Why so negative??

[Schneiderman]

Originally posted by timthefish
what is so magical about four years? what is the brilliant possibility your crystal ball has conjured up in five years time that is no chance of occuring before then.

where the hell is your precious rebuild going to come from?

Footy Head has openly offered the grand solution of trading everyone for some young blood. Because in his esteemed understanding, the best way to go is to come last deliberately for about 3-4 years, pick up a whole bunch of 1-5 draft picks and then you are a shoe-in. Paul Roos will one day see the wisdom of this methodology... shame the players, supporters and sponsors will have disappeared by then

[ROK Lobster]

Originally posted by motorace_182
We were 3 points down at 3/4 time and were on an absolute roll! We were then blown out of the water unfortunately by a superior outfit. However we were far more cmopetitive overall then the pathetic Pies.

IMR (which is not great so correct me if I am wrong) we were on a roll but had put in a big 3rd quarter to get back into the game. We then ran out of gas - the effort of that qtr on top of the Port game took its toll and we were pole-axed. This is one of the points that I have been making. Sheer guts, spirit, determination, a never-say-die attitude, giving 110%, refusing to say that something is 'impossible' etc, while characteristics necessary to win a flag, are not enough. They all have limits and when other sides can supplement their own similar spirit with a bit more natural talent, a bit more height, a bit more speed, a bit more skill, self-belief, a bit more anything, it is enough to get them over the line, just as we are able to get over the sides that we have more of those things than... this is getting repetetive

[Schneiderman]

If we can just win the games we are really meant to, we can finish top 4 easily every year. Its given that such a passionate team will have the occassionally upset win, and we continue to be better than at least 12 of the other teams.

Once we are in the finals (especially if its at home) its then a case of who is better on the day.

[ROK Lobster]

Originally posted by Schneiderman

Once we are in the finals (especially if its at home) its then a case of who is better on the day.

Exactly

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by Schneiderman
Once we are in the finals (especially if its at home) its then a case of who is better on the day.

Not just on the day, but for the month. You need to win at least 3 finals to win a flag. That's a month of high pressure, top quality football.

[Schneiderman]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
Not just on the day, but for the month. You need to win at least 3 finals to win a flag. That's a month of high pressure, top quality football.

In fact there are just three very different and very winnable individual games. The moment you start to think that its a "month of high pressure, top quality football" and that you have to climb that mountain to win the flag, is the moment you fulfill your own prophecy.

Whatever happened to "one game at a time"??

[ROK Lobster]

Originally posted by Schneiderman
In fact there are just three very different and very winnable individual games. The moment you start to think that its a "month of high pressure, top quality football" and that you have to climb that mountain to win the flag, is the moment you fulfill your own prophecy.

Whatever happened to "one game at a time"??

One game at a time is fine if you ignore the reality that often a side will carry into the next week the legacy of the match just played. What happened this year after we beat St K? What happened the week after we beat Bris? What happened the week after we beat the WCE? The Swans have a great capacity for winning against the odds. BUT it takes so much from them it makes it very difficult to back up again...

The whole one game at a time philosophy is very limited in its application anyway. It is incompatible with setting goals. It is incompatible with expectations. It is incompatible with rehabilitation of injured players. If we are going to play one game at a time why not soup players up on pain killers week in week out until their broken bones and torn muscles make it impossible for them to function at all. Surely to try and win a premiership by taking a season one game at a time is just a little oxymoronic

[Schneiderman]

Originally posted by ROK Lobster
One game at a time is fine if you ignore the reality that often a side will carry into the next week the legacy of the match just played. What happened this year after we beat St K? What happened the week after we beat Bris? What happened the week after we beat the WCE? The Swans have a great capacity for winning against the odds. BUT it takes so much from them it makes it very difficult to back up again...

The whole one game at a time philosophy is very limited in its application anyway. It is incompatible with setting goals. It is incompatible with expectations. It is incompatible with rehabilitation of injured players. If we are going to play one game at a time why not soup players up on pain killers week in week out until their broken bones and torn muscles make it impossible for them to function at all. Surely to try and win a premiership by taking a season one game at a time is just a little oxymoronic

With all due respect that is crap. The whole problem with league sport is how it builds to a peak and then disappears for another year. Look at sports like cricket, tennis and golf. Athletes in those sports have to perform week-in-week-out ad infinitum.

Whilst injuries and general weariness take their toll, the very reason Brisbane have become so good is that they take each week on its own. St Kilda got scuttled because of the whole "ten weeks in a row" thing, and the Swans believe the whole "week after" thing as well.

Truly good teams revel in the challenge that each game, each quarter and each moment present. Sport is all about achieving what is by most considered impossible. If athletes begin to believe that a loss is "to be expected", or that "it cant last forever" then they are doomed to defeat. If you want to know why I think the Swans cant win a premiership, its simply through lack of belief. Whilst our talent is admittedly not the best, we have beaten every single team in the last two years.

To win the greatest prize, we have to master the true art of taking it "one game at a time". Paul knows this, and this is exactly the lesson he has so far spent two years teaching the team.

[ROK Lobster]

Originally posted by Schneiderman

Whilst injuries and general weariness take their toll, the very reason Brisbane have become so good is that they take each week on its own.

Well I can think of a few other reasons...(and I'm sure Eddie has a few theories too)

I would also have thought that Brisbane are one of the very best sides at forward planning, at peaking at the right time, at losing the odd battle in order to win the war. 3 premierships without a minor premiership, a reputation for turning it on in Sept. Didn't Michael Voss come out and say after last year that the playing group got together a month or so before the end of the home and away season and worked out what it needed to do in order to win 3 flags in a row? One week at a time is a tired cliche brought out by exhausted players and canny coaches who do not want to end up with egg on the faces if they get their bums smacked the next week or give the opposition motivational fodder.

Besides, I thought Roos had a 3 year plan. I expect that it is slightly more complex than 74 playing weeks of taking it one week at a time...

[j0lly]

Originally posted by Schneiderman

Whatever happened to "one game at a time"??

it disappeared when everyone was clambering to buy plane tickets to adelaide after we beat weagles and before we played the aints

...

[Schneiderman]

Originally posted by ROK Lobster
Didn't Michael Voss come out and say after last year that the playing group got together a month or so before the end of the home and away season and worked out what it needed to do in order to win 3 flags in a row?

As opposed to the same playing group who were writing their collective victory speeches on match day?? Just because you can "work out" what you need to do to win a premiership (not that its really that hard... "lets win every game boys"), all the planning in the world becomes irrelevant when you dont turn it on on game day.

One week at a time is a tired cliche brought out by exhausted players and canny coaches who do not want to end up with egg on the faces if they get their bums smacked the next week or give the opposition motivational fodder.

Well the very reason they DO get sacked is because they dont take it one game at a time. Schwabbie was the absolute epitomy of getting a bit carried away with "planning" this year. Talk to any successful sportsman, and they'll tell you that focus and effort when it matters most is the most crucial ingredient to success. Brisbane succeed in Finals because they dont get carried away with the hype, dont get too far ahead of themselves (except once) and play each team with no punches pulled (literrally). The Swans, on the other hand, seem to deliberately "plan" out their year with good games against tough opponents, and then "rest days" against weaker ones... the results speak for themselves.

Besides, I thought Roos had a 3 year plan. I expect that it is slightly more complex than 74 playing weeks of taking it one week at a time...

I think you'll find it is actually very simple. He certainly wont be closing of that plan with "... and thats how we will win the premiership in 2006!" The club structure, playing prowess and winning philosophy may need to be planned and executed over three years, but the message has always been the same "We need 17 or 18 of our top 22 to fire on the day for us to win the game". The sounds suspiciously like "one week at a time" and it certainly seems to be bourne out by the results to me.

I hope the fans do the planning and the players do the playing. Less dangerous that way.

[ROK Lobster]

This is still one of my favourite threads.

[NMWBloods]

Some very amusing comments...

[motorace_182]

Originally posted by ROK Lobster
This is still one of my favourite threads.

Somebody find this man a life...

[ROK Lobster]

Originally posted by motorace_182
Somebody find this man a life...

And I assume that would involve sitting in front of my Swans 2003 highlights DVD getting over-excited about the prospects of the coming season.