HBF
Any chance we could take a peak at the rest of the lovely lass?
Impressive so far!

 

[HBF]

Thats a nice new avatar HBF . I bet they're not your legs .

Thanks mate, and welcome aboard. Good to see new Carlton supporters on BF

Thank God. I was starting to think he actually was No 3.

I wish mate.

HBF
Any chance we could take a peak at the rest of the lovely lass?
Impressive so far!

That's all I got bg.

 

[Funkalicous]

I think opposition supporters had every right to bag us. We were a rabble! And half the problem was we didn't know who to blame. Some said Parkin was responsible for his short-sighted list management. - A load of crock! We were competing for a premiership in the late 90s. He did what any good coach would've done. What about John Elliot? ... He wasn't all that bad. He was outspoken and passionate, which galvanized our club. The salary cap issues were partly his doing, but those indiscretions were all the rave in the late 90s. - If you weren't paying players outside of the salary cap, you weren't doing your job. Right Essendon, Freo? .... How times have changed. Were we right in sacking Wayne Brittian after 2002? We had a lot of injuries that year and he never lost the players....

The problems IMO stated in 2003 with C1 and Denis Pagan. From day 'dot' they publicly accepted mediocrity. Pagan's growing book of excuses and Collin's massive cost cutting, transforming our club into the least attractive possible for sponsors. I like to think there's a lot of Carlton in me, but that club was looking more and more like St Kilda every season. Forgive me for losing part of that connection between us. I too tipped against Carlton every week, not because I thought we didn't have a chance, but because I was angry at them. My anger peaked in 2005, where we were heading towards our second spoon, and yet we didn't sack Pagan. The old "true" Carlton would've never tolerated that crap. And yet we let him go on to win a 3rd spoon and this year he was steering us towards our fourth. What a joke!

I'm still a Carlton supporter, but a piece of me was lost in those years. I wouldn't go through that again. We need to be Carlton at every turn, even if it kills us. I have hope for next season, but I fear the C1 and Pagan stain will take some washing off.

Three words though.... "We got Judd"

 

[Bee]

.

And while talking about sinning, I have to admit something, something terrible. For the last 3 years I have been tipping against Carlton almost every week in the work tipping competition, I feel awful!

Me too! I am ashamed to admit it, but yes for the last couple of years I have tipped against us. Hey, there's a big difference between being loyal and being stupid!

 

[HBF]

Me too! I am ashamed to admit it, but yes for the last couple of years I have tipped against us. Hey, there's a big difference between being loyal and being stupid!

Especially when you are tipping for money. Tip with your head, not with your heart.

 

[Bee]

It must have been sometime in 05 that I first realized I was going to games with no expectation of a win. It was a ****ing awful realization after I had been deluded enough to believe we were back after the 10 wins of 04.

.

Yes, that horrible realisation of knowing we were not going to win. It took a bit of getting used to, but it finally sunk into me after a couple of years. And it was one of the worst feelings ever.

 

[Blueinblood]

I have tipped Carlton once in the last 2 years. But lucky for me it was Carl v Richmond in rd 1 2007. Heheh. I think i may be doing the same in RD 1 this year. And RD 3 and 5 and 6

 

[btdg]

The last 6 years have been the best thing that ever happened to me as a football supporter. Prior to Carlton's downfall, I was like some (rather annoying) supporters on this board still are - totally one-eyed, thought the club could do no wrong, and eternally optimistic. More importantly, I only really watched football when Carlton were playing, drastically over-rated our own players and didn't really understand the game. I knew Carlton won, but I never cared why, or how, and saw no purpose in watching other matches simply for the pleasure of it.

Then Carlton screwed over its fans and members by engaging in arguably the worst and most arrogant mis-management of a sporting club exhibited anywhere in the world, ever (although Leeds United and the New York Knicks might have a case to put forward). Somehow managed to get 20% over the (hard) salary cap and finish last in the same year, with an ageing list and few prospects for the future. It shattered my world-view. Carlton had always been the good guys who could do no wrong. Now, my club, the club I grew up loving was in serious trouble. The last 6 years have had a huge effect on how I see football:

- I no longer put blind faith in the administration of the club. Every move HAS to be questioned (privately, and publicly on Bigfooty and elsewhere). Otherwise, we run the risk of the same mismanagement happening again.
- As a result, I now watch the game more closely, on and off the field. Its no longer satisfactory to just know we won (or lost, as the case may be). To hold the club to account, I have to know why or why not. How are we going to win this week? What coaching moves were made? How are are draft picks travelling? All questions Carlton fans never asked before, that are suddenly relevant.
- With a broader understanding of the game, I've learnt to appreciate good football for what it is, even when Carlton aren't playing. The last 3 finals series have probably helped with this, featuring a broad variety of styles of play and close results. Being able to appreciate the pure spectacle of the contest, watch sport as entertainment instead of taking it too seriously and too personally, has been fantastic.
- Stemming from this, I've learnt to see the humourous side of things. Sport in general, and football in particular, is inherently absurd. Its crazy that we invest so much time, energy and passion on a meaningless athletic contest, yet strangely addictive and comforting. But if you take it too seriously, you can't cope. Watching Carlton play the last 6 years has refined a keen sense of the absurb. How else could you justify investing all that energy in barracking for Barnaby French, David Teague, Brendan Fevola, Ryan Houlihan etc. Lets face it, we've been a rabble.

But there's two ways to look at a hopeless situation. If its hopeless and important (ie, being long-term unemployed, trapped in a war-zone etc), depression is likely. But a situation that is hopeless and also meaningless can become a farce, in which case it can transcend depression and become funny (and consequently entertaining). If you haven't enjoyed the farce that Carlton have been, you probably haven't enjoyed football for 6 years - in which case I seriously question why you still bother... I've had just as much enjoyment from watching Houlihan make stupid errors, French trip over his own feet, Fevola destruct mentally, and the immeasurable emotions generated by Adrian DeLuca, as I ever got from Williams crisply delivering the ball to Kernahan for a goal. Different reasons, different emotions, but it all combines to provide entertainment - and thats why we watch football, isn't it?

Now, I watch my girlfriend and her family, who are mad Essendon supporters and haven't had to experience what we have all been through (and Bulldogs, Fitzroy, St Kilda and Freo supporters practically live on), and I'm shocked. They live and die by what happens to their football team. They just take it all so seriously - people scream at each other, break things, basically go crazy just because of a loss. If I point out how ridiculous something related to Essendon is (ie, Lloyd's hilarious forced aggression, or almost anything Kepler Bradley related), its like blasphemy. They get no enjoyment from the sport when Essendon don't win - none whatsoever. They watch neutral games, but with no interest at all. Its crazy. Yet Essendon have been moderately successful, while Carlton (who have struggled) and football provide me with so much more.

So anyone who asks 'how have you coped' will never understand. Football is about entertainment, and you find that in a multitude of ways. By its very nature, theres always a winner and a loser, and for every premiership there is a wooden spoon. If you can only enjoy the good days, you're probably only experiencing half of what sport is about. And now, as we turn the corner, I'm enjoying it more than ever; when we rise to the top, I'm going to understand exactly why, have renewed faith in my club, yet still comprehend the underlying absurdity of it all. All up, I reckon I've coped pretty well!

 

[thylacine60]

The last 6 years have been the best thing that ever happened to me as a football supporter. Prior to Carlton's downfall, I was like some (rather annoying) supporters on this board still are - totally one-eyed, thought the club could do no wrong, and eternally optimistic. More importantly, I only really watched football when Carlton were playing, drastically over-rated our own players and didn't really understand the game. I knew Carlton won, but I never cared why, or how, and saw no purpose in watching other matches simply for the pleasure of it.

Then Carlton screwed over its fans and members by engaging in arguably the worst and most arrogant mis-management of a sporting club exhibited anywhere in the world, ever (although Leeds United and the New York Knicks might have a case to put forward). Somehow managed to get 20% over the (hard) salary cap and finish last in the same year, with an ageing list and few prospects for the future. It shattered my world-view. Carlton had always been the good guys who could do no wrong. Now, my club, the club I grew up loving was in serious trouble. The last 6 years have had a huge effect on how I see football:

- I no longer put blind faith in the administration of the club. Every move HAS to be questioned (privately, and publicly on Bigfooty and elsewhere). Otherwise, we run the risk of the same mismanagement happening again.
- As a result, I now watch the game more closely, on and off the field. Its no longer satisfactory to just know we won (or lost, as the case may be). To hold the club to account, I have to know why or why not. How are we going to win this week? What coaching moves were made? How are are draft picks travelling? All questions Carlton fans never asked before, that are suddenly relevant.
- With a broader understanding of the game, I've learnt to appreciate good football for what it is, even when Carlton aren't playing. The last 3 finals series have probably helped with this, featuring a broad variety of styles of play and close results. Being able to appreciate the pure spectacle of the contest, watch sport as entertainment instead of taking it too seriously and too personally, has been fantastic.
- Stemming from this, I've learnt to see the humourous side of things. Sport in general, and football in particular, is inherently absurd. Its crazy that we invest so much time, energy and passion on a meaningless athletic contest, yet strangely addictive and comforting. But if you take it too seriously, you can't cope. Watching Carlton play the last 6 years has refined a keen sense of the absurb. How else could you justify investing all that energy in barracking for Barnaby French, David Teague, Brendan Fevola, Ryan Houlihan etc. Lets face it, we've been a rabble.

But there's two ways to look at a hopeless situation. If its hopeless and important (ie, being long-term unemployed, trapped in a war-zone etc), depression is likely. But a situation that is hopeless and also meaningless can become a farce, in which case it can transcend depression and become funny (and consequently entertaining). If you haven't enjoyed the farce that Carlton have been, you probably haven't enjoyed football for 6 years - in which case I seriously question why you still bother... I've had just as much enjoyment from watching Houlihan make stupid errors, French trip over his own feet, Fevola destruct mentally, and the immeasurable emotions generated by Adrian DeLuca, as I ever got from Williams crisply delivering the ball to Kernahan for a goal. Different reasons, different emotions, but it all combines to provide entertainment - and thats why we watch football, isn't it?

Now, I watch my girlfriend and her family, who are mad Essendon supporters and haven't had to experience what we have all been through (and Bulldogs, Fitzroy, St Kilda and Freo supporters practically live on), and I'm shocked. They live and die by what happens to their football team. They just take it all so seriously - people scream at each other, break things, basically go crazy just because of a loss. If I point out how ridiculous something related to Essendon is (ie, Lloyd's hilarious forced aggression, or almost anything Kepler Bradley related), its like blasphemy. They get no enjoyment from the sport when Essendon don't win - none whatsoever. They watch neutral games, but with no interest at all. Its crazy. Yet Essendon have been moderately successful, while Carlton (who have struggled) and football provide me with so much more.

So anyone who asks 'how have you coped' will never understand. Football is about entertainment, and you find that in a multitude of ways. By its very nature, theres always a winner and a loser, and for every premiership there is a wooden spoon. If you can only enjoy the good days, you're probably only experiencing half of what sport is about. And now, as we turn the corner, I'm enjoying it more than ever; when we rise to the top, I'm going to understand exactly why, have renewed faith in my club, yet still comprehend the underlying absurdity of it all. All up, I reckon I've coped pretty well!

This would be in my half dozen top BF posts of all time for thoughtful representation and honest self-appraisal (don't start blushing yet, it's a pretty ordinary field). Not many club supporters will admit to any form of change in their perspective, particularly one which takes them from oblivious passion to a more critical if cynical view. I agree with a lot of it and the constant reminder that this is a game helps keep things in some form of balance.

 

[the ranger]

The last 6 years have been the best thing that ever happened to me as a football supporter. Prior to Carlton's downfall, I was like some (rather annoying) supporters on this board still are - totally one-eyed, thought the club could do no wrong, and eternally optimistic. More importantly, I only really watched football when Carlton were playing, drastically over-rated our own players and didn't really understand the game. I knew Carlton won, but I never cared why, or how, and saw no purpose in watching other matches simply for the pleasure of it.

Then Carlton screwed over its fans and members by engaging in arguably the worst and most arrogant mis-management of a sporting club exhibited anywhere in the world, ever (although Leeds United and the New York Knicks might have a case to put forward). Somehow managed to get 20% over the (hard) salary cap and finish last in the same year, with an ageing list and few prospects for the future. It shattered my world-view. Carlton had always been the good guys who could do no wrong. Now, my club, the club I grew up loving was in serious trouble. The last 6 years have had a huge effect on how I see football:

- I no longer put blind faith in the administration of the club. Every move HAS to be questioned (privately, and publicly on Bigfooty and elsewhere). Otherwise, we run the risk of the same mismanagement happening again.
- As a result, I now watch the game more closely, on and off the field. Its no longer satisfactory to just know we won (or lost, as the case may be). To hold the club to account, I have to know why or why not. How are we going to win this week? What coaching moves were made? How are are draft picks travelling? All questions Carlton fans never asked before, that are suddenly relevant.
- With a broader understanding of the game, I've learnt to appreciate good football for what it is, even when Carlton aren't playing. The last 3 finals series have probably helped with this, featuring a broad variety of styles of play and close results. Being able to appreciate the pure spectacle of the contest, watch sport as entertainment instead of taking it too seriously and too personally, has been fantastic.
- Stemming from this, I've learnt to see the humourous side of things. Sport in general, and football in particular, is inherently absurd. Its crazy that we invest so much time, energy and passion on a meaningless athletic contest, yet strangely addictive and comforting. But if you take it too seriously, you can't cope. Watching Carlton play the last 6 years has refined a keen sense of the absurb. How else could you justify investing all that energy in barracking for Barnaby French, David Teague, Brendan Fevola, Ryan Houlihan etc. Lets face it, we've been a rabble.

But there's two ways to look at a hopeless situation. If its hopeless and important (ie, being long-term unemployed, trapped in a war-zone etc), depression is likely. But a situation that is hopeless and also meaningless can become a farce, in which case it can transcend depression and become funny (and consequently entertaining). If you haven't enjoyed the farce that Carlton have been, you probably haven't enjoyed football for 6 years - in which case I seriously question why you still bother... I've had just as much enjoyment from watching Houlihan make stupid errors, French trip over his own feet, Fevola destruct mentally, and the immeasurable emotions generated by Adrian DeLuca, as I ever got from Williams crisply delivering the ball to Kernahan for a goal. Different reasons, different emotions, but it all combines to provide entertainment - and thats why we watch football, isn't it?

Now, I watch my girlfriend and her family, who are mad Essendon supporters and haven't had to experience what we have all been through (and Bulldogs, Fitzroy, St Kilda and Freo supporters practically live on), and I'm shocked. They live and die by what happens to their football team. They just take it all so seriously - people scream at each other, break things, basically go crazy just because of a loss. If I point out how ridiculous something related to Essendon is (ie, Lloyd's hilarious forced aggression, or almost anything Kepler Bradley related), its like blasphemy. They get no enjoyment from the sport when Essendon don't win - none whatsoever. They watch neutral games, but with no interest at all. Its crazy. Yet Essendon have been moderately successful, while Carlton (who have struggled) and football provide me with so much more.

So anyone who asks 'how have you coped' will never understand. Football is about entertainment, and you find that in a multitude of ways. By its very nature, theres always a winner and a loser, and for every premiership there is a wooden spoon. If you can only enjoy the good days, you're probably only experiencing half of what sport is about. And now, as we turn the corner, I'm enjoying it more than ever; when we rise to the top, I'm going to understand exactly why, have renewed faith in my club, yet still comprehend the underlying absurdity of it all. All up, I reckon I've coped pretty well!

Best post ever.

I still take the Tigers a bit too seriously (you'd think I'd have learned by now) but I totally agree with what you are saying.

 

[SirJimi05]

The last 6 years have been the best thing that ever happened to me as a football supporter. Prior to Carlton's downfall, I was like some (rather annoying) supporters on this board still are - totally one-eyed, thought the club could do no wrong, and eternally optimistic. More importantly, I only really watched football when Carlton were playing, drastically over-rated our own players and didn't really understand the game. I knew Carlton won, but I never cared why, or how, and saw no purpose in watching other matches simply for the pleasure of it.

Then Carlton screwed over its fans and members by engaging in arguably the worst and most arrogant mis-management of a sporting club exhibited anywhere in the world, ever (although Leeds United and the New York Knicks might have a case to put forward). Somehow managed to get 20% over the (hard) salary cap and finish last in the same year, with an ageing list and few prospects for the future. It shattered my world-view. Carlton had always been the good guys who could do no wrong. Now, my club, the club I grew up loving was in serious trouble. The last 6 years have had a huge effect on how I see football:

- I no longer put blind faith in the administration of the club. Every move HAS to be questioned (privately, and publicly on Bigfooty and elsewhere). Otherwise, we run the risk of the same mismanagement happening again.
- As a result, I now watch the game more closely, on and off the field. Its no longer satisfactory to just know we won (or lost, as the case may be). To hold the club to account, I have to know why or why not. How are we going to win this week? What coaching moves were made? How are are draft picks travelling? All questions Carlton fans never asked before, that are suddenly relevant.
- With a broader understanding of the game, I've learnt to appreciate good football for what it is, even when Carlton aren't playing. The last 3 finals series have probably helped with this, featuring a broad variety of styles of play and close results. Being able to appreciate the pure spectacle of the contest, watch sport as entertainment instead of taking it too seriously and too personally, has been fantastic.
- Stemming from this, I've learnt to see the humourous side of things. Sport in general, and football in particular, is inherently absurd. Its crazy that we invest so much time, energy and passion on a meaningless athletic contest, yet strangely addictive and comforting. But if you take it too seriously, you can't cope. Watching Carlton play the last 6 years has refined a keen sense of the absurb. How else could you justify investing all that energy in barracking for Barnaby French, David Teague, Brendan Fevola, Ryan Houlihan etc. Lets face it, we've been a rabble.

But there's two ways to look at a hopeless situation. If its hopeless and important (ie, being long-term unemployed, trapped in a war-zone etc), depression is likely. But a situation that is hopeless and also meaningless can become a farce, in which case it can transcend depression and become funny (and consequently entertaining). If you haven't enjoyed the farce that Carlton have been, you probably haven't enjoyed football for 6 years - in which case I seriously question why you still bother... I've had just as much enjoyment from watching Houlihan make stupid errors, French trip over his own feet, Fevola destruct mentally, and the immeasurable emotions generated by Adrian DeLuca, as I ever got from Williams crisply delivering the ball to Kernahan for a goal. Different reasons, different emotions, but it all combines to provide entertainment - and thats why we watch football, isn't it?

Now, I watch my girlfriend and her family, who are mad Essendon supporters and haven't had to experience what we have all been through (and Bulldogs, Fitzroy, St Kilda and Freo supporters practically live on), and I'm shocked. They live and die by what happens to their football team. They just take it all so seriously - people scream at each other, break things, basically go crazy just because of a loss. If I point out how ridiculous something related to Essendon is (ie, Lloyd's hilarious forced aggression, or almost anything Kepler Bradley related), its like blasphemy. They get no enjoyment from the sport when Essendon don't win - none whatsoever. They watch neutral games, but with no interest at all. Its crazy. Yet Essendon have been moderately successful, while Carlton (who have struggled) and football provide me with so much more.

So anyone who asks 'how have you coped' will never understand. Football is about entertainment, and you find that in a multitude of ways. By its very nature, theres always a winner and a loser, and for every premiership there is a wooden spoon. If you can only enjoy the good days, you're probably only experiencing half of what sport is about. And now, as we turn the corner, I'm enjoying it more than ever; when we rise to the top, I'm going to understand exactly why, have renewed faith in my club, yet still comprehend the underlying absurdity of it all. All up, I reckon I've coped pretty well!

This post and the intitial post by the OP are the two best posts i have seen on BF and they are both in the same thread! Who would have thought...

 

[Blue Dimension]

Now, I watch my girlfriend and her family, who are mad Essendon supporters and haven't had to experience what we have all been through (and Bulldogs, Fitzroy, St Kilda and Freo supporters practically live on), and I'm shocked. They live and die by what happens to their football team. They just take it all so seriously - people scream at each other, break things, basically go crazy just because of a loss. If I point out how ridiculous something related to Essendon is (ie, Lloyd's hilarious forced aggression, or almost anything Kepler Bradley related), its like blasphemy. They get no enjoyment from the sport when Essendon don't win - none whatsoever. They watch neutral games, but with no interest at all. Its crazy. Yet Essendon have been moderately successful, while Carlton (who have struggled) and football provide me with so much more.

Couldn't help but laugh out loud at that. Sounds similar to my own family who are mad Essendon supporters. My Grandpa who is 80 years of age and uncle wanted to strangle him through the T.V. You can hear them screaming from the other room with the door closed. Oh man.

My Grandpa swears and curses at the fact Matthew Knights is their coach now. He's absoloutely disgusted. Have you tried mentioning Knights to your Family yet? God it's a laugh - anytime i need it, i just mention Knights and get a lifetime of kicks out of it.

Fantastic post and read btw.