So You're An Eastern Western Bulldog

[AndrewP6]

Fantastic post.
I recall clearly from the very early 80's fronting up to Noble Park primary and then Harrisfield Primary school on a Monday morning knowing full well there would be a bunch of kids waiting at the gate to remind me how shit the Dogs performed on Saturday.

Good lord, I probably went to school with you!!!! I went to NP Primary, lived there for 30 years until moving out on my own -small world!

[AndrewP6]

Great post Doc26... I'm a teacher in the south-east, and we had Footy Dress Up Day today too, as well as a staff v students footy match. One girl in my grade is a Dogs fan, I saw her at this year's family day. She turns up today in a Dogs scarf AND Saints scarf! I was not impressed. On the oval for the match, I scanned around and only spotted about 6 kids in Dogs gear (in a school of over 860 kids - I know pretty much all the Dogs kids!). Gia's niece is a student at our school, she's my inside connection to the club She graduates this year - not sure her little brother will be as reliable for gossip!

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Good lord, I probably went to school with you!!!! I went to NP Primary, lived there for 30 years until moving out on my own -small world!

Jayzus, I was in Grade 2 and 3 there in 81 and 82 and could've done with a fellow Bulldog's supporter to knock about with back then. As far as I knew I was the only one and the flock of Carlton, Collingwood, Bombers and Hawk supporters was just overwhelming. There was one other kid in my grade who was a Saints supporter, he was perhaps the only one who related.

[w3design]

Sad to say even growing up in doggies heartland ( outer west) we were still in the minority and in fact by grade six I was the ONLY dogs supporter. Kids banged wooden spoons in my face.

Loved the read Doc. May your daughter savor more success than all of us on this board.

[AndrewP6]

Jayzus, I was in Grade 2 and 3 there in 81 and 82 and could've done with a fellow Bulldog's supporter to knock about with back then. As far as I knew I was the only one and the flock of Carlton, Collingwood, Bombers and Hawk supporters was just overwhelming. There was one other kid in my grade who was a Saints supporter, he was perhaps the only one who related.

You were a couple of years older - I was in Prep in '81. Still would've been nice to have bonded

[Doc26]

Unfortunately my daughter has come home scarred from her school's 'footy day' today. We're managing it the best we can but right now it is overwhelming for us.

For any in the teaching profession, like AndrewP6, I'm looking for some advice as to what recourse we might have as I fear my little one has been subjected to abuse by her magpie loving grade 2 teacher that warrants a form of punishment by the education department, like being forced to watch a St Kilda game ad free.

Coming home in the car with her tonight, unannounced, she launches straight into the Collingwood anthem. Can you believe it ? Her teacher has taken it upon herself to brainwash the class, teaching them to the word a sound akin to running ones nails down a blackboard.

Is this behavior accepted in the profession ?

[LostDoggy]

I never lived in Melbourne. Grew up in Ocean Grove for ten years which was infested with Geelong bogans, then moved further down the coast. Also infested with Geelong bogans. Lose/ lose scenario. Geelong players would still come to our school. Urghhhhhh. At school, I remember the Essendon supporters being the worst! This was late 90's early noughties. Still effing hate them to this day haha.

Me and my twin sister were the only Bulldogs supporters in I think what was our year level, the year below and the year above. And if we weren't, we were for sure the only ones who admitted it!

I've since moved back to Geelong region, and as you can imagine, resisting the urge to make rude comments to the Geelong players I see everywhere is tempting, but look, I can't back it up with any recent success so I just don't say anything.

As a result, I cannot WAIT for the day Geelong crash and burn.

On the bright side, on occasion being a Dogs supporter has worked amazingly well as a conversation starter with an extremely attractive Dogs supporter, but I don't seem to find many Doggies supporters.

[LostDoggy]

Unfortunately my daughter has come home scarred from her school's 'footy day' today. We're managing it the best we can but right now it is overwhelming for us.

For any in the teaching profession, like AndrewP6, I'm looking for some advice as to what recourse we might have as I fear my little one has been subjected to abuse by her magpie loving grade 2 teacher that warrants a form of punishment by the education department, like being forced to watch a St Kilda game ad free.

Coming home in the car with her tonight, unannounced, she launches straight into the Collingwood anthem. Can you believe it ? Her teacher has taken it upon herself to brainwash the class, teaching them to the word a sound akin to running ones nails down a blackboard.

Is this behavior accepted in the profession ?

Sounds like my Grade Four teacher. Carlton loving filth who would make me feel like shit EVERY SINGLE MONDAY about the Bulldogs. He also used to throw metre-long wooden rulers at childrens heads, so that didn't do him many favours either to be honest.

Moral of the story: if the child hates horrible teacher, this can act as persuasion to hate said horrible teachers football club.

Serious advice though? I dont have any. Sorry!

[AndrewP6]

Unfortunately my daughter has come home scarred from her school's 'footy day' today. We're managing it the best we can but right now it is overwhelming for us.

For any in the teaching profession, like AndrewP6, I'm looking for some advice as to what recourse we might have as I fear my little one has been subjected to abuse by her magpie loving grade 2 teacher that warrants a form of punishment by the education department, like being forced to watch a St Kilda game ad free.

Coming home in the car with her tonight, unannounced, she launches straight into the Collingwood anthem. Can you believe it ? Her teacher has taken it upon herself to brainwash the class, teaching them to the word a sound akin to running ones nails down a blackboard.

Is this behavior accepted in the profession ?

Oh dear..cruel and unusual punishment, to say the least Perhaps a stern look, and a even more stern "We'll have none of that filthy language in this car, little Miss!"

Unfortunately, your daughter appears to be still in the "My teacher knows everything, and only their opinion counts" phase of her life. It lasts for some time, can make life very difficult for you, but it does pass. Eventually.

But, as I said, teaching her the Filth song is just plain wrong.

[w3design]

Great post Doc26... I'm a teacher in the south-east, and we had Footy Dress Up Day today too, as well as a staff v students footy match. One girl in my grade is a Dogs fan, I saw her at this year's family day. She turns up today in a Dogs scarf AND Saints scarf! I was not impressed. On the oval for the match, I scanned around and only spotted about 6 kids in Dogs gear (in a school of over 860 kids - I know pretty much all the Dogs kids!). Gia's niece is a student at our school, she's my inside connection to the club She graduates this year - not sure her little brother will be as reliable for gossip!

Geez, Andrew, I just realised who you are. There would've been two more kids in doggies gear, my youngest 2, but they forgot about today. You taught my eldest son in Prep (1994) He was in Grade 6 last year....

[SonofScray]

I went to school in West Essendon. There were two Dogs fans, the rest followed the Bombers, or Carlton. In the entire school. Fair to say there were some tough days out in the yard. It was character building though, while also inducing a sense of hatred for all fans of those Clubs that will be passed down in every generation of my family.

The best part was on our Footy day, we had two guest players come along. Illja Gricic and Billy Kolynuik. My mate and I were the only ones that bothered to get a photo and autograph. They appreciated it.

[Chicago1]

OK, I confess. I always had Bulldogs stuff on my classroom's walls when I taught in Box Hill, Ringwood and Bundoora. And I did try to brainwash my students who didn't follow any team into following the Bulldogs. Does that make me a bad person?

One of the best gifts I received for my birthday in 1985 was a Footscray jumper with #4(Brad Hardie) on the back presented by my Year 7 class. However, it was short sleeved! The year before I got a rabbit.

[I'm Not Bitter Anymore!]

My son announced he wanted to be a Carlton supporter because he was getting teased at school (in East Keilor). Went as far as wearing a Carlton jumper around. Some days I couldn't look at him.

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

I never lived in Melbourne. Grew up in Ocean Grove for ten years which was infested with Geelong bogans, then moved further down the coast. Also infested with Geelong bogans. Lose/ lose scenario. Geelong players would still come to our school. Urghhhhhh. At school, I remember the Essendon supporters being the worst! This was late 90's early noughties. Still effing hate them to this day haha.

Me and my twin sister were the only Bulldogs supporters in I think what was our year level, the year below and the year above. And if we weren't, we were for sure the only ones who admitted it!

I've since moved back to Geelong region, and as you can imagine, resisting the urge to make rude comments to the Geelong players I see everywhere is tempting, but look, I can't back it up with any recent success so I just don't say anything.

As a result, I cannot WAIT for the day Geelong crash and burn.

On the bright side, on occasion being a Dogs supporter has worked amazingly well as a conversation starter with an extremely attractive Dogs supporter, but I don't seem to find many Doggies supporters.

Ocean Grove was a success story for our new Coach, Brendan McCartney who took its local football club to 4 premierships before embarking on a successful assistants role at AFL level. You might want to check out our country supporter groups for further contact with doggie fans.
I believe there is a supporters group in Geelong for example.

[the banker]

Started school at St Monicas, Wingfield Street Footscray. My dad was a Melbourne supporter, my mum didn't care. My first team were the Pies, don't know why, but I was five. By the time I was six, I was a bulldogs fan. I cant remember any real football influence in the school which seemed to be full of eastern european migrants. I became pretty footy obsessed but it was through TV replays, it was the early 60's. '61 was a big year with Barkly St decorated in the week leading up to the Grand Final. We moved from Footscray to the The Basin at the foot of the Dandenongs when I was 9. I was very handy as a player in following years and barracking for the Dogs never caused me any grief. We didn't get to games in those years. I always had my younger brother for support and he and I spent many hours playing imaginery games. We were bulldogs through and through and we still talk the same way about the game, the club and the players. We know we are outsiders to a degree, and our support is on the periphery, but it has endured for over 50 years. I still love the streets around Whitten Oval, and the intimate goodwill of the membership you experience at the pre-season intra club matches = bulldogs only. I have loved Footy and the Dogs my whole life, but I would never say I grew up in or have ever lived in a Football household. Most of my mates are Melbourne supporters. They all seem like frustrated part-timers to me.