Whats in a name?

[The Coon Dog]

Re: Whats in a name?

Likewise - we had a poll on this last year on WOOF if I remember correctly, I think the heritage design was most popular. We should change back - but at least it's not a massive departure from what it was.

Richmond's preseason jumper with the tiger on the front looks atrocious

Sure did. It's here:

Which Bulldogs Jumper Do You Prefer?

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Re: Whats in a name?

The abandonment of the Footscray Football Club name is a betrayal to Ted Whitten, the premiership team and the history of the club. I understand that Smorgan and Co saw the need to make a statement that the club needed a change of culture and to make a statement of intent, and so sacrificed the name to that cause. They did not need to change the name, the new marketting of the club could have been faithful to our name and heritage.
The name and suburb of Footscray are integral to the identity, heart and soul of the club. to abandon it is shameful. It is discarding the past as shameful, like a criminal that needs a new identity. The club had every reason to be proud of its past. The fact that its lack of on field and financial success was not acceptable does not preclude turning things around, pride in the club and its name.
The generic nature of "Western Bulldogs" is ludcrous and meaningless. It stands for nothing. We are out wested by the Adelaide and Perth clubs. The success of the club has come from improved management, player and coaching personnel and would have been achieved without abandoning the name of the Footscray Football Club. It is the only true working class suburb remaining with a team in the league. The abandonment of our name shows lack of faith and integrity, reeks of insecurity and insincerity. Conversely to reclaim our name would show faith, integrity, security and sincerity. These are marketable qualities and qualities to rally behind.
Loyalty and tribalism are at the heart of football. I am disappointed at the views of placid acceptance of the abandonment of our proud name expressed here. I love your collective views on football strategies and your knowledge of the players and the club. But don't lose your rage against forces that damage our club; they can come from well intentioned forces within as equally from non-caring or hostile forces without.
We have achieved the change in culture needed and perception of the club will change with continued success. Lets do it under the banner of the Footscray Football Club, the banner for which we, our parents and grandparents wept tears of joy and grief.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: Whats in a name?

The abandonment of the Footscray Football Club name is a betrayal to Ted Whitten, the premiership team and the history of the club. I understand that Smorgan and Co saw the need to make a statement that the club needed a change of culture and to make a statement of intent, and so sacrificed the name to that cause. They did not need to change the name, the new marketting of the club could have been faithful to our name and heritage.
The name and suburb of Footscray are integral to the identity, heart and soul of the club. to abandon it is shameful. It is discarding the past as shameful, like a criminal that needs a new identity. The club had every reason to be proud of its past. The fact that its lack of on field and financial success was not acceptable does not preclude turning things around, pride in the club and its name.
The generic nature of "Western Bulldogs" is ludcrous and meaningless. It stands for nothing. We are out wested by the Adelaide and Perth clubs. The success of the club has come from improved management, player and coaching personnel and would have been achieved without abandoning the name of the Footscray Football Club. It is the only true working class suburb remaining with a team in the league. The abandonment of our name shows lack of faith and integrity, reeks of insecurity and insincerity. Conversely to reclaim our name would show faith, integrity, security and sincerity. These are marketable qualities and qualities to rally behind.
Loyalty and tribalism are at the heart of football. I am disappointed at the views of placid acceptance of the abandonment of our proud name expressed here. I love your collective views on football strategies and your knowledge of the players and the club. But don't lose your rage against forces that damage our club; they can come from well intentioned forces within as equally from non-caring or hostile forces without.
We have achieved the change in culture needed and perception of the club will change with continued success. Lets do it under the banner of the Footscray Football Club, the banner for which we, our parents and grandparents wept tears of joy and grief.

I like your website and refer to it often.

I still refer to my club as 'Footscray' more often than not and I call out "Arna Scray" at games like I have been doing for nearly 40 years.

My son thinks the first line of our club song is 'Sons of the 'Scray' because that is how I taught him.

I have no problem whatsoever with the club being called 'Western Bulldogs'.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Re: Whats in a name?

[QUOTE=Sockeye Salmon;72581]I like your website and refer to it often.

Hi Sockeye,
I like your posts. My only football website is this one.
I was born in Footscray, not, as it happens to a working class family, my father was a chemist in Sydney Rd. We left Footscray in 1961 when I was seven, to go to the leafy eastern suburbs. No one else barracked for Footscray in my area or at my school. The prejudice towards Footscray and the western suburbs, even from my well educated classmates hit me in the face. I remained proud and loyal in the face of the prejudice. The suburb of Footscray is unique and has an interesting history. The club is part of that.

[alwaysadog]

Re: Whats in a name?

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I'm worried by this. The Melton Shire is huge these days, with the new developments through Caroline Springs & Sydenham/Hillside. I teach in the primary schools around this district, and there are very few young Doggies fans in the outer west. Collingwood has the monery and muscle to move into this territory, and the club needs to respond.

The Collingwood Football Club owns a hotel in Caroline Springs called 'The Club.' I choose to boycott this establishment.

We're doing great in the heartlands of Yarraville, 'Scray and Spotswood; good in Altona & Hoppers Crossing; OK in Sunshine & St Albans - kudos to Higgins & Crossy for their trip out to St Albans North Primary School for a coaching session with some very deprived kids.

But our representation out in the new suburbs is very poor. Tigers players have been out in Sydenham PS doing healthy eating & coaching clinics and now we see the Pies get very heavily involved.

If we really are the Western Bulldogs we need to get a presence out there. I've been meaning to contact the club about this issue so I'll be using this post as an e-mail to send to Cam Rose tomorrow. We need to act now.

We have a good community department even if they are a bit smug and predominantly small vision stuff. A kick in the tail won't hurt, of course Cam may just get defensive.

[azabob]

Re: Whats in a name?

From my point of view, I thought I was comfortable with the change of name from Footscray to the Western Bulldogs. I'm now not so sure. I wasn't even 18 at the time of the name change and growing up in Seaford I accepted it. But what I have realised in the past few years when you get asked that question "who do you barrack for?" i reply the bulldogs, not Western Bulldogs. I guess there is a part of me which feels uncomfortable that we are known as the Western Bulldogs and not Footscray.
So for me I still feel uncomfortable with the name change.

[mjp]

Re: Whats in a name?

I lived in Smith Street in Moonee Ponds for a while

Has your (somewhat fragile) psychi recovered from the shock?

[mjp]

Re: Whats in a name?

Living in Perth, the use of the word 'Western' as part of the name of a club from Victoria always seemed a bit silly. The whole 'we represent the Western Suburbs thing when there is a draft and national competition seemed a bit tenuous as an explanation as well...I mean, many of our more famed players hailed from Gippsland, so shouldn't we want to represent them as well? Footscray is the base of the club, it is a really nice spot (close to the city, close to transport) that has been discovered by a lot of people in the past ten years and it really is a place to be proud of.

I am rambling a bit now, but from the name perspective I simply don't get it.

While I am at it:
- I hate the artificial dog on the front of the guernsey...and it looks a bit 1995 to be honest. When you have the best (or second best maybe? Carlton's colors/guernsey is pretty good I suppose) colors in the competition, why does so much of our gear feature the logo that no-one I know likes.

I would love to be able to get an old style lace up jumper (to wear as a jacket) to the footy. I know the old jumpers didn't have names on the back (and I kind of prefer it that way) but if the club was smart they could use the popularity that E.J. has throughout Victoria by selling that 50's jersey with a number 3 and 'Whitten' on the back....I know it would sell. And the more the rolling zone takes over, the more people will pine for days past and items like this.

As for the involvement of Collingwood and Essendon in the Western Suburbs, I have posted this before, but getting players from our club involved in promotions etc was always too hard when I was based in Vic....Essendon would say 'how many players do you want?', WB would say 'how much are you going to pay?'. And these were Western Suburbs events...

And the Storm? Those guys would send everyone they had to make a promotion work...

[LostDoggy]

Re: Whats in a name?

I personally don't mind the bulldog logo MJP so I will make sure not to run into you at a Woof event or Melbourne game when you make it over here because I wouldn't want to wreak your agument about no one you have meet liking it. (Just kidding).

I do like the fact that the old stocky bulldog logo is appearing on some apparel though I did like that logo. It could be worse it could have been the early 90'swith the cartoony happy bulldog.

[The Pie Man]

Re: Whats in a name?

But what I have realised in the past few years when you get asked that question "who do you barrack for?" i reply the bulldogs, not Western Bulldogs.

I do the same thing - I caught myself doing it last night when meeting people at a wedding I was at. Does anyone say anything different to 'the doggies' when asked who they go for?

And MJP's comment about our logo looking very 1995 - I agree, it's dated really badly. I say change back to the EJ era top

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Re: Whats in a name?

The bulldog logo on the jumper sucks big time, except for the fact it's where a good pass should hit. It's too stylised, not authentic enough. A bulldog never lets go, is fearless and when it bites, you know you're in a fight with an opponent that will not give in. A bulldog is NOT some easy to manufacture logo.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Re: Whats in a name?

The heritage jumper is awesome IMHO with the tight vertical stripes. Also the premiership jumper has not been improved upon since.