Just Another Philosophical Thread

[bulldogtragic]

I had reason to reflect the other day about the meaning of things, values, people, beliefs etc and then about whether certain people are drawn to things, change with things or whether those things change them. Enter our club and people.

1. What does it mean for YOU to be a member/supporter of the WBFC?
2. What are the values you see in the club?
3. How has your experience in our history impacted you?

1. For me it's more than a game or mere club, but an institution. It's about sticking fat with the people who believe from year to year we are closer to experiencing a grand final win as a pinnacle and embracing result that encapsulates our hopes in celebrating all the players that have built us towards that moment when, not if, it comes. It's a community of people, and embracing and enthralling binding narrative.

2. I see our clubs values as so close to mine, I'm not sure if the club attracts people with those values, or people are attracted to our club having these values. We don't cheat, we don't work around rules or salary caps, we manfully toil from game to game and year to year. We've never put a premiership before our soul and club fabric, and I can live with this. I compare to some other clubs near our historical drought who have sold their soles or not showed a culture to define themselves as a role model to their members. I can look in the metaphorical mirror and say to the reflection that we may not have have the flags or cups, but we can look in the mirror with pride. The uncluttered trophy cabinets is not because of lack of talent, lack of effort of lack of character. I see values of hard work, standing up to adversity, giving back to our club, honesty, quality, passion and always looking to be better while never looking to blame others.

3. Sub consciously, I take many of those values into life more generally. I've never had a problem being the small guy and more recently standing up for the little guy. That relationships, quality of character, trying, fighting are qualities to be admired. More importantly that rules need be obeyed and cheating those rules is not a viable option just to win, if you care about the fabric of your life generally. I'd like to think that in time, history will show that the good guys will get that evasive silverware and set an example for all those that believe in the method.


Personally I've never looked to too many VFL/AFL players as role models, but not being brought up with religion the institution I've had from 'day dot' is the Footscray cum Western Bulldogs Football Club as a teacher of values in the formative years. I think the overt and covert narratives around and inside the institution are wonderful life lessons, life values or perspective on life, what it means to be successful and an outlet of passion like no other. I think my underpinning values, outside of family driven ones, come from the experiences of growing up Bulldog.

Love to know how you read your Bulldog experiences, be it 18 or 80 years, as a role model or indicator of your own values system, or not, as it may be.

[F'scary]

Moved a stone's throw from the ground about 12 years ago. I could feel the presence of the club even from inside the house. It was weirding me out. Took a 6 pack to the outer one wintery Thursday's training night. Sat there and thought I can do this, I can follow this team right here.

[Twodogs]

That's a long post.

[LostDoggy]

I had reason to reflect the other day about the meaning of things, values, people, beliefs etc and then about whether certain people are drawn to things, change with things or whether those things change them. Enter our club and people.

1. What does it mean for YOU to be a member/supporter of the WBFC?
2. What are the values you see in the club?
3. How has your experience in our history impacted you?

1. For me it's more than a game or mere club, but an institution. It's about sticking fat with the people who believe from year to year we are closer to experiencing a grand final win as a pinnacle and embracing result that encapsulates our hopes in celebrating all the players that have built us towards that moment when, not if, it comes. It's a community of people, and embracing and enthralling binding narrative.

2. I see our clubs values as so close to mine, I'm not sure if the club attracts people with those values, or people are attracted to our club having these values. We don't cheat, we don't work around rules or salary caps, we manfully toil from game to game and year to year. We've never put a premiership before our soul and club fabric, and I can live with this. I compare to some other clubs near our historical drought who have sold their soles or not showed a culture to define themselves as a role model to their members. I can look in the metaphorical mirror and say to the reflection that we may not have have the flags or cups, but we can look in the mirror with pride. The uncluttered trophy cabinets is not because of lack of talent, lack of effort of lack of character. I see values of hard work, standing up to adversity, giving back to our club, honesty, quality, passion and always looking to be better while never looking to blame others.

3. Sub consciously, I take many of those values into life more generally. I've never had a problem being the small guy and more recently standing up for the little guy. That relationships, quality of character, trying, fighting are qualities to be admired. More importantly that rules need be obeyed and cheating those rules is not a viable option just to win, if you care about the fabric of your life generally. I'd like to think that in time, history will show that the good guys will get that evasive silverware and set an example for all those that believe in the method.


Personally I've never looked to too many VFL/AFL players as role models, but not being brought up with religion the institution I've had from 'day dot' is the Footscray cum Western Bulldogs Football Club as a teacher of values in the formative years. I think the overt and covert narratives around and inside the institution are wonderful life lessons, life values or perspective on life, what it means to be successful and an outlet of passion like no other. I think my underpinning values, outside of family driven ones, come from the experiences of growing up Bulldog.

Love to know how you read your Bulldog experiences, be it 18 or 80 years, as a role model or indicator of your own values system, or not, as it may be.

Well said BT, nice post.

[bulldogtragic]

That's a long post.

And I didn't mention for all my/our life getting the you haven't won a flag for 40, 50 years etc, and the lesson about understanding people's negativity or sarcasm and be able to ignore that stuff as a strategy for life with other remarks. Now whenever I hear that it's a positive reinforcement that we didn't rort the salary cap, cheat, drug our kids etc, and that the ability to look at yourself in the mirror and feel proud & self respected is another form of success - which gets reinforced with every comment about our last flag.

[bornadog]

And I didn't mention for all my/our life getting the you haven't won a flag for 40, 50 years etc, and the lesson about understanding people's negativity or sarcasm and be able to ignore that stuff as a strategy for life with other remarks. Now whenever I hear that it's a positive reinforcement that we didn't rort the salary cap, cheat, drug our kids etc, and that the ability to look at yourself in the mirror and feel proud & self respected is another form of success - which gets reinforced with every comment about our last flag.

You mean 60 years

[bulldogtragic]

You mean 60 years

Sorry, 60 now, but growing up it was 40 or 50. But each year were getting a year closer I guess.

[bornadog]

Sorry, 60 now, but growing up it was 40 or 50. But each year were getting a year closer I guess.

When I was in high school in the late 60's/70's my woodwork teacher a mad Footscray supporter would always say to me , next year its our year. I am still bloody waiting and now I am heading to 60.

[bulldogtragic]

When I was in high school in the late 60's/70's my woodwork teacher a mad Footscray supporter would always say to me , next year its our year. I am still bloody waiting and now I am heading to 60.

So he was a few years off then!

But its an interesting exercise to think about what your Bulldog journey has given you in life lessons, perhaps a finite point between patience and impatience? Or if you can't have premierships, at least you can have a quiet and respected dignity unlike a certain team from St Kilda.

Or of the flip side, imagine your grand kids (assuming you have them, or will have soon) in wood work class with a #standbyhird teacher last year and this year preaching the life lessons of everybody is to blame except the person who would be most responsible and the implied acceptance or tolerability of disgusting the behaviour.

[Murphy'sLore]

I used to hate football. I saw the boys' club mentality, the misogynist antics, the arrogance and self-importance, and turned off. Now I've come to appreciate the courage, the loyalty, the resilience and romance of our native game.

But I still think that Footscray/Western Bulldogs is one of the few clubs that I could feel proud to be a member of, for exactly the reasons bulldogtragic outlined above. Hopeless romantic, maybe

[Eastdog]

For me I love the never say die attitude of our club. This was put to the forefront in the year I was born 1989 with our Footscray fightback. Been a supporter of the Dogs for just over 13 years now and this is my 2nd year as Bulldogs member. Whether we are good or bad I will always stick with the Dogs.

[bulldogtragic]

Gotta say, this malaise, is what gives us character and why we're a different breed to Essendon and Collingwood flogs. I often say to folks that you understand money most when you don't or have never had it. Same goes for winning games of football. When we move next into our next winning phase, god willing it's soon, I think we should bottle these thoughts up and appreciate the wins. I think back 6 years or so and whether I really appreciated winning far more than we lost, and I'm thinking I probably didn't. But come next winning phase I think I will appreciate winning more than I previously did.

[westdog54]

Funny you mention it. I can well remember in 2009/10 some people, myself included, often complaining about games where we won comfortably. I'd love that luxury right now.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

When we were on top of our game the other teams just looked like duffers.

[bulldogtragic]

To the opening post, how does a child (or even adult) compute the Essendon drugs saga. If kids take life lessons from their environment, the behaviour, attitude and open bloody mindedness to attack everyone without taking any real responsibility is surely not healthy. Turning the head of a doping program into a cult like victim and giving him millions whether he returns or not is surely counter productive to young Essendon followers.