Culture

Spidergirl · Post by **Spidergirl** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 7:08 am

well to put it simply i think Collingwood has underachieved as a club in the past decade and for too long the pathetic rebuilding stage was used as an excuse. I think its our big supporter base and famous history that has kept us in the big three (Essendon, Collingwood and Carlton) and i am glad for this because i know how it is at a club like StKilda who don't have such proud history to fall back on. Seeing as we are on the up this year but i hope Collingwood can make up for these years where we were seen as the underdog and create more history to come instead of having to always fall back on the past. I think already it is working because you can tell when all the Collingwood jokes start up again and Essendon begin having their usual whos better arguments that Collingwood is becoming a force again! ...oh and by the way Rohan i think i like that mention of Everitt being a big name

[This message has been edited by Spidergirl (edited 21 August 2001).]

Fradam · Post by **Fradam** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 7:10 am

Every team needs something Rohan, even a team like Essendon. I'll tell ya what Essendon need. The need a ruckman, 3 back men, 2 half backs, a centre half back,2 wingmen, a centreman, 2 half fowards, a centre half forward, 3 forwards and a ruck rover and rover and four guys for the bench and they might be ok. They also need a good punch in the head.

Fradam Wrote This

Broadie · Post by **Broadie** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 7:20 am

What a great story Mike - is it original?

I don't like the sound of that twist at the end...you've been reading too much by the Brothers Grimm.

Broadie

Post by **Mike** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 7:26 am

As I said to Fradam, Broadie - I'm not sure where it came from or what came over me, and considering my recent trip o/s I reckon jetlag is as good an excuse as any, but it's original.

Rohan has the remarkable ability to bring out the pontificator in me.

SS11 · Post by **SS11** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 9:07 am

Normally i ignore you Rohan, but i have to say this-

F U C K OFF and stop sniping.

[This message has been edited by SS11 (edited 21 August 2001).]

MargOZ · Post by **MargOZ** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 9:08 am

That was really COOL Mike! Being an eternal optimist I think I would have preferred a happier ending though! Reminded me of a play called "Into The Woods" - you only watch it until intermission as the second half is far too depressing!

Here's hoping our young trees keep growing strong and tall until they are the best in the land!

GO PIES!

Marg

Black_White · Post by **Black_White** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 10:51 am

"Young trees bending and snapping in the wind" How perfect. I read it and my minds eye pictured young Josh and the task he has had against fully grown men. The battering of body on body when the "young tree" was sure to bend and snap. Yet he continues on, gaining in strength and confidence.
Can we not say the same thing for 10 or more of our squad?

Rohan, you are a Collingwood man through and through. Of that I have no doubt. But surely even you can see that CFC, under the guidance of Eddie and Mick (and I've never been a fan of Mick), are forging the way back to respect and the top echelon of australian rules footy that we believe is ours by right!
I can only say that I understand that the many years of heartache and broken promises have made you cynical and bitter. We've all been there! The difference now is that most of us have become "true believers" and are confident in our new direction.

Keep posting Rohan, if nothing else you certainly generate the bytes!

Mike..."JET LAG"...........LMAO!!!!!

-Craig

FAITH

Rohan · Post by **Rohan** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 11:25 am

To quote Nathan Buckley in today's MX.

"We are sick of rebuilding, the time's come to start performing".

"The skipper says Collingwood can no longer blame inexperience for its September hiatus"

SKOBFC for the 2001 VAFA A section Flag

Post by **Mike** » Thu Aug 23, 2001 2:38 am

The story is about a group of people who employ an expert to do a job. The expert has a plan that will over a period time give the results that he was employed to achieve. The people are happy in principle, but can't handle it in practice. They are into instant gratification and want results for the money they are spending. The only result they will recognise is a meteoric rise to the top. Their need for results ahead of the planned time frame is so great that they are compelled to ignore their expert and try to buy their way to the top.

The end of the story is not really a twist at all. It is the logical consequence of the behaviour of the people.

The family is obviously the Club, but the story is not the story of the Club because we will have a different end to our story. The expert is not only the coach, but all those people who are employed to use their expertise to plan and secure the Club's on-field future - the people who we only believe in if they do what we want them to. No point in employing them really if we already know what needs to be done.

Spidergirl · Post by **Spidergirl** » Thu Aug 23, 2001 2:47 pm

Funny that Rohan i quite often see a lot of things out in the media similar to what i and others have just said on here hahha wots even funnier is all the sheep disagree and abuse us on here for it then can go and read it forthemseles in the papers the next day AHAHHAHA falling off my 'tree' now

Hiya-and-Higher · Post by **Hiya-and-Higher** » Thu Aug 23, 2001 5:00 pm

A very nice parable Mike.
Success does come steadily with careful nurturing and with applied intelligence.
Cleaning up my office today I came across a 1999 Collingwood team photograph.
It's awesome how many players are no longer at the club.
To win a premiership in 2 years with a team of rookies is the stuff of pure fantasy.
This carry-on about not tolerating defeat and second best - is primitive media driven tribal claptrap.
The world is no bed of roses, no cherry orchard - it's a tough place and those who have the 'smarts' survive - those who have cheap words alone just make a lot of noise.
Listen to the noisemakers and you'll probably feel good for about 5 minutes.
Stick with the strength!

Post by **Mike** » Fri Aug 24, 2001 5:09 pm

I'm a believer in constructive criticism and also a believer in on and off field management that is performed in the open, although I recognise that the latter is not always possible in a competitive environment.

What I don't believe in is electing a board, hiring administrators and football staff to use their skills to do a job, only to whinge and moan avery time they do something we don't like or don't do something we think they should.

The current board has been in place for almost three seasons, the senior coach is just completing his second season. They were put in place to correct the problems and to take the Club forward and we either support them in that or we replace them - that's the story.

In fact we have a responsibility to monitor their performance and replace them if they're not up to scratch, but I don't consider that whinging about what happened before they were in place is very constructive in that regard.

The fact that we've been out of the finals for seven years is not relevant and is furphy thrown in to generate an emotional response. What is relevant is that since the current people have been in place we have gone from 16th to 15th to an outside crack at the final 8. In fact we've managed to hold down a top 8 position for 17 out of 21 rounds this season... and that's not progress? Not satifactory?

If supporting a group of people that can replace the coach and almost the entire team, and then in two seasons take the youngest, most inexperienced team in the competition to finals contention, is being a sheep, then I'm proudly a sheep.

You can dismiss me as an Eddie fan and therefore biased. I am an Eddie fan, I make no bones about it. I am an Eddie fan because the results of what he and his people have done for this Club that means so much to me, is plain for any person, objective or not, to see. If that is being a sheep, then, once again, I am proudly a sheep.

MarkT · Post by **MarkT** » Sat Aug 25, 2001 1:32 am

I would like to make one simple observation about OUR culture.
WE have collectively (generalisation by definition) become too accepting of our lot and ceased demanding perfection.

Perfection may be an ideal and may not be attainable but if you aim to be adequate you may be lucky and get there.

Can we please be demanding and impatient now?
Can we demand finals success and be bitterly dissapointed when we don't achieve it? We have been patient and we have endured.

ENOUGH!!!!!

Lockyer24 · Post by **Lockyer24** » Sat Aug 25, 2001 1:56 am

The blueprint for our success has always been around 3-5 years. People are getting narky within 2-3 seasons, expecting us to go from zero to premiership in 2-3 years? its just not possible...I realise we have all been patient, have some more patience. This year has been one of my most satisfying seasons in 21 years as I have seen the boys become men, and what was once a rabble become a team able to beat even the best in the competition on its day.

Post by **Mike** » Sat Aug 25, 2001 2:27 am

I agree Mark that would should aim at the very highest pinnacle and supporters have every right to be disappointed if we don't make it.

But.

We have to be very careful not to let that aim turn into an unrealistic expectation, because then we just end up shooting ourselves in the foot.

The facts are that we have gone 7 years without a finals appearance and 11 without a grand final appearance and I agree - that is not satisfactory, but the problem has already been addressed. If we get too impatient before the solution can take effect we waste another 3 years.

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Culture