How Diehard Are You?

[Aphrodite]

Enlighten me. What was the point of your question, particularly when the OP already answered your question?

I have been to every single Carlton game, bar the Port game at Etihad in 2008 because I had to go to Bali for a wedding, in Victoria since 1988. Yes!!!! 30 bloody years!! I would love to hear from anybody who has been as committed as me because I am nearly this close to being done with our footy club!!! Thoughts please!!!

I asked you a simple question if you are in Tassie.

Nowhere in your OP do you mention that you are/aren’t in Tassie.

You mention that you have been to every single game bar Port in 2008.

 

[TeeJay Blue]

Good on you mate. Buckle yourself in. Unfortunately, it’s going to be a tough ride

It's been a tough ride all my life. I was born the year after the last flag. I'm just about 22 now and my team is still as far as they can be from ultimate glory.

All I ever wanted was to see Carlton win at least one premiership in my lifetime (no more, no less). Only lived through seeing 4 spoons (5 if you include the women and 6 given the men will most likely finish there again).

I tend to think I'm the sort of supporter that has the right to feel the most pain and angst, especially since I arrived too late and have missed the glory days.

 

[Garth Vader]

I could not ever support another AFL club. I'm unequivocal about that.

However, life is very short, I would suggest.

Differrent people cope with everyday stresses in different ways. Personally, I don't cope very well with stress and feel that I need to totally tune out of AFL when our side performs dismally on or off the field. Call it a coping mechanism.

So what does that make me: semi-diehard?

Also, do you consume the coffee or does the coffee consume you?

 

[BlueBelle]

I asked you a simple question if you are in Tassie.

Nowhere in your OP do you mention that you are/aren’t in Tassie.

You mention that you have been to every single game bar Port in 2008.

In Victoria.

 

[BlueBelle]

It's been a tough ride all my life. I was born the year after the last flag. I'm just about 22 now and my team is still as far as they can be from ultimate glory.

All I ever wanted was to see Carlton win at least one premiership in my lifetime (no more, no less). Only lived through seeing 4 spoons (5 if you include the women and 6 given the men will most likely finish there again).

I tend to think I'm the sort of supporter that has the right to feel the most pain and angst, especially since I arrived too late and have missed the glory days.

Very true but if it’s any consolation, I started going in 1988 so have only seen one myself. I feel very lucky to have been there and definitely don’t take it for granted, but I honestly thought we’d show some improvement this year and it’s killing me that we appear to be going backwards

 

[BlueBelle]

I could not ever support another AFL club. I'm unequivocal about that.

However, life is very short, I would suggest.

Differrent people cope with everyday stresses in different ways. Personally, I don't cope very well with stress and feel that I need to totally tune out of AFL when our side performs dismally on or off the field. Call it a coping mechanism.

So what does that make me: semi-diehard?

Also, do you consume the coffee or does the coffee consume you?

Diehard in a different way!

P.S I have one coffee at work each morning to kick start my day. Don’t need one on the weekends, but maybe that’s my problem

 

[BlueBelle]

My post wasn’t about big noting myself or making others feel like they’re less diehard because they haven’t been to as many games. To be honest, I’m interested to hear if anybody is as diehard as me because at 35 years old and only missing ONE VICTORIAN GAME (that’s for Aphrodite ) since 1988, I don’t think there is anybody as diehard as that and if there is, shout out because I’d love to chat!!

 

[Aphrodite]

My post wasn’t about big noting myself or making others feel like they’re less diehard because they haven’t been to as many games. To be honest, I’m interested to hear if anybody is as diehard as me because at 35 years old and only missing ONE VICTORIAN GAME (that’s for Aphrodite ) since 1988, I don’t think there is anybody as diehard as that and if there is, shout out because I’d love to chat!!

Quoted before you edit it again.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Again, attending matches isn't the only criteria for being a diehard.

 

[BlueBelle]

Quoted before you edit it again.

Pardon me for not closing my brackets

 

[BlueBelle]

Again, attending matches isn't the only criteria for being a diehard.

True, but there’s different types of diehards

 

[Jabba73]

Live too far away and cannot afford to go to more than one game a year, if I am lucky to get there. Have watched many games in many places huddled over a blurry picture on a small phone screen with the feed dropping out at random times. Before that, rode every bump and goal through the radio coverage.

Not sure if that is diehard or tragic.

 

[GapInIkonPark]

You’ll never know the difference of being there week in, week out because you haven’t been, just as I haven’t been there watching on tv or whatever other device each week.

Being there every week is a completely different feeling. I don’t care if you believe me or not but just trust me!

I share your pain.

I am lucky to get to one or two games a year, nevertheless I avidly watch our games from start to finish, and mine the newspapers, AFL website etc. and of course BF, for news and opinion.

Just before the start of the 2015 season, I got into a ‘debate’ with a Queensland-based member about whether we should extend Malthouse’s contract. It was on the Carlton Facebook page. I said there is no way we should sign Malthouse again until we see how we go in 2015. The Queensland-based member said we should sign him up right away and if the players are playing badly, we should trade / delist them, whatever.

The member also said my opinion counted for less because I was not a member.

We all know how the 2015 year went. (And thankfully the club did not sign Malthouse on again ... and has reset, etc. and is staying the course).

 

[MrsEddieBetts]

My post wasn’t about big noting myself or making others feel like they’re less diehard because they haven’t been to as many games. To be honest, I’m interested to hear if anybody is as diehard as me because at 35 years old and only missing ONE VICTORIAN GAME (that’s for Aphrodite ) since 1988, I don’t think there is anybody as diehard as that and if there is, shout out because I’d love to chat!!

Is it just me or are those two statements contradictory?

We get it, you go to every game. That's just not possible for some people (with babies, who work weekends, who live regional, interstate or internationally, can't afford it etc) but that doesn't mean that the losses hurt less. We're all supporters/members of the same team, asking people to tick particular boxes of your choosing in order to prove their die-hard status seems very elitist to me.

 

[jd2010]

I have been to every single Carlton game, bar the Port game at Etihad in 2008 because I had to go to Bali for a wedding, in Victoria since 1988. Yes!!!! 30 bloody years!! I would love to hear from anybody who has been as committed as me because I am nearly this close to being done with our footy club!!! Thoughts please!!!

You're a saint. I already do something that offers no enjoyment mon-fri for 40+ hours a week. So when it comes time for the weekend and I see we are off then I'm done with the team quick smart. Cbf not enjoying another 2-3 hours of my week

 

[Soapy V]

Plenty of people? Really? We are one of the most successful clubs in the history of the game and we can barely scrape together 50,000 members. We are irrelevant

Then why bother?

 

[HBF]

Been a consecutive member for 25 years and go most week, although this year has been harder. Prior to that i went every week with a mate who's dad worked at the club. This started about 89. Prior to that i went to games that i could get to, but living in the Dandenongs made it tough.

Having said that, just because you don't go every week doesn't mean your less diehard than the next person.

 

[BlueBelle]

Live too far away and cannot afford to go to more than one game a year, if I am lucky to get there. Have watched many games in many places huddled over a blurry picture on a small phone screen with the feed dropping out at random times. Before that, rode every bump and goal through the radio coverage.

Not sure if that is diehard or tragic.

It’s both

 

[reubsblues]

When you think about your footy team as much as your kids,family and your bussiness and done its from as young as you can remember id say thats as die hard as you can get

 

[BlueBelle]

Then why bother?

Unfortunately I’ve asked myself this question a lot over the past week.

 

[Franc de Borges]

My post wasn’t about big noting myself or making others feel like they’re less diehard because they haven’t been to as many games. To be honest, I’m interested to hear if anybody is as diehard as me because at 35 years old and only missing ONE VICTORIAN GAME (that’s for Aphrodite ) since 1988, I don’t think there is anybody as diehard as that and if there is, shout out because I’d love to chat!!

Same age, been going since '86 including a couple interstate every year, and have permanently scarred myself with a tattoo. So what? Do I get a victory parade down Lygon Street for it?

You sound extremely immature.

 

[Soapy V]

I have been following the club for more than 50 years. When we just played in Melbourne it was easy. When it became the AFL it became harder. When my kids were young and I was working a lot I didn't go to as many games. Now I go to most Melbourne games, training and reserves games. My situation allows that. A few years ago I nearly gave up on them. Now I can see success. Not sure if I am any more diehard now than I was in the 70's. Not sure it matters

 

[Soapy V]

Unfortunately I’ve asked myself this question a lot over the past week.

and only you can answer it

 

[BlueBelle]

Is it just me or are those two statements contradictory?

We get it, you go to every game. That's just not possible for some people (with babies, who work weekends, who live regional, interstate or internationally, can't afford it etc) but that doesn't mean that the losses hurt less. We're all supporters/members of the same team, asking people to tick particular boxes of your choosing in order to prove their die-hard status seems very elitist to me.

My intention wasn’t for my post to sound elitist at all. I’m genuinely interested to hear people’s story. Looking back though, I can see how some of my posts sound but it honestly wasn’t my intention.

If I’ve offended anybody, I’m sorry.

 

[BlueBelle]

I have been following the club for more than 50 years. When we just played in Melbourne it was easy. When it became the AFL it became harder. When my kids were young and I was working a lot I didn't go to as many games. Now I go to most Melbourne games, training and reserves games. My situation allows that. A few years ago I nearly gave up on them. Now I can see success. Not sure if I am any more diehard now than I was in the 70's. Not sure it matters

Good on you for sticking with them. To also go to training and the reserves game is diehard in my view. Can you still see success even after the past three weeks? If yes, I’m interested to hear why because I’m struggling and it hurts because I’ve always had faith. I’m also realistic. I know we have a young side and losing Doc and Gibbs doesn’t help but I feel like something has changed since the Richmond game. It might just be that the season is in full swing now and other teams are really starting to hit their straps and we can’t compete at that level just yet because of our young side. Thoughts?