The Reverend

Why the pessimism folks? Better now than Round One. All is well in Demonland. GO DEES!

You see, I read that as 100% optimism. Well done OD, you're getting the hang of it. GO DEES!

On second reading I'm not sure if you've made a statement or asked a question.

I'm not sure I'm back OD. But I'm more back than I was a couple of weeks ago. Busy times at work have prevented me from doing more than grabbing a quick glance at proceedings on Demonland, but everything I'm seeing is giving me cause for renewed optimism. I just have to believe that 2014 will be much better than this year. Bring on Round One. GO DEES!

You see, this is where the optimist differs from the realist and/or pessimist. I would be disappointed if I didn't tip us to win ten games, and then we did. I'd be disappointed in myself for having so little faith. The so-called realist and the pessimist are always satisfied because they fail to dare to dream. Disturb us Lord when we are too well pleased with ourselves, Because we have dreamed too little, When we arrived safely, Because we sailed too close to the shore. Sir Francis Drake - 1577 GO DEES!

WTF. I've been quiet for a few weeks; just sitting and watching. I've tried to put my natural optimism aside and adopt some of Old Dee's cautious pessimism, but I just can't keep it bottled up any longer. Trading has gone well. We've addressed our midfield needs and brought in a mix of youth and experience. This has to make us at least a little bit better. I'm hoping that, if we can stop the beltings and be competitive, players like Watts, Blease, Tapscott might just gain the confidence they need to become the players they could be. If we can get even a 20% improvement out of these guys, along with the natural improvement we can expect from Viney, Toumpas and others, we must be a better team. I'm absolutely, positively almost certain we will win 10 games next year. I'll be a happy man and will be using the single malt for a different purpose. GO DEES!

Does that mean I have to block you as well?

In principal, the words are okay. We just need some substance before we make predictions like that. I'm with you OD; I'd be happy to be hated because I'm tired of the total indifference people have to MFC at the moment. People have even stopped laughing at us. The ultimate turn around will be when we can generate the same passions as those shown towards Collingwood, et al.

Ah, we at Demonland love a good sacking thread don't we?

Just heard on Channel 7 that Watts has told his manager he wants to stay with Melbourne.

Are you a supporter? Go away, you idiot!

Only if you want to see the next five premierships! Would three in a row put a spring in your step and shake off the infirmities? Bloody hell, one would give me another ten years, I reckon. Three in a row would see me almost immortal. GO DEES!

Absolutely OD, but nobody's going anywhere until we win a flag. Paul Roos will be talking to his mate, GOD, and making sure that there will be no loyal supporters taken until the flag flies over the G again. Praise the Lord - we are being led from the desert to the promised land. GO DEES!

Is now a good time to bring this thread back? I would expect there will be all sorts of hopes and dreams bubbling around out there. Let's share them here, free of the negative Nellies. I'm dreaming of Queen's Birthday 2014. 90,000 in attendance 45,000 of them in red and blue. What a magnificent sight to see. Imagine being able to wear the scarf with pride as we head out of the G with the song ringing in our ears. It's going to be a Grand Old Flag once more! GO DEES!

No, I meant it to be a little sarcastic or perhaps cynical. At the moment we're only being kept from the bottom by the Giants. What I am suggesting is that next year we might be more competitive and actually make some headway; perhaps without winning too many.

Your request for an extension is granted. I'm a little more optimistic than you. Whilst I can see what you're saying, I don't agree that the list is as bad as you think. With some culling at season's end, and some judicious drafting, we could be knocking on the door of the top 16 next year. In 2015 I expect to see further culling and the addition of some more free agents to bring us up to a standard that we see us replacing Richmond in 9th place. After that, the sky is the limit. I predict a return to greatness some time before the end of this decade. That will leave me on the good side of 70 and, hopefully, still fit enough to celebrate in a 'wildish' fashion. GO DEES!

How good would it be to have a massive heart attack 30 seconds after a one point victory over Collingwood in a grand final? That's the way to go! C'mon OD, don't just give up and lose hope. Be determined to live long enough to see the turn around. It will come my friend. Hope will keep us alive. GO DEES!

When you give up hope you just become hopeless. Not for me! I'm happy to remain optimistic when all of you guys are giving up. In the end, when the turnaround comes, and it will, I'll celebrate proudly with the knowledge that I never gave up hope. GO DEES!

What about some optimism fellas? "Dare to Dream in 2014" Yeah, I know, I can already see the smart replies; but without hope, there's nothing. Go Dees!

It's my balance? I thought it was my horizontal hold that was out of whack. Does talking about 'horizontal hold' show my age? Does anybody know what that means anymore? Don't worry B59, I'm okay. there is a sense of humour bubbling away in here somewhere. It just gets a bit obtuse sometimes.

The running of the country makes me angrier than the MFC does. I choose to ignore it completely. I would vote for Pol Pot, if he were available, rather than the two morons currently contesting and making a mockery of the highest office in the land. Tongue in cheek? Could be...

"Family, friends, Children, Work." It's about time all of the above were allowed to stop suffering because of MFC's constant failure. I'd like nothing better than to devote some quality time to all of them but it's hard during the season. I'll make it up when the cricket's on. I hope my boss can wait until then for some productive work.

"It's just footy"??? We'll have to agree to disagree B59. It used to be like that once, but now, I need to see some success. I've invested too much of my life in supporting this club and now I'm demanding more. It's certainly more important than anything Abbott and Rudd have got to say. It's far more important than the last royal brat being born. It's even more important than who's going to win Masterchef! The older I get the more important seeing MFC get some success is becoming. I'm optimistic as always - I refuse to become complacent and laugh at our situation. NO! NO! NO!

No I refuse to laugh at this rabble of a team and refuse to find it funny in any way. I refuse to cop the crap any more. That's the trouble with this club, we think it's just a game. FMD, it's much more important than that!

Do we really need this sort of crap. Not even funny. As a supporter I find it offensive that another supporter would bother giving this oxygen.