Do you empathise with supporters of other clubs?

sandeano

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Oct 7, 2001
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I joined this board around 18 years ago (presumably before a number of posters in this thread were born).

Back then Richmond were rancid. They had been for a long time and would remain so for many years to come.

Not far out from successful times the roosters of this place were the North, Carlton and Essendon supporters smugly basking in the waft of their own farts.

It was not the mocking and jeering from them that it irritating, instead it was the patronising and condescension. *pat on the head* "Run along Tiger, the adults are talking" kinda rhetoric.

Wheels, as they invariably do, find a way of turning (and by god it took some time) and for a good few months and the end of 2017 and into 2018 the stench of Tiger flatulence filled this place equal to the misery felt by Blues, Dons and (to a lesser extent) Roos' supporters. So empathy, yeah, I know how it feels and for any young supporters of those teams hold on because the wheel does turn...eventually. But sympathy, no.

By the way, who was that Geelong supporter here in the early days who, fed up with the cats under-achieving, became a Carlton supporter? Is he still around?
 
Apr 25, 2012
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Never been in a position to be empathetic due to the failings and frustrations of my team, Saints fans excluded.

I can understand the crap Freo supporters would cop in WA from Coke fans and the media and taking it on the chin.

Actually goes the other way.Fremantle fans hang s**t on the Eagles and will have some new outrage to get upset and vent over and they never get over the past injustices be they real or imagined.There are a lot of Fremantle supporters that don't go to games don't watch games on tv all the time but show their allegiance to Fremantle by mouthing off and being derogatory about the Eagles.Personally I don't look forward to derbys because of the attitude.Last derby there was a media beat down on the Eagles because Mrs Pavlich didn't approve of Eagles supporters cheering Gaff.A few Derbys back there was a media beating of the Eagles fans because some Eagles supporter singed his mates dockers (not being worn ) jumper outside the stadium with a lighter.It made less smoke then a puff on a cigarette but the Freo faithful were adamant that it was a total disgrace hundreds of little Italian kids could have burnt to death all Eagles supporters are scum etc etc the media and Basil Zempalis worked themselves into frenzy about it.Personally I am over playing them twice a year.
 

Rusty Brookes

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you choose to support the club, so no

The logical thing to do is change teams each year and follow the team that is most likely to win and bask in the glory. Following football is not logical.

The thing is once you've chosen (or had it thrust on you like my son has), you're with them for life. For better or worse. I reckon far more people re-marry than change football teams.
 

Goggin Our Best

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May 23, 2011
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The only time ive felt really poorly about another clubs plight - was when Melb lost that unlosable Prelim final to the Hawks after the siren

They had huge momentum - big wins in their 1st 2 finals - it was like an irresistible force that had come from no where - had the prelim in the bag - and somehow it got pinched and they lost

Would have been a highly anticipated GF if they had got their - and they would have had every neutral barracking for them in the GF - but it was denied - and by blooody Hawthorn - lol
 
Apr 18, 2005
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The only time ive felt really poorly about another clubs plight - was when Melb lost that unlosable Prelim final to the Hawks after the siren

They had huge momentum - big wins in their 1st 2 finals - it was like an irresistible force that had come from no where - had the prelim in the bag - and somehow it got pinched and they lost

Would have been a highly anticipated GF if they had got their - and they would have had every neutral barracking for them in the GF - but it was denied - and by blooody Hawthorn - lol

Blues would’ve done us
 

Numero Uno

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Mar 28, 2019
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Never been in a position to be empathetic due to the failings and frustrations of my team, Saints fans excluded.

I can understand the crap Freo supporters would cop in WA from Coke fans and the media and taking it on the chin.


still a little tender about last years prelim ?

you obviously don't live in WA..if you did you would quickly realize all the salty vitriol and obsession flows one way
 

Rusty Brookes

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The only time ive felt really poorly about another clubs plight - was when Melb lost that unlosable Prelim final to the Hawks after the siren

They had huge momentum - big wins in their 1st 2 finals - it was like an irresistible force that had come from no where - had the prelim in the bag - and somehow it got pinched and they lost

Would have been a highly anticipated GF if they had got their - and they would have had every neutral barracking for them in the GF - but it was denied - and by blooody Hawthorn - lol

The following year they had their chance to exact revenge in the Grand Final.

The bad guys won.
 
Apr 7, 2010
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still a little tender about last years prelim ?

you obviously don't live in WA..if you did you would quickly realize all the salty vitriol and obsession flows one way

o rly?


Actually goes the other way.Fremantle fans hang **** on the Eagles and will have some new outrage to get upset and vent over and they never get over the past injustices be they real or imagined.There are a lot of Fremantle supporters that don't go to games don't watch games on tv all the time but show their allegiance to Fremantle by mouthing off and being derogatory about the Eagles.Personally I don't look forward to derbys because of the attitude.Last derby there was a media beat down on the Eagles because Mrs Pavlich didn't approve of Eagles supporters cheering Gaff.A few Derbys back there was a media beating of the Eagles fans because some Eagles supporter singed his mates dockers (not being worn ) jumper outside the stadium with a lighter.It made less smoke then a puff on a cigarette but the Freo faithful were adamant that it was a total disgrace hundreds of little Italian kids could have burnt to death all Eagles supporters are scum etc etc the media and Basil Zempalis worked themselves into frenzy about it.Personally I am over playing them twice a year.

The vitriol only flows one way, apparently.

Jesus.
 
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Never been in a position to be empathetic due to the failings and frustrations of my team, Saints fans excluded.

I can understand the crap Freo supporters would cop in WA from Coke fans and the media and taking it on the chin.

Actually goes the other way.Fremantle fans hang **** on the Eagles and will have some new outrage to get upset and vent over and they never get over the past injustices be they real or imagined.There are a lot of Fremantle supporters that don't go to games don't watch games on tv all the time but show their allegiance to Fremantle by mouthing off and being derogatory about the Eagles.Personally I don't look forward to derbys because of the attitude.Last derby there was a media beat down on the Eagles because Mrs Pavlich didn't approve of Eagles supporters cheering Gaff.A few Derbys back there was a media beating of the Eagles fans because some Eagles supporter singed his mates dockers (not being worn ) jumper outside the stadium with a lighter.It made less smoke then a puff on a cigarette but the Freo faithful were adamant that it was a total disgrace hundreds of little Italian kids could have burnt to death all Eagles supporters are scum etc etc the media and Basil Zempalis worked themselves into frenzy about it.Personally I am over playing them twice a year.

The vitriol only flows one way, apparently.

Jesus.

You can have vitriol going one way and arrogance/condensation going the other way.

There was a short story from Isaac Asimov where the results of the psychologists of Earth about the attitude of the Spacers (50 planets that had been colonised by Earth but had declared their independence and were now kind of lording it over the Earthers they considered short lived, disease ridden and the dregs left behind when their ancestors escaped) ... anyway what they noted was that the constant mouthings of superiority and putting down of the Earthers was not a sign of their strength but their weakness ... if they truly felt superior they would not bother - to quote "you don't waste epithets on earthworms'

I spent more time than usual on the Freo/West Coast boards last year in the lead up to the Neale trade and one of the things I noticed (and again I do not live in your house and this may have been an aberration from the norm) but there did seem to be a bit of an element where Fremantle seemed to be defined almost entirely in terms of West Coast (especially in terms of how they were *not* West Coast) while the Eagles seemed to defined by their place in the AFL ... almost like if Freo disappeared tomorrow West Coast would be fine but if the Eagles disappeared tomorrow the Dockers would have to find a new reason to exist.
 
Apr 7, 2010
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You can have vitriol going one way and arrogance/condensation going the other way.

There was a short story from Isaac Asimov where the results of the psychologists of Earth about the attitude of the Spacers (50 planets that had been colonised by Earth but had declared their independence and were now kind of lording it over the Earthers they considered short lived, disease ridden and the dregs left behind when their ancestors escaped) ... anyway what they noted was that the constant mouthings of superiority and putting down of the Earthers was not a sign of their strength but their weakness ... if they truly felt superior they would not bother - to quote "you don't waste epithets on earthworms'

I spent more time than usual on the Freo/West Coast boards last year in the lead up to the Neale trade and one of the things I noticed (and again I do not live in your house and this may have been an aberration from the norm) but there did seem to be a bit of an element where Fremantle seemed to be defined almost entirely in terms of West Coast (especially in terms of how they were *not* West Coast) while the Eagles seemed to defined by their place in the AFL ... almost like if Freo disappeared tomorrow West Coast would be fine but if the Eagles disappeared tomorrow the Dockers would have to find a new reason to exist.

It's an act. it's a passive-aggressive dig much the same way you might call someone you dislike "champ" to aggravate them. I appreciate the insightful anecdotes but believe me, as someone born and raised in Perth, who knows many many West Coast fans and interacts with them on a daily basis (friends, family, colleagues) and after having browsed this forum for ~10 years I can safely say there is real hate, and it goes both ways. That's just typical for a cross-town rivalry and there's nothing wrong with it, embrace the hate I say. honestly, look at the two posters I just quoted and try and convince me of their apathy. And FWIW, I am not saying there is "hate" in equal amounts. I do agree that we tend to fixate on WC too often and I get frustrated when I see discussions on our board descend into generic WC bash-fests. It's just that it's not a one-way street is all.

Feigning indifference despite evidence to the contrary is just lame AFAIC, and it's one of the reasons why our rivalry will never have the status of a Showdown. Adelaide and Port fans have unadulterated disgust for one another and the way they wear it on their sleeves is ******* fantastic, even if it derails too many threads.
 
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Braybrook Son

Norm Smith Medallist
Jul 4, 2016
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It doesnt always come through however I have an affinity with the smaller clubs of the competition, other than the Bulldogs, such as North Melbourne, St.Kilda, GWS, GCS and Melbourne. I have a soft spot for the loyal supporters of clubs that havent had a great deal of success in the modern era.
Why do you feel sorry for GWS and Gold Coast? AFL manufactured clubs, I don’t bloody well feel sorry for them at all
 

Braybrook Son

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Jul 4, 2016
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I only feel sorry for Melbourne and St Kilda fans, as most of them haven’t seen their team win a flag ever in their lives. The fact my team won a flag and I was there to witness it in 2016, has left me feeling very blessed and I’m eternally grateful for that. If I only see one in my life, at least I can say I saw one.

I believe every footy fan should have their day in the sun ☺️
 
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