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The Melbourne Curse


Melbourne_Curse

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1 minute ago, Melbourne_Curse said:

Well as the News Reader said. we were the most powerful club in the country before we sacked Norm.

and? 

Be aware of conflation.

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My take on the sacking of Norm Smith ... spoils a good story but nevertheless ...

Norm slandered an umpire publicly,  was sued (settled out of court) and the club rightfully wouldn't stand by Norm and his slanderous comments ... in frustration he was sacked by the club and then later reinstated (a week later)

His team had started to struggle (moving forward) and the writing was on the wall with regards to the less than average zones that we were allocated.

Norm did the 'supporter' thing and started blaming the umpires.  He brought about his own downfall in my opinion.

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5 minutes ago, Macca said:

My take on the sacking of Norm Smith ... spoils a good story but nevertheless ...

Norm slandered an umpire publicly,  was sued (settled out of court) and the club rightfully wouldn't stand by Norm and his slanderous comments ... in frustration he was sacked by the club and then later reinstated (a week later)

His team had started to struggle (moving forward) and the writing was on the wall with regards to the less than average zones that we were allocated.

Norm did the 'supporter' thing and started blaming the umpires.  He brought about his own downfall in my opinion.

I am glad you stated that it was just your opinion. 

 

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12 minutes ago, Macca said:

My take on the sacking of Norm Smith ... spoils a good story but nevertheless ...

Norm slandered an umpire publicly,  was sued (settled out of court) and the club rightfully wouldn't stand by Norm and his slanderous comments ... in frustration he was sacked by the club and then later reinstated (a week later)

His team had started to struggle (moving forward) and the writing was on the wall with regards to the less than average zones that we were allocated.

Norm did the 'supporter' thing and started blaming the umpires.  He brought about his own downfall in my opinion.

 Hard to know all the facts but you wouldn’t treat the most successful coach of the clubs era in this way ... you back your team mates & this is how u build culture!

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31 minutes ago, Demonsone said:

 Hard to know all the facts but you wouldn’t treat the most successful coach of the clubs era in this way ... you back your team mates & this is how u build culture!

I am not sure that legally the club could stand by him ... if tbey did,  they would be effectively slandering the umpire as well

Just my take

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45 minutes ago, Macca said:

My take on the sacking of Norm Smith ... spoils a good story but nevertheless ...

Norm slandered an umpire publicly,  was sued (settled out of court) and the club rightfully wouldn't stand by Norm and his slanderous comments ... in frustration he was sacked by the club and then later reinstated (a week later)

His team had started to struggle (moving forward) and the writing was on the wall with regards to the less than average zones that we were allocated.

Norm did the 'supporter' thing and started blaming the umpires.  He brought about his own downfall in my opinioopi

Melbourne had done their dash by '65, both Barassi and Smith knew it, and both were seeking greener pastures prior to our demise. Losing the exclusivity of the MCG  (in '65) also played its part. Smith was a great coach who had a great list. How dismal that both Saints and Essendon also rose dramatically in 1965.

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55 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

I am glad you stated that it was just your opinion.

If you reckon I'm wrong,  prove it

But a word of warning swill, in your pursuit of the believed myth being correct, you're going to discover that I'm right

So toddle off and do your research and stop wasting my time with your inane replies.

 

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1 hour ago, Macca said:

If you reckon I'm wrong,  prove it

But a word of warning swill, in your pursuit of the believed myth being correct, you're going to discover that I'm right

So toddle off and do your research and stop wasting my time with your inane replies.

 

5 Flags in 7 Years gave Norm some serious clout, sadly the MFC Board weren’t very smart. Something we are still paying for. 

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33 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

5 Flags in 7 Years gave Norm some serious clout, sadly the MFC Board weren’t very smart. Something we are still paying for. 

Forget the success,  slander is slander

Imagine if Goodwin came out and labelled a certain umpire a cheat?  Naming the said umpire.

But you just keep on believing your myths swill ... see how far it gets you (nowhere)

We became a basket case post that premiership era primarily because of our zones and also because we got left behind with our antiquated thinking.  But the main reason was lack of talent - same as it nearly always is.

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24 minutes ago, Fork 'em said:

And what slanderous thing did he say about the umpire that was so bad?
That he needed glasses?

He called a certain umpire a cheat - publicly.  Probably cheered on by the masses who see the umpires as the enemy (the brainwashed lot)

Norm should have been above that sort of stuff ... great coach though but we've all got flaws.

If you don't agree I couldn't care less.

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3 hours ago, Macca said:

My take on the sacking of Norm Smith ... spoils a good story but nevertheless ...

Norm slandered an umpire publicly,  was sued (settled out of court) and the club rightfully wouldn't stand by Norm and his slanderous comments ... in frustration he was sacked by the club and then later reinstated (a week later)

His team had started to struggle (moving forward) and the writing was on the wall with regards to the less than average zones that we were allocated.

Norm did the 'supporter' thing and started blaming the umpires.  He brought about his own downfall in my opinion.

That's interesting 'Macca', never did know the story behind it.

The zones really did play a big part, that and being devious enough to manipulate them.

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6 minutes ago, rjay said:

That's interesting 'Macca', never did know the story behind it.

The zones really did play a big part, that and being devious enough to manipulate them.

Zones '63 - '86 (roughly)

How many top players in that 24 year period ... Flower,  Alves,  Biffen,  Hardeman,  Wells and maybe Parke & Dillon.  Not much else in terms of top players.  The strike rate was abysmal.

It is any wonder we couldn't win games as the only other alternative was the interstate top talent where the 'money' clubs dominated. Or pay big money (which, again, we didn't have) for top talent from rival clubs.

Smith knew all this too thus his frustration.

The curse is a nonsense ... talent and good coaching wins.  Lack of pure talent - you lose.

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6 minutes ago, Macca said:

It is any wonder we couldn't win games as the only other alternative was the interstate top talent where the 'money' clubs dominated. Or pay big money (which, again, we didn't have) for top talent from rival clubs.

Ohh,  the Mcc did have money,  Macca...  but Mfc,  didn't .

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22 minutes ago, DV8 said:

Ohh,  the Mcc did have money,  Macca...  but Mfc,  didn't .

We shelved out decent coin for Diamond Jim & Big Carl but other clubs were bringing in a stack more dl.  2 big name recruits versus double figures from at least 5 clubs.

e.g North Melbourne ... they just kept bringing in the talent in the 70's & 80's.  Bankrolled by a few of course but we had no such luxury

With these things there are normally logical explanations.  We had rubbish zones and we didn't have money either.  End result = Lose.

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Curses are for people looking for excuses, and dare I say also people who blame umpires for losses and Mission for every game day injury 

The reasons are nothing to do with any curses but a number of factors many self inflicted others just poor timing or decisions 

Poor zone been covered by others but we didn't exactly have a conveyor belt of recruits coming through in the 70s

Poor culture the old boys club off field who didn't move with the times in the changing game of the 70/80s

Bottoming out when TV was about to have a massive influence 

The above set the tone for missing a generation of new supporters in the 70s and 80s

Timing 1988 & 2000 running into 2 absolute juggernauts in the GF, Hawks of 88 were some side and we overachieved getting there. 2000 bit like 1987 put a strong run together in the backend of the year only to run into a dominant side set on redemption having fallen foul to complacency to the Blues in 99. They were never slipping up here

Poor drafting - the drafting overall in the early noughties had a big effect which we are still recovering from with Jones a lone warrior survivor from that period. From 2012 onwards we are on par with most clubs with hits and misses each year but the Strauss, Maric, Blease draft was a killer. Molan was just an unforseen bust and our timing of getting it wrong with the expansion sides coming in was another blow

Poor decisions with Olympic park when first offered is another in the list from previous boards which impacted our club greatly

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