iv'a worn smith

No need to worry Fan and Rogue, after this post I am outta here. You will not see another post from me again on this Forum. FWIW, in my view, the decision to close the topic down was arbitrary and ill-informed. LIke I said, if all you want on this Forum is blanc mange, by a Margaret Fulton cookbook. Hope to see all good DEES supporters at the footy in 2009. Cheers

Fair enough. Clearly, this Forum is not for me. In my view, until we actually do get a major sponsor, then the debate is not resolved and goes beyond "it had degenerated into trading posts pointing out pedantic faults in others' previous posts." There is so much more that needs to be debated and many ideas need to be exchanged. If all you want is blanc mange on this forum, then I will leave you to it. I will now take my leave of this forum and hopefully some of our paths will cross at the footy this year. Go you mighty Dees. See ya in the soup, or as mi old Irish dad used to say, if I don't see ya through the day, I will see ya through the window.

What a great post!!!! Balanced and well said.

The Moderator, "Fan", I trust in consultation with his confreres, has made the arbitrary decision to close a previous thread down, relevant to this topic. May I ask "Fan" for any possible justification in doing so. I may stridently disagree with "Hazy" and "RFlowering". However, the previous topic under debate is pivotal to our Club's future. Would the moderators kindly explain why such a decision was taken. In my view, such a decision is a disgrace.

I know, as it does for other Clubs, but it is a misnomer nonetheless.

Sorry, I couldn't resist. But on topic. Consider where this club would be right now -major sponsor or no major sponsor - if Jim Stynes had not acceded to the lobbying of Garry Lyon and taken over the reins. BTW, Jim is Chairman not President. Under Corporations Law you cannot have a Predident of a Board, only a Chairman. Consider where this club would be right now if the former board and administration remained in tact. The AFL had already expressed their displeasure at the MFC's business plan or lack of it. As a result, I, for one, doubt very much, if we would have had a marked increase in membership (to this time), that we would have received the ex gratia payments from both the AFL and MCC and a palpably positive outlook for the future. Hazy, my sincere apologies, truly, but I may have missed it, but can you articulate a viable, achievable and realistic alternative vision for the club? Again, you may have done so already and if you have, I missed it. Regards

You win and I will.

"Play the ball - not the man" Yeah, OK. Ditto brother. Not sure how quoting one of my previous posts supports your position and BTW, I never accused you of being an ex-Board Member, only negative. And with that, I am going to take my bat and ball home and have a shandy. P.S. Hazy, I don't like Jack Daniels and therefore don't drink it. It was a joke.........an attempt to lighten things.

Good one DD.

Ahh, the old moral high ground strategy. This particular post is a cop out. You challenge those who you don't believe address your arguments directly, but you do not address equally valid counter arguments. Sorry, but you can't have your Kate and Edith too. Cheers

I can remember back in the early to mid 90's - I stand to be corrected, we did not have a sponsor until virtually the eve of the season. Snowy Mountain Water I think it was???? As for your other points, please get a grip. While I understand your cynicism, there are teams in the AFL called Brisbane, Sydney and Adelaide. When the West Coast Franchise came into being the WAFL chose a name to respresent a State not a city. Your point about Canberra, Hobart or Darwin is moot at best. In terms of history, that bears no comparison and despite your view that the AFL is purely mercenary, I still believe their is some room for tradition and it will prevail. If your argument was taken to its logical conclusion, we could make a squillion by re-naming the MCG, RRS (Range Rover Stadium)

Mate, I did not say you were not welcome, I said your negativity was not. I suggest you re-read your post above. The last thing we need at the moment is this sort of negative attitude. And who am I to tell you. I have been a paid up, non-MCC member, for 39 years. My platinum Membership ticket attests to that. I was with my late father in '64 when Gabbo made his run and the late Froggy Crompton kicked the winning goal for the Dees last premiership. In '65, as a 9 year old, I watched World of Sport and and Tony Charlton's Channel 9 footy show, when Norm Smith was sacked by the apparatchiks of the MCC. I spent the rest of that Sunday crying my eyes out. I bleed red and blue. I love this footy club and will do anything to help it survive. Unlike some on here who want to pick the eyes out of anything at the MFC to soothe their own egos. And just remember this. Imagine a National competition, without a team called Melbourne - where the game was invented. What will we have? The Gold Coast Spectres, the West Sydney Imps or the Tassie Devils. The answer is, the AFL will always need a team called Melbourne in a truly national competition. Just get behind us and stop kangarooing the wallaby The MFC ain't going anywhere away from the MCG..............Our home.

Then give it up and rack off then. BTW, the word is "right" not "rite" Onwards and upwards I say......and we will. Criticise all you like, but we are on the verge of turning this around. Your doomsayer mentality, IMO, is not welcome at the MFC.

Hi DD, You are more than welcome here. You have joined at a time when I reckon you will witness history being made by the Melbourne Footy Club. I understand the points you raise in your post, but the "debates" you are witnessing on here are only reflective of the true passion Dees supporters feel for their Club. While we may not always agree on this Forum and sometimes angrily so, we all love our footy club and welcome people like you who wish to join us. Stay with us DD. There are special times ahead for all of us. Cheers

FFS, what is done is done. You might be right, he/she might be right, even I might be right, but in terms of business reality, what weight does our little debate here carry, in the real football world? Clearly, there are 2 different camps here. One says, it was all the previous administration's fault and the other is saying, it is the premature evacuation by Jimma and his boys/girls of previous regimes, that have caused the current paucity of sponsors for the MFC. Either way, these are different times and different circumstances and unless you were Aladdin, no-one could have foreseen just how far reaching the current economic crisis could have been. While I love debate, what saddens me, and I have said it before on this forum, is that people who claim to have passion for this footy club, slag fellow supporters. I, for one, do not place my faith simply in the wonderful footy story that is Jim Stynes, nor the football pedigree that belongs to Schwaby. I believe that the credentials which belong to Jalland, McLardy and Howcroft, et al, are second to none, when it comes to footy Boards. Speculate as much as you like - we are where we are. Again, while I love debate, in the eyes of the football public, we have to stick fat, otherwise, no matter who holds the reins, we are surely doomed. I, like many of you, love this footy club and I have confidence we will come though this trough a better and stornger club for the long term.............but please........let's be a voice of solidarity on this one. GO YOU DEMONS!!!!!!!!!!!

And if your Aunty had a moustache she'd be your uncle.

See my post above.

The reasons the Bulldogs "out-manoeuvered" us are self-evident and nothing to do with McNamee or any one else on this current Board. The current Global economic crisis means any potential sponsor will way up the pros and cons very carefully, before committing to anybody. The Bullogs, realistically, are for more likely to play finals football this year than we are, therefore the sponsor sees a return more quickly, in difficult times, for their sponsorship dollar. The Bulldogs could offer the naming rights of a particular facility at Whitten Oval, paid for by the Commonwealth taxpayer. The Bulldogs get far more free to air exposure, have a better draw than the MFC in 2009 and therefore the sponsor gets better publicity. Thanks to Vlad the Impaler and his minions. These are simple and obvious reasons that saw the WB's win the day. The sponsor, worth billions, would have done considerable due diligence and market research. On another Forum topic, regarding the 2009 fixture, a number of posters, including me, were given a metaphorical kickin' for being negative. The standard retort to posts on that topic, which sheeted the blame directly to the AFL, was that we would overcome this if we started winning games. Well HELLO!!!!!!!!. Men shouldn't beat their wives either and I still believe in motherhood and apple pie, but what the MFC is experiencing now, is result of the raw deal the AFL chose to hand out to us, yet again, on the fixturing side of things. This, to anyone with an ounce of business acumen, is to state the bleedin obvious and has resulted, due to the mal-administration of previous executives and Boards of the MFC. Not this curent regime. I still remain confident, Schwab and the current Board will be able to deliver us a major sponsor. Watch this space!!!!!

It is now done and I congratulate Junior. I was hoping a sponsrsip annoucement might have accompanied this one, but not to be. I hope a sponsorship announcement is comming soon though.

You're kiddin.......right? The problem with forums........and yes, I am just as guilty, is that the protaganists tend to read opposite posts, pluck the eyes out of them, to slag the previous poster. What saddens me about this forum is that most claim to be avid and fearless Dees supporters. Yet they will slag a bloke/girl on this forum that they may well stand next to at the footy, without even realising. I know most love this footy club, but for 44 years, it has been my life. Other than the 64 GF, I have seen no better story for the MFC than Jimma. Thimgs are tough for us right now, but while I respect everyone's right to their opinion, equally, I challenge, everyone on this forum to be a voice of solidarity for this great footy club, before the first bounce this year. Forum members, let's agree on a venue, and have a pre-season p*ss up to show the Demon solidarity and just how much we love this bloody footy club. Let's show the filth why the MFC beat 'em in so many GF's............... Who's with me here????!!!!! Not forgetting that, relatively, I am an old man and can only drink half shots of Jack Daniels. As Jeff Fenech would say, I loves youse all. Cheers and go Dees.

Clunk

“Doubt is thus the space between reality and the application of an idea. It ought to be given over to the weighing of experience, intuition, creativity, ethics, common sense, reason and, of course, knowledge, in balanced consideration of what is to be done. The longer this stage lasts the more we take advantage of our intelligence.” John Ralston Saul

Fanaticism consists in redoubling your effort when you have forgotten your aim. George Santayana, Life of Reason (1905) vol. 1

Seems to be some fire in the belly there. Wow. However, i'm not sure if its heart burn or just hot air. Go Dees - Go Jimmy. You certainly have my support

RF, While this is a "members" forum, may I resepctfully suggest that you and the Demonland moderators acquaint yourselves with the libel laws. RF, you are walking on some very thin ice at present. Debate is great and welcome, but let's not get personal..........shall we?