My how times change

[Sockeye Salmon]

A few years ago when things were at their darkest, I posted a thread entitled "The sacrifices of being a parent" where I wondered if I should convince my (then) new-born son to follow Essendon or Collingwood. My motivation was that I didn't want him to get emotionally involved with the Dogs only to be shattered when the inevitable collapse came and he was left without a club. Surely no parent could sacrifice more?

I was with friends on the weekend who have a 2 year old. Mum is Carlton, Dad is Richmond. They told me young Jack will be brought up a Bulldog supporter!

Why? I asked.

"They are the team with a future. We want him to have the best chance of following a successful side."

Things have changed a bit.


PS. Young Sockeye is a rabid Bulldog, as if he could be anything else.

[Twodogs]

In the darkest days of 2004 my little fella said to me "Dad, do we have* to be Bulldog supporters"

I remember looking at him half way through the last quarter of the Collingwood final last year and knowing that my persuasive powers had been put to good use. (for once)




FWIW It was the most rhetorical of questions. The only way he could get me to disown me is to follow another team-he's cursed.











*His emphasis, not mine.

[bornadog]

It is tough to convince kids on which team to follow and it definately was tough a few years ago. Much easier in the current climate, but hopefuuly we will keep it going.

[Dry Rot]

FWIW my long time AFL fan friends were very impressed that I chose to go for the Dogs, rather than the local lot or a powerhouse club like the Dons or the Pies.

Probably much harder for a kid if we had continued along a 2003-04 trajectory.

Makes a big difference when idiots aren't running the club.

[LostDoggy]

FWIW my long time AFL fan friends were very impressed that I chose to go for the Dogs, rather than the local lot or a powerhouse club like the Dons or the Pies.

A lot of people enjoy the fact that I follow the Dogs mainly because Im in the minority and still so passionate about them. I think work colleagues respect passionate supporters of a club that is showing the signs of improving the way we are and knowing that you have supported them all your life through the bad times.
Very easy to be a supporter of Carlton or Essendon in my opinion and a couple of those interstate clubs dont know or appreciate how lucky they have had it.

[Sockeye Salmon]

We moved into a new house late 97 (our bid got accepted while I was at the final v Sydney in 97, good day that) and two of our new neighbours came to say hello. I had a Bulldogs bumper sticker on the car and the husband made the comment

"So you're a Bulldogs supporter, huh? I'm a Carlton supporter myself.

"I really admire that you'd stick with them. Despite the fact they've been crap your entire life, have no prospects of ever winning anything and will go under in a few years time, yet you've stuck with them.

"I don't really understand why you wouldn't just get on a team that actually had a chance to win something but anyway...

He had no idea how p***ed I was getting! His wife ended up making some excuse and led him away by the ear and we never spoke to those neighbours again.

[alwaysadog]

FWIW my long time AFL fan friends were very impressed that I chose to go for the Dogs, rather than the local lot or a powerhouse club like the Dons or the Pies.

Probably much harder for a kid if we had continued along a 2003-04 trajectory.

Makes a big difference when idiots aren't running the club.

Any chances of some young Dry Rot progeny in the near future. There would be no shortage of prospective Dog Parents, mind you the moral characters of some would need careful scrutiny. Some potential candidates clearly don't drink enough.

On another track, I had no difficulty getting my boys to follow the Dogs. From an early age they understood the need to stand up for the underdog and the need to stay loyal to your family traditions. There's a whole lot more to following the dogs than the singular pursuit of success.

Mind you giving them the chance to meet and to talk the players at a young age didn't hurt. When they were teenagers it was great that the actually knew our players and had conversations with them. We are one of the few clubs that you can guarantee that your kids can mix with the players.

[Dry Rot]

Any chances of some young Dry Rot progeny in the near future.

That's a disturbing prospect for the nation and indeed the planet.

[bornadog]

We moved into a new house late 97 (our bid got accepted while I was at the final v Sydney in 97, good day that) and two of our new neighbours came to say hello. I had a Bulldogs bumper sticker on the car and the husband made the comment

"So you're a Bulldogs supporter, huh? I'm a Carlton supporter myself.

"I really admire that you'd stick with them. Despite the fact they've been crap your entire life, have no prospects of ever winning anything and will go under in a few years time, yet you've stuck with them.

"I don't really understand why you wouldn't just get on a team that actually had a chance to win something but anyway...

He had no idea how p***ed I was getting! His wife ended up making some excuse and led him away by the ear and we never spoke to those neighbours again.

I bet he hasn't admitted to being a Carlton supporter in the last few years with three wooden spoons to boast about.

Your neighbour is a typical arrogant Carlton supporter up to the year 2002 then they all disappeared

[alwaysadog]

That's a disturbing prospect for the nation and indeed the planet.

You're a funny man DR.

[Go_Dogs]

My little brother is nearly converted. I feel a bit sorry for the lad, bcos the rest of the family are all Crows supporters, and due to the success (reasonable success) they've had in recent years, he's been keen to follow them.

He's pretty hooked on all our exciting young stars though, and the fact a lot of them are SA boys is also good. I think he's pretty keen to jump aboard the Dog's bandwagon this year, and with any luck, he'll soon to a permanent supporter!

[W W Biscuit]

By rights, I should be a Geelong supporter. Sorry Dad, but you are as weak as p*** (the chances of him reading this BTW are as likely as Ian Collins uttering the statement, "Chris Grant was robbed of the '96 Brownlow Medal. I take full responsibility for this. I have a nice elm tree in my front garden. I am now going to hang myself from it.").

Perhaps we should introduce a membership drive with the slogan "Bonk or Bust." Clearly we need a population explosion out west if Campbell Rose and his team are ever going to get a decent holiday.