hemingway

i hope WADA do step in but i have my doubts. In most world organizations AUS is at the bottom of the pile. At very least not a high priority. Whether there is an appeal not only depends on evidence or lack of it. In this case, despite all the circumstantial evidence no Essendon player tested positive. Yes, I know there is the Armstrong case but that was prosecuted in the US by USADA and mainly through the dogged persistence of Travis Tygart. Also, we had the dam wall smash when rider after rider came forward with some big names that could not be ignored. No such thing has occurred here. However, whether WADA take on the Dons will be influenced by international priorities, staff resources and how much external pressure is placed on them to appeal. Alongside an assessment of how long an appeal will take, at what cost and use of resources, and liklihood of success. My betting is they will not appeal. I hope I am proved wrong.

people are just expressing their views Ron. sure there are some harsh comments that go over the top. But most are reasonable comments from reasonable people. but to refer to "Watts bashing" is just hyperbole. Indeed your whole sentence touches on the arrogant....oh yes all the critics are idiots, I know better type attitude. It seems to me that even the critics of Jack want him to succeed. however, there is simply a lot of frustration particularly from supporters that attend games. you only have to attend games to share the agony of supporters when they see what they see. they are not all idiots or wrong. and they are not all "haters". It is mostly an expression of frustration. they are also the same ones on their feet and cheering when Jack takes the game on and does something special. Just as tedious are folks who jump in and defend Jack through thick and thin and will not accept any critical comment. That is also "mindlessly predictable."

50 years of false dawns. I am depressed I am going to bed.

The title of this thread and posters describing the tiger's crumbling under pressure and being a soft side is very bad karma. I love posters positivity but not having a crack at the tigers lack of intestinal fortitude. This coming from Demon fans is a bit rich. We have had one game where we gave played tough uncompromising footy. Tiger fans have more reason to be happy than we do. Based on wins and form they have more reason to be optimistic about this season. I suspect many Tiger fans will expect their team to smash us. Lets just get across the line for a win. Anything less will be a major disappointment.

Barry Vagg was a good player in a great team. Very similar will of the wisp style to Tunna but not with the same magic. Tunna was a match winner. Both players could drift in and out of a game. Interesting comment about toughness though. Vagg was regarded as a player who was susceptible to a bit of man on man pressure including the old knuckle. Tunna would do nothing for several quarters and still be influential when it mattered. On occasions he could be flattened but still get off the turf to kick a couple of quick goals to win the game. Watts disposal skills are far better than either Vagg or Tunna, but his reading of the game is not in the same class and as yet he does not have the same capacity to influence a game. However, like Vagg and Tunna were in the good old days, Watts could be "value added" in a successful team. As PRAHA pointed out he could be the cherry on the top in the right circumstances.

Interesting comparison and comments. However, despite his thin angular body and will of the wisp style, Tunna never shirked a contest. Indeed, he got regularly clobbered for putting himself in the contest and under the hammer.

great summary.

Any hope for Watts would have long expired under most other coaches. Not under Roos. I admire Roos for backing his player despite the negativity. Despite the frustration, I think it's the right call. However, Jack's fortunes and his career at Melbourne will be determined by how the team plays. If the team starts winning games, Jack will be an important part of that success. The reverse will be the case if we continue to lose games.

As I read yesterday in one of the commentaries, you need courage, toughness and intensity to play AFL footy. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, Jack does not have those qualities. So really nothing will change, until there is such competition for spots that Jack cannot be retained just because he has a beautiful kick or creativity. He would not get a game in many sides. And I like Jack and want him to succeed. However mid twenties, 6 years down the track, I am reconciled with the view that nothing will change. However, lets reevaluate at season end.

I can never understand why TV commentary is so voluminous. Radio commentary is an entirely different matter. However TV is a visual medium in which the picture tells us the story. As Richie realized the fewer words the better. Bruce has become a bore and a distraction with his endless statistics. His tennis commentary is the same although his athletics commentary is good. Soccer commentators on the whole have learnt this lesson particularly if you watch European games. Yet commentators here run off at the mouth describing every detail of the action and then special comments guys bore us to bits with their opinions and micro analysis of plays etc. There is no silence. Its a bit like being at the ground itself, where we are bombarded with noise, ground commentary and advertisements. Don't start me on the new electronic signs around the fence and grandstands which are constantly flashing messages and lurid colours. Such a distraction to the eye and headache inducing material. The game experience does not need to be hyped up. In terms of the TV commentary, the standard is low. The commentary team engage in on-going matey banter including personal jokes and asides at one another a little like the Channel 9 cricket commentary. The football public deserves better than what is dished up. Best not watched or sound turned down.

man this "training" thread just keeps getting better. sorry junior. love some of the comments...."animal consciousness to intellectual consciousness to spiritual consciousness", serious movie buffs on board at demonland and a welcome distraction to my impending feeling of doom. i stopped my medication after the first game but going back on from today. but there is a crack in everything that's how the light gets in. thanks leonard.

yep mine is coming on. reach for the whisky and panadol and maintain regime for next 3 days.

Don't pikeout, log-in and join the mayhem. it will lighten your day, widen your horizons, give you a better idea of the vagaries of human nature, better understand the nature of conflict, sharpen your [censored] antenna, allow you to talk about any subject under the sun, appreciate the sexual inclinations of certain posters (I did not say BBO did I?) and occasionally read about football. And stop you from taking out your frustrations with family or friends. Escape from the real world and enjoy the virtual world. We are all shadows, pretenders, and we delude ourselves into thinking that our opinion is important and matters to others. Of course no one can give a stuff for your opinion. They just want to use your comments as a means of being heard themselves. Remember despite the ratbags and egos we all have one binding mad crazy devotion that binds us (I did not say ties us BBO) together.

I am loving this thread. this site is a wondrous thing. to think that the people lurking on this site are a bunch of tragic one dimensional weirdos. these conversations would not be taking place at Collingwood or Tigerland. I should have realized that Melbourne fans are a race apart.

why did you have to make my day even worse Curry? Show a bit of sensitivity please.

Oops I had forgotten some of these classics. My deteriorating mind. Respect Indeed. I take it all back.

Kubrick is not to my taste ManDee. You must be a hardcore movie fan with eclectic tastes or a sicko. I have to be very drunk to watch Kubrick or simply close my eyes.

Forgive me I must be mistaken for thinking this was a website to discuss football and in particular the MFC. It's like going to a website about bullfighting and finding its a porn site. by the way fellini is one of my favourite directors. His artistry far exceeds the other two. He will be remembered long after the other two are forgotten. but best watched in an elevated state.

maybe but I am not sure about this assertion. would be interested in your reasons GNF. hogan is fast, mobile and needs to be given space. dawes can't mark and also needs space to lead up field. hogan can mark and does not need to be hindered by his team mates. so really the question is whether these two can use space in a way that suits both without hindering one another. It also needs set plays, good midfield movement and the midfielders knowing who they will go to and when. also has to be viewed in the context of the whole forward line set-up and how the ball is coming in. scatter gun approach is not going to work.

Totally agree Camillo, I hate this hyped up atmosphere for one team over the other. Guess I am old fashioned but I was embarrassed by the bias towards the Dees at the MCG. We don't need it. It is artificial and over the top. The game and the crowd create the real atmosphere. The rest is contrived.

I admire your capacity to soak up so much football. Admiration mixed with concern for your well being Praha. Personally, I don't think we have the cattle. This has been a discussion on so many threads over so long that it serves no purpose to go over old ground. However, I absolutely agree that the fade outs are a mental thing and not a skill thing. Our players drop their bundle time and time again. It is reflected in their lack of run, lack of chase, and body language. Some players are worse than others. However it afflicts the whole team and we need to overcome it because at it is we cannot win footy games.

agree with you I have no ill feeling towards Frawley, however can't help feeling that there is some karma about it.

thanks for the positive post P-man. I feel better.

uhmmm. okay if that's what you like doing. how about spending time with the person you love, spending time with family, having a drink with friends or reading a book.

feel better curry? I don't like reading this stuff but you are stating what most of us feel. Not sure whether it or not but that second half performance was soul destroying. What are the positives? We have only played two games, we have a stronger list than last year and we at least have 1 win out of 2. We also see weaknesses in our team that is going to make it a rocky ride.