hemingway

Took the cats and fled. Fortunately no one knows where I am. I still have some old commy friends sinning away in Italy, Spain, Cuba and even Australia so I have a few options and drinking friends. My wives and mistresses are all dead, so I am free to do as I please and not be reminded of all my failures and failings.

Can see the argument both ways. My gut instinct at the time was that his comments were inappropriate. Were the players committed? Yes Did they play their guts out? Yes DId they make some skill errors/miss opportunities to win the game? Yes Were they unlucky to lose? Yes Would the players be hurting badly? Yes At the end of the day, they were beaten by 1 free kick. By an umpiring decision. I guess my feeling is that people don't respond to a roast, headmaster type tirade. The days of administrators and coaches bawling out their players is long over. It's almost personally insulting for it to be said or inferred that the players weren't sufficiently committed or weren't desperate enough. Sure they threw away opportunities to win the game but that's a different thing. If Charlie Dixon had kicked accurately they would have won. End of story. No different if Jessie Hogan had kicked 3 Goals, 5 points, missed a goal after the siren and we lost by 5 points. Koch was obviously angry post match but that's normal. He is also a publicist and egotist. Most of his working day, it's about him. He is a Jeff Kennett type that likes to blow his own trumpet and be in the limelight. Like Kennett, this behaviour does more harm than good. Did the players need a lecture from their President? I suspect not. Did the players need their coach to talk to them about their mistakes and missed opportunities ? Yes

Agree have to admire the Tiges. Their pressure all night and numbers around the ball and opponent was fantastic. But when the game was there to be won they cracked Geelong and put the foot down. The Cats were tired, injured and lost their way. It was just another reminder that successful teams need stars, matchwinners that can create play and finish play. Martin is a superstar. He does everything and is a team player. He alone was almost the difference. Throw in Cotchin, Rance, Riewoldt and the Tigers have a number of players that can influence the outcome. These guys bring their teammates into the game. Without the influence of Dangerfield, Selwood, Taylor, and Guthrie, the Cats lost complete momentum. Again, the match showed the importance of having a full list come finals time and having your best players fit, injury free and in form. The Tigers show what can be done. Down and out last season, they have transformed themselves and now have momentum and belief in themselves. They have some ordinary players but success brings belief and confidence. The dream can become the reality. The Tiges win was a great example of being able to win the contested ball and pressure opponents into turnovers but also being able to run, carry and attack the goal when you have your opponent on the ropes.

Hot and cold. His best is sensational but his worst is........pretty bad. A great talent but problems above the shoulders. A large and problematic ego. Given his skills definitely worth considering. But would not sell the farm in return.

Kept an eye on this young guy. Was overrated as a schoolboy and surprised he was picked up in the draft. Potential to improve? NO

Memorable, unforgettable, just sheer bliss. Never forget Sean Wight that day playing the game of his life. Probably will never be any Demon defender that will match that performance. Not only his pack marking and dash but sheer acts of desperation time and again. And who can forget the Dee supporters in the Northern Stand rising as one when Northey took Robbie off in the last Q to rest him for the Swans game. What a day and match. it was like all our Christmases had come at once and all those years of misery had been expunged in one afternoon. Walking on air thru Yarra Park at the end of the game.

His improvement over the year reflects well on Jake and the coaching staff. It shows what can happen when a player is given a chance by being regularly selected rather than being dropped after a game or two. Another one that fits this bill is ANB. In both cases, the players were able to develop confidence and form and reward a coach who was prepared to back them. Finding the right position was also key.

Now that's real pathological hate.

Remember going to a 21st there and seeing my first stripper! Something to forget.

The whole final series is an anticlimax for me given our implosion. But happy for the Tiger fans. It's not 50 years but they have taken a battering for the last 30 odd years. And they are a fair dinkum VFL club born out of the depression and two wars. They are grass roots and authentic. Give me the pain of seeing the Tigers win and see another team climb over us (that we thought we were ahead of in development and finals terms). Rather that than the conceit of Geelong fans, the disgraceful Bombers, the ridulousness of the Eagles playing finals, the spoilt handout Franchise club the gratuitous Giants, or the Buddy adoration club who expect to win another one. And don't start me on the abhorrent Crow fans and players like Tex and Eddie or to a lesser extent, Port fans. Let them stay at the AO and play one another every week.

Not much point having a brutal pre-season if we have a bunch of leg weary and injured players mid season or guys who are mentally exhausted before the business end of the season. As with other sports, the off season should be about injury rehab, conditioning and working on skills and game plans. It is also about training hard but with the goal being September. As Clarkson says, there are two seasons or games, the home and away rounds and the finals. Coaches have to be able to alter training loads to tune players up for the finals. This is not possible if players are already physically and mentally done come finals time. Hopefully in 2018, we have a team that will not only make the finals but also be able to lift their run, intensity and competitiveness to a higher level. We feel empty this year but will also feel empty next year if we just make the finals and get eliminated in our first finals match.

Late but at least he has spoken. Not a lot said but he seemed pretty flat. Not sure he feels as empty as most Supporters but he is a professional coach. Linear improvement does not mean much. It's the manner in which they played relative to other clubs.

Grapefruit juice is bitter, cleansing and accordingly to Uncle very refreshing after a good flogging.

But that's the fun Man.

As always, useful added info.

And a couple of other peccadillos but nothing to match BB0 tastes.

OD is there any other fruit you consume? Surely there is another fruit you can glorify?

Gee Jane, I would be a bit more protective of your sources, just in case the Doc gets a bit upset about breaking confidences. Although I'm sure we on Demonland will excuse you.

Downhill skier or not, we need players that will improve our footy team. Watching the Dees this year tells me that we need an infusion of new talent and skills that come with that talent. Anyone with Gaffs disposal count and skill level has to be a huge bonus. I have also seen him win the contested footy and be hard at the contest regularly, so I don't reckon he's soft.

Like others, I find it incredible that the only person to front the media is poor old Nate. He takes a battering for his club on and off the field. No communication at all from the coach or president. Nothing. Not even an explanation why there is nothing. Even if they have a reason, tell us what the reason is. Most supporters are hurting. I don't care what they say. Just say something to show supporters that you care. Show some empathy. Even if there is going to be a "bells and whistles" explanation or commentary down the track, the club has lost the opportunity to show that it damn well cares for supporters and understands how we are feeling. The time to do it was in the immediate aftermath of the weekend. Oh ok Jonessy did it. But where the hell was the President and Coach. A massive fail by these two guys and an insult to members, many of whom are wondering whether they should bother giving a damn next season and invest any more emotional energy in the club.

He's a great player period. A matchwinner, a genuine star and I wished we had him. Like Franklin, he may have been a lot of trouble in the early days, but the Tigers have done a great job in supporting and managing him. Glad he is staying with the Tigers.

Amateur hour.

Goodwin has gone missing in action.

It's the cycle of life. The aging body versus the growing of wisdom. In the case of Lewis., we benefit from his experience but old Father Time is catching up on the field. How much do we gain from his experience versus how much do we lose from his slowing body in the increasingly frenetic manic game of today, This season we have seen the benefits and the deficits. The balance will begin to tip in 2018 and beyond that it will be evident and perhaps embarrassing. Also with all aging players the question is how long do you play an old body against the new young kid who needs game experience. Its a little like Luke Hodge. Great leader, great experience but the body was gone and at times was slower than the mind. I like Lewis and think he was a good pickup. His calmness and know how has been valuable but like Hodge his physical body can no longer do what it did 5-10 years ago and the game had changed. Retirement and the failing body comes to us all. Lewis clearly has abilities as a leader, mentor and coach. Let's hope the club manages the transition in an appropriate and respectful manner so that the club benefits from his knowledge and coaching skills.

In particular, all but a select few running around the contest like ring a ring arosy rather than making the contest, rather hoping that one of their team mates will make a tackle.