sue

The Murdoch press referring to ASADA as "The secretive agency...." is typical of their axe-grinding on almost any issue. The main secret I'd like ASADA to reveal is, if they are so underfunded as it appears, why weren't they given a bigger budget once it was clear that 2 major codes needed investigating simultaneously.

Ah the boundless pessimism of Demons supporters. At least let us replace 'no doubt' with 'probably'.

WTF? I didn't say you did. You've forgotten that you had said: "...I wasn't even replying to you in the first place." Happy to 'let it go', but even happier if you could temper your put-downs of other posters. Like This Quote MultiQuote

Geez, this is a forum. If you want to send private messages to someone do it another way. I'm free to comment on what you said about BB's post - in fact I said that I agreed with you. Can't see why I shouldn't add a comment about the way you posted.

How about you put <lighthearted> ....... </lighthearted> around your remarks to make it clear to us precious types when you are being lighthearted and when you are being abusive.

I agree mjt. BB is being unrealistic. But do you always have to add things like 'making a fool of yourself'. It is possible to disagree with someone without abuse.

The optimism expressed by pitmaster suggesting 8 wins/finals of course. You are so keen to insert the knife, very sad really.

You are assuming that his postponing contract talks implies he is sure we won't make the finals. Doesn't automatically follow. Any old argument will do to dampen any optimism anyone is foolish enough to express.

He could attempt to drive change and still quite reasonably wait to see if he succeeded.

That view is understandable. But there has to be a limit for supporters somewhere. To illustrate what I mean by an extreme example, I would take no joy in a 2014 flag if the entire MFC team was replaced tomorrow by Hawthorn players. Would anyone?

I suspect your first sentence probably tells the story. Sloppy journalism. If the problem was actually his foot, rather than being mentioned as a throw-away line at the start of the article, you'd expect it to be followed up in detail in the article. But it wasn't.

In my dementia you won't know what is going on in my mind. That vacant look will be me reliving 1964. With a bit of luck 20xx as well.

The advantage of dementia is that even if we haven't won a flag by then, we can think we have.

The phrase "don't go off half-cocked" comes to mind. ASADA can't charge someone with something hoping a bit more evidence to bolster the case may be discovered later. Your statement that they are investigating an entire club concluded with "Realistically not a lot can have been happening for several months now". Surely the wider the investigation the longer it takes.

OD, I can't disagree with any of that. But I see no reason to dampen the over-the-top optimism of those who see the next Ron Barassi in every new player. Let them enjoy their fantasies while they can. We older supporters know only 1 player in 50+ will ever come near what we hope for. With all the changes this year it is justifiable to be a bit optimistic in the pre-season. God knows what slough of despond we'll all enter if this year turns out a bummer.

OD, you really ought to cheer up just a tad. You can't resist a chance to be negative. Though there are far worse offenders for that on this site, but they can plead the ignorance of youth. And yes I know, many years of disappointment have brought you to this sad state. Better to light a single candle than to curse the dark.

Has anyone, particularly those panicking about his foot, offered an reason why MC would lie in his twitter message? My mind is not devious enough to think of a reasonable one.

Only a very little bit surely. It sounds like the sort of operation that is not likely to go wrong or have longer term issues with pins being removed etc.

I am limited by only be able to watch matches on TV, but it seems to me this is one of the most striking differences between the way we have played and how the better clubs play.

My, you are having trouble adjusting to the 20th century, let alone 21st aren't you. Good luck, you'll need it.

HH is spot on. OldDee you are nitpicking. I challenge you to be injected with an unknown substance. Unknown substances are precisely that - it could be the elixir of life or it could be anything.

Perhaps bigestred meant it has been forgotten about by some Essendon supporters. That certainly seems true.

It's stretching the language a bit, but I wouldn't mind it if we were a despot of a team.

Good to hear you saying something optimistic OD, even as a joke. Things are looking up.

On rereading the Age article it looks like maybe the insurance company didn't ask about bikie connections until after the claim was made, so my last comments may have been off the mark. But in response to RobbieF, it seems a bit rich to expect customers to know what in their past might affect their 'right' to insurance. Obviously a previous conviction or insurance fraud would strike one's mind when applying, but there must be lots of grey areas.I'd have thought the company should at least have a list on the form and then throw in cover-all. I have no sympathy for bikies, but I'm not sure why a bikie should be expected to think they are an extra fire risk just from being a bikie? Should a refugee of 'middle -eastern appearance' have to declare that they are one just because they are more likely to be fire-bombed by some idiot inspired by a shock-jock? I enjoy a long bow.