The Fickle Finger Of The Frustrated Fan

[ROK Lobster]

told you I was confused. makes much more sense now. sorry

[Bron]

Originally posted by JF_Bay22_SCG
Yes, we have had lots of people come on board in 1986 and later 1996. But the bandwagoners of this era are no fully fledged supporters in their own rights. Some are even starting up supporter websites here and there. LOL

JF

I trust you mean "of this era are noW fully fledged supporters" rather than "of this era are noT fully fledged supporters" Julian? The odd letter is important!

[Bron]

I agree Bam Bam. And I also think from another perspective. If players are reading this site, I would be unhappy for them to read the constant bagging. In management, too many people simply criticise. Encouragement and positive, constructive comment helps shape performance. Now, we are not the coaches, but we are their supporter network. Sure I am disappointed with some performances. I believe that we have shown that we can beat anyone. So it's more about the mental aspect (the top sports people recognise that it's the mental stuff that gets them to the top).

Y'all say what you like. I watch how positively people respond to some encouragement and praise. I'll keep writing my happy letters to people each week, encouraging their good performances. (And for those who are wondering, Jude gets an occasional letter after a good performance - which actually does happen - if you can bag Bally for losing a match with a kick, you can cheer Jude for winning a match with a kick!) That's my personal mission and I'll keep doing it.

I drop off here because of the negativity. If a good game got as many happy posts as a disappointing game's beat-up posts, it would be OK. But it's so much easier to criticise!

We all make our own place in the world. I have a team that I love, a team that I support, a bunch of guys that I'm proud of - who even still make me glow with pride when I think of Port Adelaide last year in September, Brissy a few weeks ago and St Kilda. I ride over the disappointments, because better things will come.

I wonder why some of you support a team that you clearly think is so bad! Maybe you just like bitching?!?!

[ScottH]

Originally posted by BAM_BAM
Hubby's gone away again for work, so I'm home alone. I sat down with a nice glass of red and started writing and it just longer and longer ..... I finished the bottle before I finished the post

LOL!!!!
I needed a bottle of red by the time I had finished reading it......... at 6:30 AM!!!!

[NMWBloods]

To me this year is just like 1997.

The previous year was the first full year of a new coach and was spectacularly and unexpectedly fantastic.

This meant that the next year was full of all sorts of promise, but never lived up to that.

Minimal injuries had benefited that first year but caused troubles in the following year.

Started the season poorly, and struggled to 4-6 after round 10 (5-5 in 2004).

Went on a run, winning 7 from 8, and firmed as a possible premiership contender (6 from 7 in 2004). After rd 18, we were 11-7 and third on the ladder (10-8 in 2004).

Things go downhill in rd 19 - comfortably leading St Kilda by 16 points at 3QT, after holding a steady 3 goal lead all game, we fall in a heap in the last quarter, are outscored 5.8 to 1.7 and lose by 9 points (rd 19 was the Kangaroos loss in 2004).

Of the last three games, we play a bottom 4, a top 4 and a middle side and we win only 1 of those games (against the weakest side). We finish with 12 wins and are destroyed in the first quarter against the Bulldogs! Out of finals we go.

[satchmopugdog]

Laughed out loud at the reference to Hamlet kicking out from full back. Thanks for that bit of humour as there hasn't been much to laugh about this week especially living in a town where everyone barracks for the Kangaroos.
It prompted me to think of maybe Bevan as Romeo... young.impetus,prone to exuberant decisions. Is Eddie Macguire Macbeth with his ambition to rule the world, or is the Richmond Club Macbeth with all those bodies everywhere?
I know we are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.....still waiting, not for Godot but for that elusive Premiership.
Fifteen teams are Othello, jealous of Brisbane.

[Nico]

Originally posted by Schneidergirl
Terrific post T and everyone else who posted above!

I get V angry at some of the remarks on here and swear blind that I will never come back on, but after a couple of days break, I'm back again. This community (though, frustrating sometimes) is a wonderful place!

Lets have a great last 3 weeks!

I can sympathise with that one. I have been told to shut up and recently have added moron and fruitcake to my CV.

Yes I have been guilty of adding the odd adjective to describe the way certain players perform, however, the topic of criticising players is not unique to the Swans.

I have recently got to know a chap named John Fisher who is the spokesman for the Unofficial Selection Committee at Carlton. Now there is what you would call a passionate supporter (quoted in the Herald Sun today). He and other people volunteer to go out and look at players in junior leagues as forward scouts, and not part of the general recruiting setup at the club.

They also have a direct line to Ian Collins, an agreement developed over a number of years. I asked him today whether they were listened to as an "Unofficial Selection Panel' on player peformance. Answer "Yes".

He said that Houlihan and Bowyer were two players that frustrated the hell out of Carlton supporters right now. Why, because when they get it they have no vision and just turn it over. Sound familiar.

I got the impression that they go a lot harder on their players than we do and have no hesitation in letting their frustrations be known.

It has to be the same here. If a player has a shocker, comes on here and sees the frustration at say, a player continually making the same mistakes, then maybe it will be taken on board.

So keep the incisive in depth comments coming folks, because if as stated, the Club and Players read this site, then some of the opinions we provide might just help germinate an idea or thought with the Club or a Player that can improve the team.

What we do know is many supporters study the game in depth. Clubs, players and coaches don't necessarily have a mortgage on all football knowledge.

Just like the punter keeps the racing industry afloat, so the footy supporter keeps the AFL afloat. Without them it would be a lonely ground.

[robbieando]

Originally posted by Nico
then some of the opinions we provide might just help germinate an idea or thought with the Club or a Player that can improve the team.

or why could plant the seed of doubt in their heads.

Overall though I agree with what your saying Nico, we shouldn't stop the bagging of players because the players might "read" it, we should only stop if its completely unwarrented.

We all have the right via this board to express our opinions on anything and everything connected to this club, if people want to bag players let them, its a free world and if the players did read it I'm sure they would dismiss it as the rantings of unqualifed nutters.

If they however did take it seriously then as Nico pointed out it could be a good thing.