I think I have become the Bulldogs Grinch.

[mjp]

I always thought that winning the premiership would make me the happiest I could EVER be. But it kind of hasn't turned out that way...to the point that I turned off Easton Wood's speech from the AFL Season Launch (it was when he started talking about fallen comrades or whatever language was used)...it just seemed so 'over the top' to me. I hated the 'Into the Fury' short that was part of the launch as well- and whilst I told myself it was because the film-makers decided that nothing could happen unless it was happening in slow motion, I do have to admit that I cringed a bit at the scenes of Bob walking through the MCG car-park with his daughter...not because she isn't cute, and not because he hasn't been a great player at the club, but he did his ACL is all - it was not a national tragedy and it just feels (to me anyway) like it has been completely done to death. I am sure Bob is a ripping bloke - everyone says that he is - and surely he must be feeling a similar thing by now??


Maybe I just need the season to start???

[Bulldog Joe]

I always thought that winning the premiership would make me the happiest I could EVER be. But it kind of hasn't turned out that way...to the point that I turned off Easton Wood's speech from the AFL Season Launch (it was when he started talking about fallen comrades or whatever language was used)...it just seemed so 'over the top' to me. I hated the 'Into the Fury' short that was part of the launch as well- and whilst I told myself it was because the film-makers decided that nothing could happen unless it was happening in slow motion, I do have to admit that I cringed a bit at the scenes of Bob walking through the MCG car-park with his daughter...not because she isn't cute, and not because he hasn't been a great player at the club, but he did his ACL is all - it was not a national tragedy and it just feels (to me anyway) like it has been completely done to death. I am sure Bob is a ripping bloke - everyone says that he is - and surely he must be feeling a similar thing by now??


Maybe I just need the season to start???

Yes. You need the season to start.

(I do also)

[jeemak]

Did Francis Leach hack mjp's account?

[chef]

Lol. You are the Grinch.

[bornadog]

Just enjoy it MJP, we have waited a long time for this and yes there are some things that have gone over the top, but who cares.

[Danny the snakeman]

I I do have to admit that I cringed a bit at the scenes of Bob walking through the MCG car-park with his daughter...not because she isn't cute, and not because he hasn't been a great player at the club, but he did his ACL is all - it was not a national tragedy and it just feels (to me anyway) like it has been completely done to death. I am sure Bob is a ripping bloke - everyone says that he is - and surely he must be feeling a similar thing by now??


Maybe I just need the season to start???


I sort of agree, sick of seeing the Bob stuff. Seems more stuff on Bob than our 22 heroes and amazing coach that actually played and won on the big day.

[The Doctor]

I couldn't care less, I love it. I have waited far too long for this and happy to lap up anything that comes. So much better than the crap we've had to endure previously. The euphoria will inevitably disappear so enjoys it while it lasts.

[aker39]

Would you prefer to read articles like No Coach, No Captain, No Hope or that the club is irrelevant.

[1eyedog]

Ha ha gee I would have loved to win a flag in 1985 it would have felt like a footballing flag rather than the over-produced, heavily marketed diatribe we see today.

It's a different ball game now both on and off the field. The AFL know that every footballing second, every injury and every sacking / poor form can be told in a slow motion trailer backed by a Hollywood score.

I ain't complainin'

[comrade]

It's homeostasis. Winning the flag has totally up-turned your world view as a football follower/Dogs fan. After decades of identifying yourself and your club in a certain way, this new feeling is jarring & subconsciously wants it to return to how it was because the brain loves familiarity.

In summary, your brain is rejecting all this positive exposure and is fearful of it all turning pear shaped, leading to disappointment.

[Eastdog]

It's homeostasis. Winning the flag has totally up-turned your world view as a football follower/Dogs fan. After decades of identifying yourself and your club in a certain way, this new feeling is jarring & subconsciously wants it to return to how it was because the brain loves familiarity.

In summary, your brain is rejecting all this positive exposure and is fearful of it all turning pear shaped, leading to disappointment.

Love the psychology :) nah I love it. It's been such a long time coming.

[Eastdog]

Ha ha gee I would have loved to win a flag in 1985 it would have felt like a footballing flag rather than the over-produced, heavily marketed diatribe we see today.

It's a different ball game now both on and off the field. The AFL know that every footballing second, every injury and every sacking / poor form can be told in a slow motion trailer backed by a Hollywood score.

I ain't complainin'

85 from what I've heard was a great year for us. Nearly knocked of the Hawks in the prelim - lost by 10 points. Had we got in that year do you reckon we would have been a chance?

[hujsh]

I always thought that winning the premiership would make me the happiest I could EVER be. But it kind of hasn't turned out that way...to the point that I turned off Easton Wood's speech from the AFL Season Launch (it was when he started talking about fallen comrades or whatever language was used)...it just seemed so 'over the top' to me. I hated the 'Into the Fury' short that was part of the launch as well- and whilst I told myself it was because the film-makers decided that nothing could happen unless it was happening in slow motion, I do have to admit that I cringed a bit at the scenes of Bob walking through the MCG car-park with his daughter...not because she isn't cute, and not because he hasn't been a great player at the club, but he did his ACL is all - it was not a national tragedy and it just feels (to me anyway) like it has been completely done to death. I am sure Bob is a ripping bloke - everyone says that he is - and surely he must be feeling a similar thing by now??


Maybe I just need the season to start???

Well I can sympathise but imagine how much more unbearable it'd be if you replaced Bob with someone like Good Bloke Hodgey.

[always right]

Yep.....grinchorama.

[Bulldog4life]

Love the lauch MJP alias the Grinch. Sorry for your sake you didn't mate.

[Sedat]

I always thought that winning the premiership would make me the happiest I could EVER be. But it kind of hasn't turned out that way...to the point that I turned off Easton Wood's speech from the AFL Season Launch (it was when he started talking about fallen comrades or whatever language was used)...it just seemed so 'over the top' to me. I hated the 'Into the Fury' short that was part of the launch as well- and whilst I told myself it was because the film-makers decided that nothing could happen unless it was happening in slow motion, I do have to admit that I cringed a bit at the scenes of Bob walking through the MCG car-park with his daughter...not because she isn't cute, and not because he hasn't been a great player at the club, but he did his ACL is all - it was not a national tragedy and it just feels (to me anyway) like it has been completely done to death. I am sure Bob is a ripping bloke - everyone says that he is - and surely he must be feeling a similar thing by now??


Maybe I just need the season to start???
I love the fact that it is a little OTT, and that some opposition supporters are feeling quite curmudgeonly and aren't enamored in the slightest with our story. I also love seeing opposition coaches clearly bristle when commentators talk about Bevo and his relationship with his own players in hushed tones, as though other coaches are numnuts who cannot communicate.

It's not all beer and skittles - we still have amusing things like Jab Watson being #21 in Mike's top 50 and Libba missing out altogether.

[comrade]

I love the fact that it is a little OTT, and that some opposition supporters are feeling quite curmudgeonly and aren't enamored in the slightest with our story. I also love seeing opposition coaches clearly bristle when commentators talk about Bevo and his relationship with his own players in hushed tones, as though other coaches are numnuts who cannot communicate.

It's not all beer and skittles - we still have amusing things like Jab Watson being #21 in Mike's top 50 and Libba missing out altogether.

The Scott brothers absolutely loathe the media love for Bevo.

To those two douche canoes I say: Soak it in fellas, long may our surf board riding, long haired, Dr Suess loving football wizard-savant reign supreme.

[Sedat]

The Scott brothers absolutely loathe the media love for Bevo.

To those two douche canoes I say: Soak it in fellas, long may our surf board riding, long haired, Dr Suess loving football wizard-savant reign supreme.
Yep, these two in particular can't stomach the Bevo love. Chris Scott even more so because he hasn't lost to the Dogs once as senior coach.

[bornadog]

Yep, these two in particular can't stomach the Bevo love. Chris Scott even more so because he hasn't lost to the Dogs once as senior coach.

He will this year. :)

[jazzadogs]

Yep, these two in particular can't stomach the Bevo love. Chris Scott even more so because he hasn't lost to the Dogs once as senior coach.

Bucks also despises it - probably because he has the emotional intelligence of a peanut.

[Twodogs]

Yep, these two in particular can't stomach the Bevo love. Chris Scott even more so because he hasn't lost to the Dogs once as senior coach.

Arrogant little turd with his two man team. He was *!*!*!*!ing lucky we lost Libba and Macrae during the game last year. I can't stand faux tough guys. I Have cousins that would scare the bejeysas out of the Scott brothers and send them screaming like ninnies. Female cousins.

[LostDoggy]

Yep.....grinchorama.

Crunchy Grinchola.

[Cyberdoggie]

It's homeostasis. Winning the flag has totally up-turned your world view as a football follower/Dogs fan. After decades of identifying yourself and your club in a certain way, this new feeling is jarring & subconsciously wants it to return to how it was because the brain loves familiarity.

In summary, your brain is rejecting all this positive exposure and is fearful of it all turning pear shaped, leading to disappointment.

Yeah I get that feeling as well.

It's almost as if I have lost my identity as a battling loser all my life and now I don't know how to feel.

I must admit it's a weird feeling coming into the start of this season. I'm actually really pumped now but i'm sure as soon as we lose a game it will all come back to reality.

I'm fueling my battler/underdog nature by reading season predictions that think we won't back up 2016, or that the Giants are the team to beat and that it was a fluke last year. Proving them wrong is my ammunition now.

[The Pie Man]

It's homeostasis. Winning the flag has totally up-turned your world view as a football follower/Dogs fan. After decades of identifying yourself and your club in a certain way, this new feeling is jarring & subconsciously wants it to return to how it was because the brain loves familiarity.

In summary, your brain is rejecting all this positive exposure and is fearful of it all turning pear shaped, leading to disappointment.

I think Kurt so eloquently described this as 'I miss the comfort of being sad'

[The Doctor]

Wait til we beat some team we hate like GWS in the big one.

We will celebrate with pure unbridled euphoria. This time I think we were all emotionally charged by it all. There was great satisifaction mixed with overwhelming relief. a lot of people from outside our club suddenly wanted to know about our story and our people. Hence the mass exposure. Should we do it again I expect a lot more jealousy from the rest of the AFL & more circumspect reporting of us.

[Twodogs]

Wait til we beat some team we hate like GWS in the big one.

We will celebrate with pure unbridled euphoria. This time I think we were all emotionally charged by it all. There was great satisifaction mixed with overwhelming relief. a lot of people from outside our club suddenly wanted to know about our story and our people. Hence the mass exposure. Should we do it again I expect a lot more jealousy from the rest of the AFL & more circumspect reporting of us.

This. Everyone else sort of crashed our party last year and while it was great and they spent the night and we even went to a party together the next day now it's starting to get a bit awkward.

To quote Paul Keating the next one will be a win for the true believers. It will be us v them. The way a Grand Final should be.

[LostDoggy]

Crunchy Grinchola.

Good Lord!!!!

[Go_Dogs]

I can see what you're saying mjp, however the attention and adulation was expected given the drought.

I'm looking forward to the season starting and the media focus moving on, but have enjoyed the majority of it and the level of angst it's caused the opposition fans. Long may it continue.

[The Pie Man]

They addressed the 'drinking your own bathwater'* issue on 360 last night, Robbo believing the 2016 focus has been a bit much.

FWIW, Bob seemed pretty keen to focus on 2017.

As was mentioned in Against All Odds (which I thought of yesterday while reading this thread) this story is pretty unique. If we won 2010 after being in 3 straight prelims, sure there would've been a big focus on the drought broken, but it would've been a more conventional route to the summit. Breaking a 62 year drought from 7th after your coach and captain depart less than 2 years prior? Yeah, I'd......

* Anyone want to take a stab at the origins of this saying? Seems to be a few interpretations around.

[bornadog]

They addressed the 'drinking your own bathwater'* issue on 360 last night, Robbo believing the 2016 focus has been a bit much.

* Anyone want to take a stab at the origins of this saying? Seems to be a few interpretations around.+

Urban Dictionary describes it as:

A metaphor (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=metaphor) for a person or a group of people believing their own lies and propaganda.

If true, he is using it incorrectly.

[Remi Moses]

They addressed the 'drinking your own bathwater'* issue on 360 last night, Robbo believing the 2016 focus has been a bit much.

FWIW, Bob seemed pretty keen to focus on 2017.

As was mentioned in Against All Odds (which I thought of yesterday while reading this thread) this story is pretty unique. If we won 2010 after being in 3 straight prelims, sure there would've been a big focus on the drought broken, but it would've been a more conventional route to the summit. Breaking a 62 year drought from 7th after your coach and captain depart less than 2 years prior? Yeah, I'd......

* Anyone want to take a stab at the origins of this saying? Seems to be a few interpretations around.
I heard Robinson say that and thought I was hearing things . Was this after his weekend article on Bevo?
Robinson's becoming a bitter old drunk . Yeah it's probably gone on longer because of the history of failure , simple .

[Remi Moses]

+

Urban Dictionary describes it as:

A metaphor (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=metaphor) for a person or a group of people believing their own lies and propaganda.

If true, he is using it incorrectly.

The same media who told us we were "irrelevant " two years ago are now claiming we're drinking our own bath water. Just nonsense

[chef]

Meh, our bathwater is delicious.

Bring on the Offended.

[Rocket Science]

Meh, our bathwater is delicious.

Bring on the offended.

Drink up all ye faithful, it's thirsty work defending a flag. Or so I'm told.

http://i66.tinypic.com/rml8n5.png

[Twodogs]

Crunchy Grinchola.


That's enough about Neil Diamond already.;)

[Twodogs]

Bath water is a euphemism for your own seminal fluids. So it's like drinking your own piss to the extent that it's distilled inside you.

It doesn't make any sense to me either.

[LostDoggy]

I love it. All. Waited a long time to be hated.

However, to suggest its own bathwater is ridiculous, the majority of the hype was created by those that are complaining.

[Sedat]

They addressed the 'drinking your own bathwater'* issue on 360 last night, Robbo believing the 2016 focus has been a bit much.

Robbo dedicates 2 pages on a feature Bevo interview and then talks about Bulldog media overkill - yep, nice one

[always right]

Robbo is a buffoon. It hasn't been the club generating all the post premiership coverage so how are we drinking our own bath water?

[Twodogs]

I'd prefer we were gilding the lily myself.

[SonofScray]

I had a similar feeling when I watched 'Into The Fury,' mostly because it felt like others have started to co-opt our story and rehash it in ways that can never and will never reflect the feeling The Month, then The Day gave us Scraggers. I haven't felt any ill will for the narrative or that it was in any way over the top, just ill will around people claiming it as theirs, when in fact it is exclusively ours.

It was absolutely euphoric, mass catharsis and transformative. As the meaning changes for people that aren't us i.e. the goodwill and patronising 2nd team stuff fades there seems to be an expectation that our meaning will fade too. It won't. We'll move on, no doubt, our first loss post Flag That Wagged will be telling, but it can't be taken away from us or changed on us.

The other thing is we've built a Church on which the Drought is the foundation, it is symbolic of all the positive features of our identity in the face of adversity. The drought has been broken, so it creates a bit of uncertainty.

I had a sebaceous cyst on my shoulder that was huge for about 2 years, I used to fiddle with it and try pop it etc all the time. When I had it removed surgically, I found all the habits I had built up around it hard to break, it was unsatisfying to the point I missed the lump on my shoulder. I think there is something like that at play at the moment, on the eve of the season.

[ledge]

Del Santo took over from Barrett tonight .. Made the statement no team is a lock for finals when asked about the Bulldogs but in the next sentence told us GWS were a lock to win the gf and be a powerhouse the next few years.. Amazing .. Even Robbo gave him a strange look.

[jazzadogs]

I had a sebaceous cyst on my shoulder that was huge for about 2 years, I used to fiddle with it and try pop it etc all the time. When I had it removed surgically, I found all the habits I had built up around it hard to break, it was unsatisfying to the point I missed the lump on my shoulder. I think there is something like that at play at the moment, on the eve of the season.

Perfect analogy for how I feel. Supporting the battling Bulldogs has been a part of my identity...it's strange to not have that anymore!

[Bulldog Joe]

+

Urban Dictionary describes it as:

A metaphor (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=metaphor) for a person or a group of people believing their own lies and propaganda.

If true, he is using it incorrectly.

So the true definition is James Hird and Essendon.

[comrade]

It's like we all used to love the Bulldogs before they were cool, like an indie band that only you and your mates knew about. Then they release a huge mainstream hit and everyone claims to be a long time fan.

[The Doctor]

I can understand some people's mind reverting back to the "battling bulldogs" mentality but my advice is get over it. We are winners and deserve to be grinners. Things have changed and my mind started preparing for a successful era during the pre-season of 2015.

I love it. the afterglow of being premiers is phenomenal and i want to see more of

Bob Murphy kissing babies
Matty Boyd becoming mayor of Footscray
Dale Morris having a statue ( a la the Colossus of Rhodes) standing over Barkly St
Easton Wood giving speeches to Parliament
Liam Picken fronting ACDC
Jake Stringer in the next Wrestlemania
Who Wants to be a Millionaire being re-named to "Who Wants to be a Tom Boyd"
Libba hosting his own reality lifestyle show

etc

lets do this again!

[comrade]

I can understand some people's mind reverting back to the "battling bulldogs" mentality but my advice is get over it. We are winners and deserve to be grinners. Things have changed and my mind started preparing for a successful era during the pre-season of 2015.

I love it. the afterglow of being premiers is phenomenal and i want to see more of

Bob Murphy kissing babies
Matty Boyd becoming mayor of Footscray
Dale Morris having a statue ( a la the Colossus of Rhodes) standing over Barkly St
Easton Wood giving speeches to Parliament
Liam Picken fronting ACDC
Jake Stringer in the next Wrestlemania
Who Wants to be a Millionaire being re-named to "Who Wants to be a Tom Boyd"
Libba hosting his own reality lifestyle show

etc

lets do this again!

Oh, God. I'd watch the hell out of Libba's lifestyle show. My guess is it would be televised late at night with an M15+ rating as a minimum ;)

[Twodogs]

I can understand some people's mind reverting back to the "battling bulldogs" mentality but my advice is get over it. We are winners and deserve to be grinners. Things have changed and my mind started preparing for a successful era during the pre-season of 2015.

I love it. the afterglow of being premiers is phenomenal and i want to see more of

Bob Murphy kissing babies
Matty Boyd becoming mayor of Footscray
Dale Morris having a statue ( a la the Colossus of Rhodes) standing over Barkly St
Easton Wood giving speeches to Parliament
Liam Picken fronting ACDC
Jake Stringer in the next Wrestlemania
Who Wants to be a Millionaire being re-named to "Who Wants to be a Tom Boyd"
Libba hosting his own reality lifestyle show

etc

lets do this again!

As much as I'd love to see that I'd prefer to wait until his footy career is over.

[AndrewP6]

Here, Grinchy Grinchy Grinchy.

Yep, you're the Grinch of Premiership Past.
I watch every clip the club release. I watch the final Series regularly. 62 bloody years the club waited. I'm gonna enjoy it until we win another. And then I'll savour both.

[Twodogs]

Here, Grinchy Grinchy Grinchy.

Yep, you're the Grinch of Premiership Past.
I watch every clip the club release. I watch the final Series regularly. 62 bloody years the club waited. I'm gonna enjoy it until we win another. And then I'll savour both.

Compare them. Talk about which premiership is your favourite. Truly appreciate them.

[Topdog]

I still go tingly all over when watching anything premiership related. 360 did a 3 minute clip about our final series a few days ago, I was still close to sobbing

[Twodogs]

Close to sobbing? I still break down and cry three times a day just thinking about it.

[The Underdog]

It's funny, I'm in a wierd place football wise. Usually I'm completely pumped for round one and am all over pre-season, but this year I'm honestly a bit ambivalent. Is it because we went to the top of the mountain and now I've been there the passion has dissipated? Is it a growing perspective on the actual importance of football? Is it just that a really busy home life has distracted from footy generally?
It might be a bit of everything. I'm certainly not a grinch about the positive Bulldog press, we've certainly had our fair share of the negative, but to be honest I probably haven't read any over the past 3 months or so. Avoiding the larger football media has become a bit of a strategy.
Certainly the passion and joy of last September will be difficult if not impossible to ever replicate. Maybe I just need a real game to ignite the embers. We'll see tonight.

[comrade]

It's funny, I'm in a wierd place football wise. Usually I'm completely pumped for round one and am all over pre-season, but this year I'm honestly a bit ambivalent. Is it because we went to the top of the mountain and now I've been there the passion has dissipated? Is it a growing perspective on the actual importance of football? Is it just that a really busy home life has distracted from footy generally?
It might be a bit of everything. I'm certainly not a grinch about the positive Bulldog press, we've certainly had our fair share of the negative, but to be honest I probably haven't read any over the past 3 months or so. Avoiding the larger football media has become a bit of a strategy.
Certainly the passion and joy of last September will be difficult if not impossible to ever replicate. Maybe I just need a real game to ignite the embers. We'll see tonight.

I'd imagine for those erstwhile adventurers that have climbed Mt Everest more than once, it's always fun but never as memorable as the first time.

We climbed the footballing equivalent of Mt Everest last year & in the most spectacular fashion imaginable. Nothing will ever match it & so that sense of striving, of utter desperation to reach the summit just once that drove us as fans has been replaced by something else.

[bornadog]

I'd imagine for those erstwhile adventurers that have climbed Mt Everest more than once, it's always fun but never as memorable as the first time.

We climbed the footballing equivalent of Mt Everest last year & in the most spectacular fashion imaginable. Nothing will ever match it & so that sense of striving, of utter desperation to reach the summit just once that drove us as fans has been replaced by something else.

Now that we are on top of Everest, I for one am going to enjoy the view - and it feels great.

[I'm Not Bitter Anymore!]

I don't want the season to start then the spell will be broken

[bornadog]

It's funny, I'm in a wierd place football wise. Usually I'm completely pumped for round one and am all over pre-season, but this year I'm honestly a bit ambivalent. Is it because we went to the top of the mountain and now I've been there the passion has dissipated? Is it a growing perspective on the actual importance of football? Is it just that a really busy home life has distracted from footy generally?
It might be a bit of everything. I'm certainly not a grinch about the positive Bulldog press, we've certainly had our fair share of the negative, but to be honest I probably haven't read any over the past 3 months or so. Avoiding the larger football media has become a bit of a strategy.
Certainly the passion and joy of last September will be difficult if not impossible to ever replicate. Maybe I just need a real game to ignite the embers. We'll see tonight.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2sT2MK5QNw&feature=youtu.be

[chef]

amazing.

[Mofra]

I don't want the season to start then the spell will be broken
Flag unveiling round 2.
Will be a great moment