My Week With The Doggies

[Scraggers]

For well over six months, I had been planning my 40th birthday celebrations; and as would be expected, my celebrations all revolved around returning to the Mother Country (Melbourne) for a weekend and watching the Bulldogs play … plus a few orange sherbets on the side.

As I was travelling with three mates from WA, it was difficult to find a round of football that included their teams (Freo and Carlton) as well as the Doggies … so round 13 it was !!

I approached the Western Bulldogs and told of my planned footy trip, and asked them if there was anything events happening that week, or if there was any way they could help make this trip special. I was eventually put in contact with Anna Mitchell who is in charge of club promotions. Anna made arrangements for me to go to the Sons Of The West (Trainers fundraising function) … I will discuss this in the other thread.

One of my mates decided he really wanted to attended training, so my weekend was blown out to a week, but I didn’t mind in the slightest as this was just another opportunity to see my Doggies in action.

So my week was set … travel over to Melbourne on the Tuesday, go watch training on the Wednesday, Carlton :eek: training on the Thursday, Bulldog function on the Friday, footy Saturday, Bulldog game Sunday travel home on Monday … or so I thought !!

I happened to mention on another thread that I was attending training the next week, and a couple of hours later I received a message from The Coon Dog that he had spoken to Rodney Eade on my behalf, told him of my trip, and organised for him to meet me after training. I was dumbfounded … for the first time in my life, I didn’t know what to say. I started with a HUGE thank you to The Coon Dog :D

[Scraggers]

My Week (Part 2)

I got to training very early and went straight in to the Bulldog shop to allay some very nervous tension, and spend some ‘hard-earned’ on Bulldog gear. Training was great; Bornadog gave a great summary in this thread :-

http://www.woof.net.au/forum/showthread.php?t=5289

I also posted some photos.

After training I approached Rocket as organised … I walked up and said “Hi Rodney, my name is Stuart and I post on WOOF …” before I could get another word out Rocket said “G’day Stuart, I’ve been waiting for you” Rocket has been waiting for me … :cool:

He said he had to go and do his media commitments, he’ll come back and see me in 10 minutes … I thought this was the biggest brush off I had received, but wasn’t stressed as I got to meet the coach and he knew my name. So I waited the ten minutes (or so) then Rocket walked out of the building straight towards me. At this stage I was standing with FDOTM and the two chatted about the presentation he had made to the players

http://www.woof.net.au/forum/showthread.php?t=4521&page=17

There was no brush off … Rocket asked if I was ready, I answered with a quizzical “Yes?” he asked if I had seen the new facilities, I responded only on the internet. He said “alright then, let me show you around.”

For the second time in my life I was gob-smacked … but Rocket didn’t miss a beat, he introduced me to players and coaching staff as we walked past them. (John Barnes stuck his head out of his office and shouted “Hey Rocket, tell ‘em I’m the brains of the operation !!”) He showed me all the new equipment and constantly compared the old with the new. He answered every question I asked including ones about player’s diet, schedules, even about his new contract.

The tour would have taken about 30 minutes in total and was just amazing … the facilities were outstanding, but the chat with the coach was mind blowing ... the fact that he would avail himself to do something like that for little old me, just goes to show the true character of the man.

http://s901.photobucket.com/albums/ac211/Scraggers/th_IMG_3008.jpg

With the weekend culminating in a win against the Roos, needless to say, my 40th birthday celebrations were fantastic !!

[Ozza]

Loving reading this so far Scraggers....keen to read more.

What a great idea for a birthday week. Living in Melbourne I probably take for granted that I could do these sort of things (attend training/functions etc) - and as a result - I rarely do.

Rocket sounds like a champ - and your story is another reminder of how close to the club WOOF is.

Nice work scraggers, Nice work TCD.

[bulldogtragic]

I must say i'm very envious, nice way to celebrate, and happy postumous birthday. Anything interesting happen at the Son of the West night?

I love these stories, because it makes me feel the AFL and corporate dollars haven't completely ruined footy.

Great thread you lucky, lucky bastard :)

[Mantis]

Sounds like you had a great time. The meeting with Rocket would have made the trip all the worth while and the win would have topped off the week.

Hopefully you can get back over here for the finals.

[LostDoggy]

What a fantastic way to spend a birthday. Good on ya Scraggers!

[bornadog]

Happy Belated 40th Stuart (Scraggers), too bad we didn't meet at training. I saw you walk past (the Tshirt was the giveaway), but I didn't know who you were. I was thinking of walking over to the elite training area, but got stuck with talking to a few pensioners, including Maurice's (Ernie Sigley from WOOF) father.

Sounds like a great trip.

[comrade]

Great stuff Scraggers – a birthday to remember.

Also, well done TCD on tee-ing it up with Rocket. It’s great that things like this can be organized from time to time.

[Hot_Doggies]

I must say i'm very envious, nice way to celebrate, and happy postumous birthday. Anything interesting happen at the Son of the West night?

I love these stories, because it makes me feel the AFL and corporate dollars haven't completely ruined footy.

Great thread you lucky, lucky bastard :)

I think you mean belated.

Otherwise Scraggers wouldn't be such a "lucky lucky bastard"

;)

[LostDoggy]

Awesome stuff, i love reading these kinds of things, jsut makes me love the club and supporters even more...

[lemmon]

Sounds like a great birthday, perfect way to celebrate.

[bulldogtragic]

:) Touche' Hot Doggies, touche'.

But I was using it in the supurlative latin form of the adverb post, not the literal english defintion which is a mutation from the original latin meaning. A ha, BT says :)


Word History: The word posthumous is associated with death, both in meaning and in form. Our word goes back to the Latin word postumus, meaning "last born, born after the death of one's father, born after the making of a will," and "last, final." Postumus was largely used with respect to events occurring after death but not exclusively so, since the word was simply one of the superlative forms of the adverb post, "subsequently, afterward." Because of its use in connection with death, however, later Latin writers decided that the last part of the word must have to do with humus, "earth," or humāre, "to bury," and began spelling the word posthumus. This form of the Latin word was borrowed into English, being first recorded in a work composed before 1464.

But I can certainly see where you were coming from. :)

[AndrewP6]

What a cracker of a birthday!

[Go_Dogs]

Love the report and always love hearing about how supporter-friendly Rocket is. One of a kind.

[LostDoggy]

Lucky Bastard - Good work thats a birthday you wont be able to forget..

[LostDoggy]

Great story - so what did your Carlton supporting mate think of that:D

[Throughandthrough]

Well done to Scraggers!

I'm off to Melbourne to see a game soon, Coon Dog can I pretend it's my birthday as well? :D



PS the list of fellow Woofters i have met


Rocco Jones
Scraggers.



That's it I think.....

[Desipura]

It will be my 40th in October, if it is half as good as yours, I'll be content.

[bornadog]

It will be my 40th in October, if it is half as good as yours, I'll be content.

Well you will be still celebrating into October, ie the premiership:D

[Desipura]

Well you will be still celebrating into October, ie the premiership:D
well then it would be the best birthday EVER!

[The Coon Dog]

Glad you had a good time Scraggers. Just out of curiosity, what did you buy at Bulldogs Central?

[LostDoggy]

What an awesome read - Congrats of a fantastic 40th!

TCD is just the best....he did a similar thing for my boy Seb (you've probably read the thread) which resulted in an email to us from Rocket inviting us to training also. He is such a great guy and as TCD said....Nothings to much trouble for Rocket. Glad he's with us - better stay!!

So good work on every ones behalf. What a great family we have here :) Glad I'm a part of it now.

[Bulldog4life]

well then it would be the best birthday EVER!

Not quite as good as mine will be.:) My birthday is on GRAND FINAL day! :D

My father also had a memorable experience lately. Over the last few years he has had his photo taken with various bulldog players at the East West day. Well we celebrated his 90th birthday recently...he and my mum are still members by the way...and my wife made up this GIANT birthday card including a number of the photos.

I took it down to the Club and saw Kathryn Young, James Fantasia's personal assistant and she was a great help. She arranged for every player sign the card along with Rocket with about a third of them writing a personal message to my dad. He was so rapt to receive the card and it now sits proudly in my parents loungeroom for all to see.

[The Coon Dog]

Not quite as good as mine will be.:) My birthday is on GRAND FINAL day! :D

My father also had a memorable experience lately. Over the last few years he has had his photo taken with various bulldog players at the East West day. Well we celebrated his 90th birthday recently...he and my mum are still members by the way...and my wife made up this GIANT birthday card including a number of the photos.

I took it down to the Club and saw Kathryn Young, James Fantasia's personal assistant and she was a great help. She arranged for every player sign the card along with Rocket with about a third of them writing a personal message to my dad. He was so rapt to receive the card and it now sits proudly in my parents loungeroom for all to see.

Thanks for sharing that Bulldog4Life, its stuff like this that really makes you appreciate our football club.

Kudos to Kathryn Young & I hope you Dad has many more Birthday's to come.

[Bulldog4life]

Thanks for sharing that Bulldog4Life, its stuff like this that really makes you appreciate our football club.

Kudos to Kathryn Young & I hope you Dad has many more Birthday's to come.

Cheers Coon Dog for your kind thoughts. He was lucky enough to see the 54 premiership and he wants to see another one.....like we all do.

[Ozza]

Thanks for sharing that Bulldog4Life, its stuff like this that really makes you appreciate our football club.

Kudos to Kathryn Young & I hope you Dad has many more Birthday's to come.

Had a beer with Kathryn's cousin last night and mentioned that her name was brought up on here a couple of times.

He told me - 'She wasn't originally a bulldogs supporter, she actually followed Essendon, but she is beginning to say 'We' when she talks about the Doggies - so I think she has converted'.