Swans supporters spoilsports

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

Originally posted by undy
It cuts both ways - there are a couple of guys who sit in front of us at the Olympic doo-dah who like to start a cheer. I usually join in, but a lot of the people immediately around them don't.

Whenever the cheer fails to get critical mass, they start abusing the people who didn't join in. This is as stupid and as out of order as the quiet people wanting to impose their behaviour on everyone ele IMHO.

That person wasn't wearing a wig and waving a big flag, was he?

I'd never do a thing like that, would I?

A worried JF

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

My reply on Big Footy.

quote:
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Originally posted by Walsh Bay
Since moving up here I've just been amazed how sedate the crowd is in Sydney. They should run electric shocks through the seats every ten minutes to gee them up.
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It is not all of us, you know. There are several of us who are busting our guts every week trying to get the crowd behinds the team. But as has been discussed at great length, Sydney people are reactive audience. They get interested only when they "have something to cheer about" (ie the game gets exciting).

That is why I love it in the southern states. Noone talking about their week at work whilst the game is on. Nobody glaring at you as if you are a freak but cheering and barracking. People taking the game as seriously as I do.

Thisd is the big problem with these 'marque' games of football. They attract people curious about the result rather than passionate. Hence alot of the time the atmosphere is sod awful (aka the 72000 crowd against Collingwood last year.)

The Swans have about 20000 passionate supporters in Sydney. The rest are merely people looking for something to do on a weekend. Kind of kind going to the theatre or music gig. I think there were stats done that at the West Coast Eagles match at the SCG last year that there were an amazing 5000 walk-up ticket purchases. It was a nice sunny day that day.

But they could be going to the NRL, rugger etc etc. They are coming to our games and are giving us income.

Hopefully one day they'll come enough to realise that people who watch the football and barrack do not watch latte sippers talking about their work during the match and not concentrating on the match.

As seen by the SMH article, there are people who are totally clueless at matches. It would shgock them that people actually take watching the game very serious. And are passionate about its outcome.

Just another day in a sports-unfriendly city, I'm afraid.

JF

[Ruda Wakening]

You know what i don't understand ...

When i'm at the football i'm so caught up in whats happening on the field, i wouldn't know if the people around me were talking about non footy related things or not.

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

Originally posted by Damien
Had security called in 1997 to deal with a few mates and myself because a few of us were jumping up and down during the final quarter of the Essendon match (which we won by a point from memory)

Luckily a fair few people around us were long term AFL fans who starting laughing very loudly when security was told by the offended party what we had done to ruin their experience lol.

Sadly until recently the SCG Trust has always taken the side of the complainer. I have had complaints landed at the club about me because I gave Adam Heuskes a right razzing after a pathetic handpass that lead to a go to St Kilda back in 95. Shaun Welsh rang me up and gave me the riot act. I basically said that yes I did have a go at him and Yes I was a bit overboard in my language (try to stand up to all the St Kilda Grog squadders myself). I then gave him the riot act and said that you should not always take the line of the complainers, as many no idea of the AFL footy culture. I threatened to rip up my membership card (which I know I'd never do). 1995 was the only year I supported the Raiders with greater gusto than I did the Swans. Probably because I was so angry at being blacklisted as a troublemaker when I was just voicing my opinion as a supporter.

I never ever have a problem at away games, as even at plastic West Coast games you would not get the amount of people not taking the footy seriously than you do in Sydney. They may be cardboard supporters, but at least they are there FOR the footy! We get the cheers going and stirr everyone up. Especially in Adelaide they start abusing you and throwing food and things. I just have this grin on my face.

JF

[Wil]

Apart from the fact this article was in a major newspaper - smells like a troll to me!

I think I would rather 20,000 people go to each game that are there for the game than 40,000 people with half of them just for the social activity. There are plenty of great places in Sydney to sit and talk about your "career" while drinking Chardonnay - and I try hard to avoid them. Maybe they can have "Career, Realestate and Reality tv talking, free zones"?

[monopoly19]

If it's a choice between being abused/having food thrown at you or getting strange looks for being too passionate, I know which one I'd choose. One will learn with time, the other will just get worse.

Anyone who doesn't come from a traditional AFL state will start out as a "fair-weather supporter". It's a part of learning the game, getting to know the team, building up a passion to the point where you don't want to miss the next week's game. If the 30 000 'other' supporters there on Saturday night (going by the assumption by some that Sydney has 20 000 core supporters up here) liked the game enough to come back to see the Essendon game later this year, or the Brisbane game in a few weeks, isn't that a good thing? Sure people complain about them not being passionate enough now, but who on earth starts out as passionate as you are 10 years down the track. No-one.

[Bart]

Originally posted by Wil
Apart from the fact this article was in a major newspaper - smells like a troll to me!

Speaking of trolls did anyone read Danny Weidler's article on Sunday re: Swans misbehaving.

How does this @@@@head sleep at night

[ScottH]

Originally posted by Ruda Wakening
You know what i don't understand ...

When i'm at the football i'm so caught up in whats happening on the field, i wouldn't know if the people around me were talking about non footy related things or not.

Must admit I'm pretty much the same. Even in front of the Tele. The wife oftens asks me why I can't listen (to her) and watch the game at the same time!!.............. "What did you say, dear?"

[Damien]

Originally posted by monopoly19
If it's a choice between being abused/having food thrown at you or getting strange looks for being too passionate, I know which one I'd choose. One will learn with time, the other will just get worse.

Anyone who doesn't come from a traditional AFL state will start out as a "fair-weather supporter". It's a part of learning the game, getting to know the team, building up a passion to the point where you don't want to miss the next week's game. If the 30 000 'other' supporters there on Saturday night (going by the assumption by some that Sydney has 20 000 core supporters up here) liked the game enough to come back to see the Essendon game later this year, or the Brisbane game in a few weeks, isn't that a good thing? Sure people complain about them not being passionate enough now, but who on earth starts out as passionate as you are 10 years down the track. No-one.

yeah I agree, I think it just shocks a lot of people that someone would go to a football match and mistake it for opera or a library!!!

Very strange, have no idea what goes through some peoples heads. If that is the way people like it, I think Tennis and Gold are their best bets!

[Chubby Muffler]

If people don't like loud barracking, they can move away as far as I am concerned. We have recently moved to bay 29 concourse this year after 5 years in front of the O'Reilly stand. Although all the people around us had no idea iof who I am, I was on my feet from the first home game. I am getting to know most of them now (you ROCK Bay 29!). I barrack very loudly and get in on every chant that goes up. I have never had a complaint with what I say, as I never to swear. One of my favourite things about the AFL is that you can barrack as hard as you want, and as long as it's not offensive or stupid, everyone leaves you alone. The kids around us love the chants, and get right into it if they know someone will be there backing up.

I love the Swans and the louder the better. If I cop a dirty look, it's usually from someone I have never seen before, so stuff 'em! I've paid my money!!

[undy]

Originally posted by JF_Bay22_SCG
That person wasn't wearing a wig and waving a big flag, was he?

I'd never do a thing like that, would I?

A worried JF

Nope - no wig, in fact precious little hair at all.

[BAM_BAM]

The guys behind talk non stop during the game about anything and everything and I love it. It just adds to our experience. A plus is that they are quite witty so what's said is entertaining. There are times were I can block them out, but every now and then things filter through to us.

When they're not there, we really miss them.

[Mike_B]

Just to allay everyone's concerns about the quality of the writing, this article was actually published in "Heckler" which is where everyday people write in about stuff that really peeves them off.

[anne]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by monopoly19
[B]If it's a choice between being abused/having food thrown at you or getting strange looks for being too passionate, I know which one I'd choose. One will learn with time, the other will just get worse.

I agree totally. I think the Sydney attitude is much healthier than in Melbourne. I find going to the footy down here can be very confronting as the people take it so seriously and you have to be very careful about making comments as you don't know how they will react. I love the Swans, feel sick if they lose and on such a high if they win . I also watch every minute of the game and never speak to anyone during it but this probably isn't the best way to be as it does bring a lot of heartbreak with it. Many Swans supporters in Sydney enjoy the game but it isn't a matter of life and death if they lose - they just go out for dinner and forget about it. I wish I was like that but I can't change.

[Mark]

As long as they fit two fairly simple criteria:

i) They or someone else has paid for their entrance to the ground

ii) They are not threatening/abusive or are swearing their heads off in front of kids

Then they are most welcome, regardless of how they choose to watch or not watch the game !!!

Everyone enjoys the game differently