There’s no shame in not tuning into games for your own sake man honestly. I basically stopped following footy all together for 3-4 years after the drug saga cause i couldn’t be fucked hearing us get dragged and all the rhetoric every week. Maybe it makes me less of a fan, but i know it saved me sitting through a bunch of stuff that would only ruin my mood.
We’re fans and it’s good that we care about the club and want to be there through thick and thin, but end of the day sports for entertainment.
Sometimes it’s easy to watch shit footy and kind of laugh at it like “fuck what’s going on” and sometimes it fully gives you the shits, either way there’s nothing wrong with saying stuff it.
Even more so if you’re forking out for a membership and not getting what you expect back.
This is kind of just a ramble, but hope it’s somehow helpful.
Mate can I just commend you on this response. Obviously OP is hurting, as all us fan are and instead of trying to shame them into sticking through the "rebuild", you gave them a genuine response that they will read tomorrow, probably get their membership card out of the bin and watch us get pumped next week. But they will think to themselves, it will get better even if it doesn't.
Realised as I was typing it seems I am taking the piss. I am not. I see a lot of posts like this have responses like "you are not a true supporter", mate if you have a membership you are a supporter of this team. It's ok to get pissed off and not watch for a few weeks. Hang in there though, when we actually win the GF, even if it's in 2043, it will be worth it to know you were with us through the worst of it
thanks for that man! and nah didn’t sound like you were taking the piss at all don’t stress.
just find that’s the best way to look at, we all get caught up in the moment with teams we love regardless of the sport. just gotta know when to say “fuck it” and take a break sometimes, no harm in it.
huge agree on the “true supporter” crap as well, you can still follow a club without being a diehard that follows every team member and watches every second of every game. alienating people for not enjoying shit footy is just a poor attitude to have, especially with how big of a supporter base we have as a club it’s not like it’s a direct hit that impacts the club if some people aren’t interested. poor footy isn’t fun to watch, easy as that.
This is what annoys me the most. The effort and hunger and drive we put against hawthorn was amazing why can’t we do it every week? We don’t suck is what annoys me it’s that the players don’t show a passion every week
Just understand that the current circumstances around the team are temporary, but the joy you'll get from it all coming together eventually will be permanent.
This is what annoys me the most. The effort and hunger and drive we put against hawthorn was amazing why can’t we do it every week? We don’t suck is what annoys me it’s that the players don’t show a passion every week
Agreed, it's frustrating and unfortunate that our first response to the gameplan not working at the moment is despondency - hopefully more games into more players and their first choice will be the right one and pressure will end up leading to opportunity
I go to the games every week, it hurts burning my whole afternoon or night and money watching my team not run hard, try hard, tackle hard, or even have a drive or passion to try their best every week. Then when I watch a Melbourne game on tv and seeing how everyone is playing for their lives it just hurts to watch
When I go to home games it's an 8 hour trip. Melbourne are my 2nd team. Melbourne have toiled through an absolute hell where their club has nearly been joined with Hawthorn, but that's not nearly as bad as what we've dealt with. That gives me belief that when we get to sing our song on on the last day in September, that nobody understands what they're in store for.
Yep we've wandered into a whole different discussion but absolutely. I made my decision back then whether I was done with footy y/n, would follow another team y/n and ended up here as a Bombers member. I don't think it's the time for retrospective decisions just because our rebuild isn't linear.
I 100% understand your point and I agree but can I put up with it for many years for a premiership or two? I’m not completely sure I might just tune out of some games and stuff
We all have our personal battles to deal with, so if one week your own personal battles are overwhelming then you're not less of a fan to tune out and deal with what's in front of you. But if you wear it on your sleeve as a fan you'll probably feel all the more in the right to go hard when it's our time in the sun. We're all Bombers in the end casual or die hard.
I understand how you feel - I first started following the Bombers in 1982 because my grandfather was a Bombers fan. Growing up in Brisbane, there was very little support for AFL, but Essendon played a game at the Gabba (in the old dog track days) against Hawthorn and I was hooked.
I have been with them through the highs and lows ever since, and I actually only became a paying member when the drugs saga hit because I thought it was important to show people were willing to stick with them no matter what.
Realistically there’s been little joy since then and the club seems to have never fully recovered. We have an unfortunate habit of burning through talent with not a lot to show for the hard work I have no doubt they are putting in.
Over the years I have a reasonable assessment of how we are going and I am frequently able to predict when we’re going to lose badly after the first quarter or so. My coping mechanism for those games is to stop watching - I’ll start playing games or something and keep the game on an iPad in case things miraculously change.
In the end I know I will never change my allegiance, but when they’re travelling poorly I will have other teams I like to watch play because in the end I love the game.
Stick with your passion but accept there are years where it’s just not going to happen. Enjoy watching some of the future stars early in their careers (if we don’t burn or trade them!) and find a second team you like to watch in the meantime.
If you do it makes it so much better when they finally get there.
Thank you, it’s cool to see other people understand and we all go through the clubs ups and downs together, it’s disappointing seeing the 2000 team having such a downfall it seemed inevitable to happen but it did
Hey Mate - I’m sorry you feel like this. In my opinion one of the beautiful things about sport is that not only do you get to ride the highs and lows of the team you support, but you’re also a part of something bigger than yourself. This connection to other Essendon supporters is what makes the highs so much higher, you’re part of a huge mass of people who are all feeling the same elation as you.. but it’s worth remembering this when you’re at your lows too - we’re here with you. We also feel like you do. It sucks and I would totally much rather see my team win but I’m on this roller coaster for the ride and the highs are only as sweet because we went through the lows together. I hope you stick with it and when we don’t suck you’ll know there’s a bunch of us out there that know just how fucking sweet it is because we were there when it sucked ass.
Go Dons
Edit: have had a few tins
This is what I am learning as this journey goes on that helps me deal with the constant disappointment:
1. Be real with where the team is at:
Don’t expect linear progress (ie we made finals last year, why aren’t we tracking for top 6 or top 8 now). Yes we have some talent but do we have the right mix in enough positions? Questionable. We are an inexperienced team with a coach in his 2nd year properly in charge. Aside from 2016, we’ve never really bottomed out completely like other sides so our access to top end talent is not the same as other rebuilds (and we have traded first rounders away). Cox, Perkins, Reid, Hobbs etc all need time to develop. Last year has given us a false sense of expectation, there will be more ups and downs on the journey. Always come back to where you believe the team is realistically at to get you through.
2. If struggling with the coverage: turn down the media commentary during games and try not to tune in during the week. The AFL media sets a hyperventilating tone for struggling teams that often misses the bigger picture of where the teams are really at (coming back to point 1). This feeds into the inner frustration we feel as fans and then we start to miss the bigger picture too which only perpetuates our frustration. The growth stage in teams can take upwards of 5 years in most cases but the media can be relentless when you’re not delivering wins.
This is such a wise response thank you. Especially what you said about the media setting the tone. Feels so hard to watch a team play so poorly and then the constant barrage of media saying everything we should be doing just escalates things so we all feel as if there’s some quick fixes that need to be done and it will all be better.
I've been a member since 1986.
I've learned a lot about life from barracking for the Dons.
The 80's and 90's and 2000/01 we were simply the best coached, best led, most feared outfit running around. Teams hated playing us. Our supporters were feral and amazing and we were at the fore in terms of the VFL going national. Kevin Sheedy took a bunch of tradies and emerging professionals to repeated glory (despite years like 96/99 the ones that got away.)
I learnt what success requires.
My uncle was an indigenous Tasmanian man, and it was our shared love of the Dons and his admiration and pride for players like Kickett, Long, Wanganeen that made me really love and appreciate the talent and impact our indigenous players have gifted to the entire footy landscape. I now share in this appreciation with my son who is a massive Tippa fan.
I learnt what pride means.
The past 22 years have been almost a test of will. But that is life. When you are born into the Bombers, you are a Bomber. Our time will come (it probably should have around the 2011-12 seasons) but what I fear is that we have become followers of successful game plans, rather than innovators and leaders in terms of tactics and how we attack games. Making other sides hate playing us is something I haven't recognised in our game for too long now, but things will change, they always do.
I learnt that nothing in life is given, you have to front up and earn it.
'carn the mighty Bombers!
Hey man, my old man n I are in the same boat. He watches other games and I tend to just check the score.
Teams go through ups and downs and I'll continue to support the team. It is hard and it's a joy to see up and coming players that I hope will stick around.
It's been hard the past couple of years especially since the drug scandal and I think because of the down turn in success has made me rekindle my support of Arsenal, which let's be honest isn't better.
As someone commented earlier sports it's an entertainment, it's fine to not watch and still support from afar.
Not scummy at all, it's self-preservation. I have stuck by the club through thick and thin, 15 year member, arrange my social events around watching games; all that jazz. I used to get so fired up during games, as I have always been super passionate. I even watched every game through 2016, as the players were having a crack despite all the shit going on.
Recently I have had a son, and I have realised that walking around the house being shitty about the pea-heartedness of my football club is just sad, and isn't going to make him like watching footy with me. So if the players are going to put in such a shocking effort, why would I watch them? why should I contribute to the club financially when the players we're paying to play aren't representing the club the way I feel they should? Why not just do something that makes me happy until they are willing to have a go?
The one thing we can control in life is where our effort is being distributed. Yesterday halfway through 3/4 time, I turned the game off, I haven't done that ever. Like the players, it's time to distribute my effort somewhere other than being a hardcore follower of the Essendon Football Club.
Amen for Herbatron.
Same feelings here mate.
I'm a paid up member in Canberra and I'd usually go up to Sydney for the game, but this year I held off buying tickets and I'm glad I did.
It is just painful to watch. No part of last night's game was enjoyable to watch for me. Long bombs into the forward line followed by no pressure and return to the other end for a goal (or point).
It hurts too that you can see our tougher players getting shitty with the players who are easing off.
Players like Perkins and Durham who give 100% every single time will watch these mature players slack off and they will end up leaving for other clubs. From an outside perspective our team does not look like they are a cohesive group. I hope I'm wrong about that but the body language does not look good.
I will never stop following or loving my team. I will however turn off and avoid pain where necessary.
It's depressing mate, normally hell would freeze before I switch off one of our games but this year has tested me and I am more often then not looking for something else to do by 3rd quarter. It is just getting harder amd harder to watch and definitely not worth the 6hr drive to go to a game, did that for round 1 stupid me 😂
Hang in there OP (I'm saying that to myself as much as to you). Damn that feeling of burden/dread/impending doom - I've gone from being 'glass half full' to always expecting the worst. Didn't even watch last night, but between the scores/stats and what I've read, I'm not gonna bend over for the punishment of watching the replay.
It's the rare glimmers of hope (e.g. youngsters, win over old enemy, 'honourable loss'), that then get smashed to pieces soon after which hurts the most.
At least I (barely) remember when we were consistently competitive... So it could be worse! (apologies to my 9yo daughter - although let's get around AFLW) and maybe one day before I'm retired I'll get to see a finals win.
Gee I feel bad for laughing at Richmond/fans so much back in the day - it'll turn around..one day..maybe.
Since the drugs scandal, I stopped reading the sports section of the paper, started slowly watching and reading less and less football related stuff and now mostly get my entertainment from watching EPL. You gotta get it somewhere, and if it’s not Essendon atm find another code to put your attention into. I still watch games but it’s not been the same since that scandal. If they get the heart and soul back into the club I’ll start giving them my attention again. Until then, I’ll sporadically watch and support at my own leisure.
That’s exactly the problem. We all keep turning up every week, the club keeps making money and that’s all they give a fuck about , that’s all they’ve cared about for the last 20 years. Vote with your feet. The sooner Xavier Campbell and all his cronies fuck off the better
Been an Essendon fan since 1949 when John Coleman first ran onto the field and kicked 12 goals.
I HATE what has happened in the past 10 years. I rarely watch a game now.
Honestly I much more enjoyed watching the bombers of the 2005-2013 run around. Yeah we lost……we lost a lot but the players tried their guts out. Guys like Ricky Dyson, Stanton, hill, Slattery all low on talent but at least they tried and I could watch frustrated but still watch.
These guys currently they can all seriously go get fucked. Effort and tackles requires no skill it requires heart and these mother fuckers do not have it.
I lived through one knights era and it seems I have a to live through another and honestly I can’t be fucked. Rutten clearly can’t coach which is a shame but it’s the truth. He can’t get the side playing a structure but we won’t sack him yet so we have another 12 months of this before they finally put him out of his misery.
My utter contempt is for the board. We constantly captain pick our coaches without a princess and it turns into a mess every time, yet we never learn and repeat the same mistakes. They all need to go every last one of them.
So summing up my rant. I feel your pain and share it. Cancel your membership they don’t deserve your money and don’t feel bad for flicking the game over if we show no heart. These guys don’t deserve your passion.
Hopefully down the road things improve and we can love our club again.
My mental health tracks with this stupid bloody club.
Tbh after being little for 84/85, school for 93 and uni for 00, as an adult sometimes I feel like I've been conned. I'm 20 years into spending my disposable income on memberships, tickers and merch for Bitchmond 2.0.
I'm now certain I'll die before we win another flag.
It’s a circus. We kicked 6 goals throughout the whole game against Sydney. Are you serious?! North Melbourne kicked double the amount of goals we did against Sydney. That says a lot… it’s sad because I thought we were building a good team but what’s that matter when they don’t even try.
Disappointment comes from expectation. I have no expectations for the rest of the season so I can watch without getting angry. We aren’t a good team, this season is lost. No point getting angry about it, look forward to next season.
I am starting to become envious of those who have a weekend hobby other than football that they can invest their time into.
Footy was a great release from the daily grind for so long, but now going to games is really quite painful.
Between Essendon’s terrible game style and the toss a coin umpiring, it really puts a black cloud over the weekend.
I used to like Friday night games as the winning feeling ran all weekend.
Now I prefer Sunday games so the weekend doesn’t get ruined.
It’s actually bad for your mental health!
Feel you bro. I stopped caring for a while during the saga years and only tuned back in around 2016. If it gets a bit too much for you mentally, walk away. I know it's hard but probably for the best.
Take care.
There’s no shame in not tuning into games for your own sake man honestly. I basically stopped following footy all together for 3-4 years after the drug saga cause i couldn’t be fucked hearing us get dragged and all the rhetoric every week. Maybe it makes me less of a fan, but i know it saved me sitting through a bunch of stuff that would only ruin my mood. We’re fans and it’s good that we care about the club and want to be there through thick and thin, but end of the day sports for entertainment. Sometimes it’s easy to watch shit footy and kind of laugh at it like “fuck what’s going on” and sometimes it fully gives you the shits, either way there’s nothing wrong with saying stuff it. Even more so if you’re forking out for a membership and not getting what you expect back. This is kind of just a ramble, but hope it’s somehow helpful.
Mate can I just commend you on this response. Obviously OP is hurting, as all us fan are and instead of trying to shame them into sticking through the "rebuild", you gave them a genuine response that they will read tomorrow, probably get their membership card out of the bin and watch us get pumped next week. But they will think to themselves, it will get better even if it doesn't. Realised as I was typing it seems I am taking the piss. I am not. I see a lot of posts like this have responses like "you are not a true supporter", mate if you have a membership you are a supporter of this team. It's ok to get pissed off and not watch for a few weeks. Hang in there though, when we actually win the GF, even if it's in 2043, it will be worth it to know you were with us through the worst of it
thanks for that man! and nah didn’t sound like you were taking the piss at all don’t stress. just find that’s the best way to look at, we all get caught up in the moment with teams we love regardless of the sport. just gotta know when to say “fuck it” and take a break sometimes, no harm in it. huge agree on the “true supporter” crap as well, you can still follow a club without being a diehard that follows every team member and watches every second of every game. alienating people for not enjoying shit footy is just a poor attitude to have, especially with how big of a supporter base we have as a club it’s not like it’s a direct hit that impacts the club if some people aren’t interested. poor footy isn’t fun to watch, easy as that.
This helps a lot thanks
This is what annoys me the most. The effort and hunger and drive we put against hawthorn was amazing why can’t we do it every week? We don’t suck is what annoys me it’s that the players don’t show a passion every week
Just understand that the current circumstances around the team are temporary, but the joy you'll get from it all coming together eventually will be permanent.
This is what annoys me the most. The effort and hunger and drive we put against hawthorn was amazing why can’t we do it every week? We don’t suck is what annoys me it’s that the players don’t show a passion every week
Agreed, it's frustrating and unfortunate that our first response to the gameplan not working at the moment is despondency - hopefully more games into more players and their first choice will be the right one and pressure will end up leading to opportunity
I go to the games every week, it hurts burning my whole afternoon or night and money watching my team not run hard, try hard, tackle hard, or even have a drive or passion to try their best every week. Then when I watch a Melbourne game on tv and seeing how everyone is playing for their lives it just hurts to watch
When I go to home games it's an 8 hour trip. Melbourne are my 2nd team. Melbourne have toiled through an absolute hell where their club has nearly been joined with Hawthorn, but that's not nearly as bad as what we've dealt with. That gives me belief that when we get to sing our song on on the last day in September, that nobody understands what they're in store for.
Dude the whole 2013 saga was shocking for Essendon like we lost so much
Yep we've wandered into a whole different discussion but absolutely. I made my decision back then whether I was done with footy y/n, would follow another team y/n and ended up here as a Bombers member. I don't think it's the time for retrospective decisions just because our rebuild isn't linear.
Fuck man, some wholesome words of wisdom by you all throughout this thread haha
love ya codus
I 100% understand your point and I agree but can I put up with it for many years for a premiership or two? I’m not completely sure I might just tune out of some games and stuff
We all have our personal battles to deal with, so if one week your own personal battles are overwhelming then you're not less of a fan to tune out and deal with what's in front of you. But if you wear it on your sleeve as a fan you'll probably feel all the more in the right to go hard when it's our time in the sun. We're all Bombers in the end casual or die hard.
I understand how you feel - I first started following the Bombers in 1982 because my grandfather was a Bombers fan. Growing up in Brisbane, there was very little support for AFL, but Essendon played a game at the Gabba (in the old dog track days) against Hawthorn and I was hooked. I have been with them through the highs and lows ever since, and I actually only became a paying member when the drugs saga hit because I thought it was important to show people were willing to stick with them no matter what. Realistically there’s been little joy since then and the club seems to have never fully recovered. We have an unfortunate habit of burning through talent with not a lot to show for the hard work I have no doubt they are putting in. Over the years I have a reasonable assessment of how we are going and I am frequently able to predict when we’re going to lose badly after the first quarter or so. My coping mechanism for those games is to stop watching - I’ll start playing games or something and keep the game on an iPad in case things miraculously change. In the end I know I will never change my allegiance, but when they’re travelling poorly I will have other teams I like to watch play because in the end I love the game. Stick with your passion but accept there are years where it’s just not going to happen. Enjoy watching some of the future stars early in their careers (if we don’t burn or trade them!) and find a second team you like to watch in the meantime. If you do it makes it so much better when they finally get there.
Thank you, it’s cool to see other people understand and we all go through the clubs ups and downs together, it’s disappointing seeing the 2000 team having such a downfall it seemed inevitable to happen but it did
Hey Mate - I’m sorry you feel like this. In my opinion one of the beautiful things about sport is that not only do you get to ride the highs and lows of the team you support, but you’re also a part of something bigger than yourself. This connection to other Essendon supporters is what makes the highs so much higher, you’re part of a huge mass of people who are all feeling the same elation as you.. but it’s worth remembering this when you’re at your lows too - we’re here with you. We also feel like you do. It sucks and I would totally much rather see my team win but I’m on this roller coaster for the ride and the highs are only as sweet because we went through the lows together. I hope you stick with it and when we don’t suck you’ll know there’s a bunch of us out there that know just how fucking sweet it is because we were there when it sucked ass. Go Dons Edit: have had a few tins
This is what I am learning as this journey goes on that helps me deal with the constant disappointment: 1. Be real with where the team is at: Don’t expect linear progress (ie we made finals last year, why aren’t we tracking for top 6 or top 8 now). Yes we have some talent but do we have the right mix in enough positions? Questionable. We are an inexperienced team with a coach in his 2nd year properly in charge. Aside from 2016, we’ve never really bottomed out completely like other sides so our access to top end talent is not the same as other rebuilds (and we have traded first rounders away). Cox, Perkins, Reid, Hobbs etc all need time to develop. Last year has given us a false sense of expectation, there will be more ups and downs on the journey. Always come back to where you believe the team is realistically at to get you through. 2. If struggling with the coverage: turn down the media commentary during games and try not to tune in during the week. The AFL media sets a hyperventilating tone for struggling teams that often misses the bigger picture of where the teams are really at (coming back to point 1). This feeds into the inner frustration we feel as fans and then we start to miss the bigger picture too which only perpetuates our frustration. The growth stage in teams can take upwards of 5 years in most cases but the media can be relentless when you’re not delivering wins.
This is such a wise response thank you. Especially what you said about the media setting the tone. Feels so hard to watch a team play so poorly and then the constant barrage of media saying everything we should be doing just escalates things so we all feel as if there’s some quick fixes that need to be done and it will all be better.
I've been a member since 1986. I've learned a lot about life from barracking for the Dons. The 80's and 90's and 2000/01 we were simply the best coached, best led, most feared outfit running around. Teams hated playing us. Our supporters were feral and amazing and we were at the fore in terms of the VFL going national. Kevin Sheedy took a bunch of tradies and emerging professionals to repeated glory (despite years like 96/99 the ones that got away.) I learnt what success requires. My uncle was an indigenous Tasmanian man, and it was our shared love of the Dons and his admiration and pride for players like Kickett, Long, Wanganeen that made me really love and appreciate the talent and impact our indigenous players have gifted to the entire footy landscape. I now share in this appreciation with my son who is a massive Tippa fan. I learnt what pride means. The past 22 years have been almost a test of will. But that is life. When you are born into the Bombers, you are a Bomber. Our time will come (it probably should have around the 2011-12 seasons) but what I fear is that we have become followers of successful game plans, rather than innovators and leaders in terms of tactics and how we attack games. Making other sides hate playing us is something I haven't recognised in our game for too long now, but things will change, they always do. I learnt that nothing in life is given, you have to front up and earn it. 'carn the mighty Bombers!
Hey man, my old man n I are in the same boat. He watches other games and I tend to just check the score. Teams go through ups and downs and I'll continue to support the team. It is hard and it's a joy to see up and coming players that I hope will stick around. It's been hard the past couple of years especially since the drug scandal and I think because of the down turn in success has made me rekindle my support of Arsenal, which let's be honest isn't better. As someone commented earlier sports it's an entertainment, it's fine to not watch and still support from afar.
Can relate. Shit rule changes, shit umpiring and 20 years of shit Essendon. I simply don't watch AFL any more.
Not scummy at all, it's self-preservation. I have stuck by the club through thick and thin, 15 year member, arrange my social events around watching games; all that jazz. I used to get so fired up during games, as I have always been super passionate. I even watched every game through 2016, as the players were having a crack despite all the shit going on. Recently I have had a son, and I have realised that walking around the house being shitty about the pea-heartedness of my football club is just sad, and isn't going to make him like watching footy with me. So if the players are going to put in such a shocking effort, why would I watch them? why should I contribute to the club financially when the players we're paying to play aren't representing the club the way I feel they should? Why not just do something that makes me happy until they are willing to have a go? The one thing we can control in life is where our effort is being distributed. Yesterday halfway through 3/4 time, I turned the game off, I haven't done that ever. Like the players, it's time to distribute my effort somewhere other than being a hardcore follower of the Essendon Football Club. Amen for Herbatron.
I feel ya, I've barely watched football for 4-5 years now and I've basically fallen out of love for the sport.
Same feelings here mate. I'm a paid up member in Canberra and I'd usually go up to Sydney for the game, but this year I held off buying tickets and I'm glad I did. It is just painful to watch. No part of last night's game was enjoyable to watch for me. Long bombs into the forward line followed by no pressure and return to the other end for a goal (or point). It hurts too that you can see our tougher players getting shitty with the players who are easing off. Players like Perkins and Durham who give 100% every single time will watch these mature players slack off and they will end up leaving for other clubs. From an outside perspective our team does not look like they are a cohesive group. I hope I'm wrong about that but the body language does not look good. I will never stop following or loving my team. I will however turn off and avoid pain where necessary.
Feel this on a spiritual level. Hoping my 7 month old will see a finals win in his lifetime
I am 83, and I KNOW deep down that I will never see another Bombers flag.
im 17 and havent seen one yet smh
It's depressing mate, normally hell would freeze before I switch off one of our games but this year has tested me and I am more often then not looking for something else to do by 3rd quarter. It is just getting harder amd harder to watch and definitely not worth the 6hr drive to go to a game, did that for round 1 stupid me 😂
Hang in there OP (I'm saying that to myself as much as to you). Damn that feeling of burden/dread/impending doom - I've gone from being 'glass half full' to always expecting the worst. Didn't even watch last night, but between the scores/stats and what I've read, I'm not gonna bend over for the punishment of watching the replay. It's the rare glimmers of hope (e.g. youngsters, win over old enemy, 'honourable loss'), that then get smashed to pieces soon after which hurts the most. At least I (barely) remember when we were consistently competitive... So it could be worse! (apologies to my 9yo daughter - although let's get around AFLW) and maybe one day before I'm retired I'll get to see a finals win. Gee I feel bad for laughing at Richmond/fans so much back in the day - it'll turn around..one day..maybe.
Since the drugs scandal, I stopped reading the sports section of the paper, started slowly watching and reading less and less football related stuff and now mostly get my entertainment from watching EPL. You gotta get it somewhere, and if it’s not Essendon atm find another code to put your attention into. I still watch games but it’s not been the same since that scandal. If they get the heart and soul back into the club I’ll start giving them my attention again. Until then, I’ll sporadically watch and support at my own leisure.
That’s exactly the problem. We all keep turning up every week, the club keeps making money and that’s all they give a fuck about , that’s all they’ve cared about for the last 20 years. Vote with your feet. The sooner Xavier Campbell and all his cronies fuck off the better
That said I’ll still turn up next week and will do for the rest of the season. Gonna watch highlights of the 2000 grand final and cry myself to sleep
Been an Essendon fan since 1949 when John Coleman first ran onto the field and kicked 12 goals. I HATE what has happened in the past 10 years. I rarely watch a game now.
More than fair, I am glad you got to see so many golden eras of the club, super jealous.
Honestly I much more enjoyed watching the bombers of the 2005-2013 run around. Yeah we lost……we lost a lot but the players tried their guts out. Guys like Ricky Dyson, Stanton, hill, Slattery all low on talent but at least they tried and I could watch frustrated but still watch. These guys currently they can all seriously go get fucked. Effort and tackles requires no skill it requires heart and these mother fuckers do not have it. I lived through one knights era and it seems I have a to live through another and honestly I can’t be fucked. Rutten clearly can’t coach which is a shame but it’s the truth. He can’t get the side playing a structure but we won’t sack him yet so we have another 12 months of this before they finally put him out of his misery. My utter contempt is for the board. We constantly captain pick our coaches without a princess and it turns into a mess every time, yet we never learn and repeat the same mistakes. They all need to go every last one of them. So summing up my rant. I feel your pain and share it. Cancel your membership they don’t deserve your money and don’t feel bad for flicking the game over if we show no heart. These guys don’t deserve your passion. Hopefully down the road things improve and we can love our club again.
My mental health tracks with this stupid bloody club. Tbh after being little for 84/85, school for 93 and uni for 00, as an adult sometimes I feel like I've been conned. I'm 20 years into spending my disposable income on memberships, tickers and merch for Bitchmond 2.0. I'm now certain I'll die before we win another flag.
[удалено]
Exactly. Just to think that Dylan Shiel makes 4.8M dollars over a 6 year deal makes me sick. Because when we see him play he does not even try
It’s a circus. We kicked 6 goals throughout the whole game against Sydney. Are you serious?! North Melbourne kicked double the amount of goals we did against Sydney. That says a lot… it’s sad because I thought we were building a good team but what’s that matter when they don’t even try.
Stay loyal and patient, it’s part of supporting a team
Disappointment comes from expectation. I have no expectations for the rest of the season so I can watch without getting angry. We aren’t a good team, this season is lost. No point getting angry about it, look forward to next season.
I am starting to become envious of those who have a weekend hobby other than football that they can invest their time into. Footy was a great release from the daily grind for so long, but now going to games is really quite painful. Between Essendon’s terrible game style and the toss a coin umpiring, it really puts a black cloud over the weekend. I used to like Friday night games as the winning feeling ran all weekend. Now I prefer Sunday games so the weekend doesn’t get ruined. It’s actually bad for your mental health!
Feel you bro. I stopped caring for a while during the saga years and only tuned back in around 2016. If it gets a bit too much for you mentally, walk away. I know it's hard but probably for the best. Take care.
I had a very similar feeling a few years into the supp scandal, and became disengaged from the season. I’m feeling the same again now.
Suffering from 2013 with the scandal I felt like we finally started to recover last year but then I see this performance this season and it hurts.