The Passion

[Twodogs]

I've got a confession to make.

In football terms 2011 may as well not have happened for me. For some reason I just couldnt get interested in football. I only went to one game live and I only watched a few games on TV- maybe if a friend rang and asked if I wanted to watch. I think I only watched two or three games independently of external encouragement.

It wasnt because we had a shit year. The malaise set in earlier than that. Usually I am at most preseason sessions and really enjoy watching them. Last summer I could only force myself to go to a few sessions, usually hung around for 15 minutes then left. I watched the first game against Essendon (on and off, anyway) thought "Yeah, I was kind of expecting that to happen. Funny but I'm not that upset" but then the expected increase in my interest over the next few weeks just didnt happen. Win or lose over the first four or five rounds I just couldnt bring myself to care. After that I hardly knew who we were playing from week to week.

I was really busy with work and study. Early in the year I had a big personal problem I had to face up to that took a lot of time and organisation. Then one of my kids was having problems that took up a lot of my time and energy (all under control now thankfully). I faced up to the fact that my son wasnt ever going to be as interested in footy as I was and that soccer was his game of choice so I spent far more time watching him play games for his club than I did with watching footy.

Usually when I've had problems my refuge was footy nut I just couldnt get into it. In short I was starting to worry that I had lost my passion for the club in particular and my interest in the game in general.


But now I can feel the interest starting to come back. I dont know what's changed but I am really looking forward to preseason starting next monday. I plan to be at the ground on monday morning hail or shine to see what the new coaching regime does differently to the old one.

Maybe it's Brendan McCartney's appointment. Maybe it's me and I just needed a timeout after a lifetime of preoccupation with the club. Maybe it's because the pressures on my personal life has eased. I really dont know what it was but jeez I'm pleased that I'm over it and I'm actually looking forward to preseason and then the season proper starting.

[Maddog37]

Re: The Passion

I think when your expectations drop from flag contention often it frees you up. You get to enjoy the game for what it is and the many funny/scary/heartwarming moments without caring so much about winning or losing. That's my takes anyways.

[Twodogs]

Re: The Passion

I think when your expectations drop from flag contention often it frees you up. You get to enjoy the game for what it is and the many funny/scary/heartwarming moments without caring so much about winning or losing. That's my takes anyways.

I have to admit that THREE (That's 3, count them God, 3!!!) prelim final losses in a row shook really my faith a bit. But even though we were at least expecting to make the finals this year couldnt shake me out of my lack of interest and general Meh!ness about footy in the last 18 months.

I realise it's insane but I'm really looking forward to just improving next year. I dont care where we finish or what our win/loss ratio is. As long as we make progress then I'll be happier than if we made the finals in 2011 and bowed out again before the big dance.

[Scraggers]

Re: The Passion

I completely understand what you are saying Twodogs; and the ebb and flow of passion is completely natural.

When the expectations were put on us to make the grand final in 2011, I honestly felt flat; I was unsure that that was the best avenue for our club ... In short, I thought we were set up for failure. (20/20 hindsight)

It made it hard for me to get enthused. (Also having two small children and living in WA, I only get to watch a few games a year anyway).

Like others on this board, the constant rule changes, introduction of new clubs, compromised drafts etc dampen my love for our great game, AFL. The game I fell in love with in the 70s and 80s is no more ... this made it harder to watch as well.

I love my club ... I will always love my club ... This is a given. But the passion I feel for the game in general is not.

Unfortunately, I don't share your increased enthusiasm yet. The new coach breathes life for me (somewhat) but as I have stated before, I would prefer that Rocket was still in charge.

I face 2012 with a dubious outlook ... positive to an extent (as with most years) but definitely not enthusiasm.

[hujsh]

Re: The Passion

I have felt the same way this year and it is absolutely the possibilities of new coach that has renewed my interest.

[The Coon Dog]

Re: The Passion

I have to admit I'm a bit like you Twodogs.

This season my son took up umpiring in the WRFL & I found much more enjoyment to be had going to the local footy where everything just seemed simple.

You actually saw volunteers doing what needed to get sides out on to the ground & people helping out in canteens.

After the game people caught up with one another & you were made to feel welcome.

The game didn't seem to be confusing with tactics. There was no press, kids just did what kids do & chased kicks.

Next year with greater umpiring commitments there is every chance I'll miss half our games, but that doesn't worry me.

I just can't get enthused & I think alot of it is the game itself. Take the draft, I used to love it as this approached, wondering who the next Bulldogs superstar was but this year GWS have 9 of the fist 11 picks. The new franchises have ripped the heart out of our club, not once, but twice! Callan Ward going really cut me up, big time. Just the fact that we could draft a bloody good kid who put his head over the ball, starts to really improve & the cheque books come out & whisk him away. I HATE GWS for that!

I love the Bulldogs, but I don't love the game anymore.

[Remi Moses]

Re: The Passion

I think when your expectations drop from flag contention often it frees you up. You get to enjoy the game for what it is and the many funny/scary/heartwarming moments without caring so much about winning or losing. That's my takes anyways.

Agree with this Maddog.Way more stressful when we're going well, I just reckon with the extra media, social networks available there's more tension and scrutiny.I also reckon the style of footy played now adds to the tension.

[LostDoggy]

Re: The Passion

I have to admit that THREE (That's 3, count them God, 3!!!) prelim final losses in a row shook really my faith a bit. But even though we were at least expecting to make the finals this year couldnt shake me out of my lack of interest and general Meh!ness about footy in the last 18 months.

I realise it's insane but I'm really looking forward to just improving next year. I dont care where we finish or what our win/loss ratio is. As long as we make progress then I'll be happier than if we made the finals in 2011 and bowed out again before the big dance.

Twodogs

Just as long as you don't lose the passion for the sound of the thwack through covers and the in-dipper that traps the unwary dead in front.

To say nothing for the money to be made out of no-balls

[Bornadog]

Re: The Passion

For those of us who have been around for awhile and seen us come close to getting in to the grand final and not make it, you almost get sick of it (Footy) and the passion dies just that little bit every year.

I for one am sick and tired of not making the grand final let alone winning one and admittedly the passion died a bit this year. I have supported the club through thick and thin but as you get older its hard to keep the passion up. Early on this year we looked like we were once again in a position that we won't make a final so premierships were a pipe dream.Then I started thinking about next year and thinking, here we go again, going through the same old same old and would we ever make it?

I love the club, I still love footy, its a great game even with Vlads rule changes (even though they frustrate me). I look at clubs like Collingwood who are just getting bigger and bigger and wealthier and wealthier and it makes me sick to the stomach. Then again, I go down to the Whitten Oval and see the facilities and what has been done and think, just maybe, if we can snatch a premiership, the whole Western Suburbs will come alive and our supporter base will grow.

Not sure what I think of next year, but my expectations are not high so if we make the finals, I will be shocked and it will be a bonus.

[ReLoad]

Re: The Passion

There certainly was a malaise in 2011 no question, I Like two dogs only went to a couple of games, work and life all taking over at some point.

However there were times I would walk out the door, see a single grey cloud some 5k’s away and think, nah looks like it will rain and watch it on TV, of course only stop watching after the 1st quarter.

I put it down to a couple of things.
Firstly starting the season the right way, we got belted by the bombers who are a crap team, I think right from then everyone knew we were in trouble.

Secondly, I hate being the favourite, perhaps it stems back from the 80’s at school when nobody gave 2 hoots about the dogs, but we would pull off some sort of miraculous win against the odds, and I would proudly parade around in my dufflecoat singing the praises of Simon Beasley and how Doug Hawkins should be prime minister. – I know it wasn’t winning a flag, but jeez those moments felt good. Even ’97 was the same, nobody expected us to be there, nobody saw us coming, we almost bloody pinched it.

It really was much simpler back then, every game was on a Saturday afternoon and everyone in the known universe didn’t plan anything at that time, it was footy time, end of story. Nowdays we’re playing in every timezone known to mankind, the Icelandic TV ratings are well up, so more 3am games to come in 2013. There is no pattern, no routine, so it makes missing games much easier.

Lastly its a combination of small things, the rule changes, the AFL administration, the haves and the have nots, the fact that we lose players to bucket loads of cash and other clubs don’t, its the fact that a pie at the footy costs more than a car, the footy record even costs more than the latest John Grisham. Footy is not as much fun as it used to be, its not as tribal as it once was.

I’ll still buy my membership, ill still be in the social club, ill still have my reserved seat every year, consider it a donation, but somehow, it has lost its gloss.

Maybe its the time of the year when we should forget about footy.....

[LostDoggy]

Re: The Passion

Strange, but I felt a little that way too this year! In July, I started going to Storm games and really enjoyed them (yikes!). I didn't stop going to the football, but it just didn't seem to be the same. Was it because we had a fairly ordinary year, or was it in fact, the hangover of three lost prelims? Who knows? I'm trying to get excited about the changes at the club, and perhaps it will come. However, I am moving interstate next year (hopefully in the first half) so I'm not going to get to see much of my beloved doggies. I will never stop loving my club, nor will I ever barrack for another AFL side but perhaps for me, mentally I am trying to adjust to not being able to attend many games in 2012? I am still a proud and paid up member though, nothing will change that! I just gave up my reserved seat at Doglands because I couldn't justify the cost seeing I wasn't going to be here. I am hoping this forum will be my lifeline to my team next year when I am in northern NSW. I will be going to watch my dishlickers up at the Gold Coast and perhaps even at BrisVegas - it won't be far to drive! But I will miss going down to training on my days off, and having a coffee at the Pound.

[Greystache]

Re: The Passion

I was the same Twodogs, I went into this season with virtually no enthusiasm at all. I was hopeful early in the year, say around January, but by the time I'd watched our practice matches and match play at training, I knew it was going to be a long and painful year. I think when the past 3 seasons had all gone the same way, smash the bottom teams, beat the middle of the road teams, and lose to all the top teams it makes it hard to get excited.

Yes, seeing the team win regularly is nice, but when you know before the games are played that you won't beat the top teams, regardless of who it happens to be at the time, it has the whole "dancing with your sister" feel about it. We weren't improving, we weren't changing anything, and the results were going to stay the same.

If we hadn't made significant changes to the coaching panel I would’ve found it extremely difficult to gather up the motivation to go each week next year. But with the talk coming out of the club recently, the focus on improving our weaknesses, and some pretty exciting young kids, I find myself really enthusiastic about next year now. I expect us to win less games next year, but I'm hopeful the season will have less of a formulaic feel about it.

[Hotdog60]

Re: The Passion

For me footy is a religion, and I have an undying faith in the Red, White and Blue.

The only thing I feel is depression between seasons and I feel lost in a void, maybe being in a non AFL state might have something to do with it because there is nothing about football worth reading about.

I haven't been battered by 3 prelims and cannot wait for the NAB cup to start.

Bring it on.....

[Mantis]

Re: The Passion

Footy sucks.

Cricket sucks.

Horse racing sucks.... besides BC... but she needs a challenge.

Looking forward to the golf season, especially the President's Cup and that's about it...

[AndrewP6]

Re: The Passion

I haven't yet jumped aboard the "Get Excited, There's A New Coach" train. I would've preferred they stick with Eade, and I'm cynical we'll see much of a turnaround, at least in 2012. I can see us being in the bottom 8 for the next few years, and the prospect of regular beatings doesn't thrill me - I much preferred the feeling of knowing we were in with a good chance come September.

That said, I'll still be there. I enjoy going out to the games, getting away from 'stuff', and screaming and carrying on for a couple of hours... (it's just that bit more enjoyable when you're winning a few!)