Changing allegiance

[Whispering_Jack 28,052]

Somebody asked me last week, what would it take to make me change my allegiance to the Melbourne Football Club and I answered that I didn't believe that it was possible.

After all, I've lived through the 22 seasons in between 1964 and 1987 during which time we were an on field basket case for most of the time, witnessed some crushing grand final losses in 1988 and 2000 and endured the final moments of the 1987 preliminary final. Went through the debilitating losses of the past few seasons, the tanking season, the inquisition that followed and the division in the ranks leading up to the club's humiliating year in 2013.

I stuck fat and unbelievably, so did a capacity crowd in the MCC dining room last night (along with many on the waiting list who left it till too late to book) and the 30k supporters who have already signed up as members and hopefully, the many more who are yet to join.

I'm under no illusions as to the hard road that lies ahead, particularly in view of the continuing (mystery) injury saga inflicting our best tall forwards and ruckmen. Hopefully, the mixture of patience and optimism that I have for the club and which was reinforced by Paul Roos' words last night translate into something substantive that rewards our faith in the red and the blue.

I can't think of anything that might shake my belief in my club, but this former fan of another club has decided that the time has come - Going West

[S.R.J 418]

I remember when I tried to change. It was years ago now. We had just choked after leading the dogs by 45pts we ended up losing by 3 goals. But after a week or so I couldn't imagine following another club with the same passion.

I think if you love your club enough you will follow them through the bad times no matter how bad....maybe except the bombers at present. What they did was unethical.

Edited March 14, 2014 by S.R.J

[Sydney Pennski 270]

I can't think of anything that might shake my belief in my club, but this former fan of another club has decided that the time has come - Going West

He won't be able to avoid the doping scandal altogether thanks to Stewart Crameri being named by Slobbo as one of the 12 players under scrutiny by ASADA.

[Hannibal 5,814]

Some do change and others just lose all interest.

I couldn't be critical of anyone deserting this pathetic identity.

[Carrot Top 947]

I suffer from Stockholm syndrome.

[Winners at last 4,817]

WJ. Ah, the imperfections of the English language!!

"Change my allegiance TO the Melbourne Football Club"?? Who would do that? Shouldn't it be "change my allegiance FROM the Melbourne Football Club""? But upon re-reading the sentence it does make sense.

Like most, I could never follow another AFL team. At worst I would simply lose interest. Which I sort of did last year. But 2014 is another year/season!! And like all opening matches for the past x number of years, I'll be there hoping for the best.

Go Dees!!!

[Flying Cloud 152]

Often said and still believe that if MFC folded I would quit being a passionate AFL supporter. Most probably sign up with the Tigers (basketball). Not saying I would never attend or watch a game of AFL again, just wouldn't be the same.

[jane02 3,432]

I cannot even entertain the concept of changing teams ever. I was born a Demon and will die a Demon. If the club folded, I would give up AFL for good.

My best friend is a life long Essendon supporter and seriously considering following the Dogs.

[Generation dee 1,336]

What, and miss out on the "we can't be as ordinary as last year" feeling I get every preseason? Wouldn't miss that for quids!

I can certainly understand those that stop following the dees, it makes every Monday that much harder going to work after getting pumped on the weekend, as well as losing interest in the game on weekends. But the optimist in me still says we will turn it around soon, and those times will be that much sweeter after going through the past 7 years, and knowing how far back we've come from.

It's not easy but it's another season and we just need to keep the faith.

[Fitz Fitzpatrick 886]

Its not the lack of on field success that makes it hard for supporters to stay 'thick', its the pathetic, almost slap-stick management of the club in the recent past that frustrates people the most. I guess it can be hard to 'love' a Club that runs like a Benny Hill skit.

Ill never stop following the Club but as an entity it is a rather pathetic organisation. Perhaps it has reached its nadir - we will see.

[Jarka 767]

My best mate changed clubs when he was young, in Primary School. He went from Collingwood to North Melbourne so I can't hold that against him.

There's that old saying that Footy is a religion in Melbourne and for me it's kind of accurate. It's like a fundamental belief, it's not something that I can just change my mind over night. Let's take life after death. you either believe in life after death or you don't, something very profound would have to occur for you to change your mind on the subject.

[camillo 106]

Somebody asked me last week, what would it take to make me change my allegiance to the Melbourne Football Club and I answered that I didn't believe that it was possible.

After all, I've lived through the 22 seasons in between 1964 and 1987 during which time we were an on field basket case for most of the time, witnessed some crushing grand final losses in 1988 and 2000 and endured the final moments of the 1987 preliminary final. Went through the debilitating losses of the past few seasons, the tanking season, the inquisition that followed and the division in the ranks leading up to the club's humiliating year in 2013.

I stuck fat and unbelievably, so did a capacity crowd in the MCC dining room last night (along with many on the waiting list who left it till too late to book) and the 30k supporters who have already signed up as members and hopefully, the many more who are yet to join.

I'm under no illusions as to the hard road that lies ahead, particularly in view of the continuing (mystery) injury saga inflicting our best tall forwards and ruckmen. Hopefully, the mixture of patience and optimism that I have for the club and which was reinforced by Paul Roos' words last night translate into something substantive that rewards our faith in the red and the blue.

I can't think of anything that might shake my belief in my club, but this former fan of another club has decided that the time has come - Going West

Well as an ex rusted on Fitzroy supporter and member I can tell you that as a family we moved to the Melbourne football club when the AFL sent our old club ( in name only really ) to Brisbane. We had to ask ourselves if we wanted to give our hard earned and time to a club that was nearly two thousand Kms away. After we agreed not to do what Oakley and the commission wanted us to do and loving actually going to the footy we looked around the clubs in the city and decided on Melbourne.

Why ? Well for a start it holds the name of the great city we lived in and the rest of the clubs were representing just suburbs.

I can tell you now that even through the tough and challenging times we've loved this beautiful historic old club and I personally have been a member now for 16 years. That's Gold Jerry !

Anyway if the circumstances are severe enough you can change.

Oh and it's great to have Roosy back .

[old dee 22,966]

Often said and still believe that if MFC folded I would quit being a passionate AFL supporter. Most probably sign up with the Tigers (basketball). Not saying I would never attend or watch a game of AFL again, just wouldn't be the same.

That is exactly my feeling Flying Cloud.

AFL would not interest me would more than likely follow the Amos.

Other wise death will probably stop me.

[Gipsy Danger 1,067]

I have always believed that there is a special corner of hell reserved for those who change teams.

with the exception of kids under the age of 10 and players who actually go onto to play for another club.

Otherwise stick to the life long commitment you made back when you still thought eating play dough was a good idea.

[Karl Stefanovic 107]

Growing up I was surrounded by a family of mad dees supporters however when I was 6 Adelaide had just won their first Grand Final and being from South Australia it was quite hard not to jump on the bandwagon (I mean I was 6). But all it took was going to 1 Melbourne game with my crazed aunts and uncles and I was hooked and have never looked back. At times I have wondered why do I do this to myself and I have good Melbourne supporting friends who have dropped off but the passion is too strong and the fire has never once gone out since that day in '98.

[Kiss of Death 708]

Couldn't do it. Had considered it in the past, but not seriously, I would rather only have a passing interest in the game than support another club.

If Melbourne folded/merged/Danked, I would probably support the Storm a little harder.

[Guest]

I completely understand why some have jumped off this club. I have always been of the belief that loyalty goes two ways in life. You can't keep serving up s*** sandwiches to people and expect them to stick fat.
If we had gone with another untried assistant again this year then that would probably have been it for me. Like the War Doctor in Doctor Who, I just would have been growling to myself 'No More' and would have either given up the ghost entirely, jumped onto the Storm on a full time basis (I watch them when Melbourne aren't playing) or found a new team. My candidates would be:
* Sydney: admire their culture and love the city though that may change with Buddy moving there to join the celebrity A list
*The Dogs: I live 15 minutes away from the Whitten Oval and the blogger is right. You can see their engagement with the community out here. They are intrinsic to it.

*Geelong: I spend a fair bit of time in Geelong. This would be similar to the Sydney option i.e. culture. I would be over this pretty quickly though upon spending actual time in Geelong with the blanket coverage they have.

*Richmond: Great supporter culture.
The other team option would have been the hardest and the least likely to succeed as I too would have found it hard to share my heart with another. That being said I also said I would jump off if the club went back to being an on-field and off-field basketcase thereby undoing all of Jimma's good work. That took a grand total of 2 years to achieve and I'm still here. I'm guessing that I will be one of those rusted on's until I die types.
I would find it harder to keep my kids on if I had any. I spoke to a fellow D'Lander not so long ago about keeping his kids on. One was dangerously close to defecting. Luckily enough the team he was flirting with was Essendon and he came back to the fold pretty quickly. I, and people of my vintage, have at least seen finals. I am envious of those who have seen premierships. Pity the kids who have seen neither and have only seen absolute crap.
I find it funny that some on here have said that they too understand why people would jump off. I remember a fellow on here called Demon Daze came on one time to announce he was jumping off to barrack for the Tiges and the absolute bollocking he received needed to be seen to be believed. Granted he may have been a troll but if he wasn't, I totally understood why he got off.
It's interesting to read the stuff in the other bloke's blog as well. Some of the stuff he was writing about Bomber fans being in denial about Hird seems pretty similar to some of the ways we have reacted towards the tanking stuff. Sure, some of the investigation was dodgy and Caro wanted more to win the argument at times than be accurate but some of us on here seemed to have believed that it : A) didn't happen at all and we were really just developing kids B) was good because the bulk of the messageboard agreed with it C) was successful because we got the top draft picks we needed even though one left and the other is struggling to reach his potential.
The truth is we took a dive and we have been paying the price ever since.

Edited March 15, 2014 by Colin B. Flaubert

[hulkhogan666 142]

It's Demons or bust for me, I couldn't imagine myself supporting another club.

Even through the tough times of recent years, I still love this club and I always will.

[DeeVoted 582]

Somebody asked me last week, what would it take to make me change my allegiance to the Melbourne Football Club and I answered that I didn't believe that it was possible.

Yeah right, when hell freezes over.

I grew up as a kid in Sandringham. played footy at Beach Oval. We moved in my mid teens. I was asked would I stop supporting the Zebs because I dont live there? Not a chance. My cousin played a few senior games, and another cousin played in their U19s. I still went and watched Sandy play years and years later,when I could.

The final nail was when the aints moved in. We got into bed with Casey. Tough choice when I heard, but now its stuff Sandy, Go Scorps.

Anything along those lines would be the only reason why I wouldnt barrack for the Dees. My left side of my body bleeds blue blood, the right side red blood.

I'm going down with the ship. Or climbing aboard the reality bus. I will never desert. They owe me. I want to be around to cash in.

Edited March 15, 2014 by DeeVoted

[Elusive Tunbridge 795]

"I'm under no illusions as to the hard road that lies ahead"

The old dog for the hard road, Jack, and the pup for the path.

I guess if MFC folded I'd follow the Tigers, just because my best mate of forty years is a rusted-on Tiger, and we could go to matches together. But I don't believe it will happen.

[P-man 13,276]

Literally not possible. I'll follow them off the cliff. Being from Canberra I've had the opportunity to switch with the Giants but the thought never entered my mind.

[beelzebub 22,272]

What does this mean.....changing teams ?

Some sort of "operation" ?

[FarNorthernD 5,848]

The 8 year old me told my father in the early 70's that I was going to barrack for Hawthorn. He said that was fine except that I would only get to see two Hawthorn games a year (when they played Melbourne).

If I had of stayed with the Hawks I would have seen many premierships but it was never really an option and I don't regret for one moment staying red and blue.

Unless you are a Fitzroy/South Melbourne supporter or still in primary school I can't understand swapping allegiances

Your Club is part of your identity, you take the rough and then more rough and hopefully, one day, we will sing our song on the last day in September

[Hannibal 5,814]

One of the posters here changed to the Tiges after he was banned for a year.

[Sir Why You Little 34,771]

It's in the DNA.

Anyone who is still a member after the previous 7 years will know this.