Roast An open letter to the brave hero who frightened my wife

[Countrypie]

It's been a while since I've posted here.
Life has moved on and I find myself with too many balls in the air to bother.
But I feel compelled to write today about what happened after the game on Monday.
My wife and I have been attending games most weeks. She isn't a Collingwood supporter, but she's a sympathiser and loves watching Collingwood play. She has her favourites - Moore, DeGoey, Mihochek and Cox and probably cheers harder than I do.
On Monday she wore her blue Raincoat vest, a reddish scarf and some maroon-coloured gloves. I guess if you were a drunken idiot you might have mistaken her for a Melbourne supporter.
We left the ground and were making our way back through the thronging crowd when an obviously excited twenty-something toddler came lurching towards us and without warning screamed "Go Pies" in my wife's ear. He lurched away and was lost in the crowd before I could react in any way.
A younger lesser enlightened version of myself blessed (or cursed ?) with Jack Ginnivan's street rat cunning and Bruzzy Maynard's appetite for retribution would have made an effort to follow and would have attempted to ensure that you had a little accident, but I'm too old for that nonsense. As it was I was more concerned about my wife who was visibly shaking. Let me assure you that she is no shrinking violet and that her occupation has seen her in many violent situations.
It wasn't the act itself. It was the sheer randomness and unprovoked nature of it that frightened her.
Whoever you are, I hope you're happy.
The club doesn't need idiots like you, nor does AFL football in general.
We all love to win.
We've all been on the receiving end of cocky arrogant supporters rubbing our noses in it after a loss.
It takes class to be humble in defeat and magnanimous in victory. I'd like to think that Collingwood will never have a President like George Harris who delighted in taunting us. I'd like to think we're better than the idiot fringe I endured for years at Kardinia Park, but idiots are idiots regardless of which club they support.
Every club has its idiot fringe. My wife experienced that on Monday. She's still talking about it today. Congratulations whoever you were, you've let the club down and contributed to the myth that Collingwood supporters are moronic thugs. Here's a tip. Stay away from the football and take up something more suitable to your mental age...something like kinder gym.

Go Pies

 

[JB007]

It's been a while since I've posted here.
Life has moved on and I find myself with too many balls in the air to bother.
But I feel compelled to write today about what happened after the game on Monday.
My wife and I have been attending games most weeks. She isn't a Collingwood supporter, but she's a sympathiser and loves watching Collingwood play. She has her favourites - Moore, DeGoey, Mihochek and Cox and probably cheers harder than I do.
On Monday she wore her blue Raincoat vest, a reddish scarf and some maroon-coloured gloves. I guess if you were a drunken idiot you might have mistaken her for a Melbourne supporter.
We left the ground and were making our way back through the thronging crowd when an obviously excited twenty-something toddler came lurching towards us and without warning screamed "Go Pies" in my wife's ear. He lurched away and was lost in the crowd before I could react in any way.
A younger lesser enlightened version of myself blessed (or cursed ?) with Jack Ginnivan's street rat cunning and Bruzzy Maynard's appetite for retribution would have made an effort to follow and would have attempted to ensure that you had a little accident, but I'm too old for that nonsense. As it was I was more concerned about my wife who was visibly shaking. Let me assure you that she is no shrinking violet and that her occupation has seen her in many violent situations.
It wasn't the act itself. It was the sheer randomness and unprovoked nature of it that frightened her.
Whoever you are, I hope you're happy.
The club doesn't need idiots like you, nor does AFL football in general.
We all love to win.
We've all been on the receiving end of cocky arrogant supporters rubbing our noses in it after a loss.
It takes class to be humble in defeat and magnanimous in victory. I'd like to think that Collingwood will never have a President like George Harris who delighted in taunting us. I'd like to think we're better than the idiot fringe I endured for years at Kardinia Park, but idiots are idiots regardless of which club they support.
Every club has its idiot fringe. My wife experienced that on Monday. She's still talking about it today. Congratulations whoever you were, you've let the club down and contributed to the myth that Collingwood supporters are moronic thugs. Here's a tip. Stay away from the football and take up something more suitable to your mental age...something like kinder gym.

Go Pies

Like you mate I don’t post here often also but felt compelled to reply.

I sit on the second level in an “only” Collingwood section. Yesterday I called the Club to put in a complaint.

We have a group of 5 guys aged 20 - 35. They are usually totally pissed by 3qtr time.

A few weeks back I had to step in because a female Pies supporter called the Cops on one of them.
He got very aggressive and wanted to get physical with her. She put in a complaint the following week.

A couple weeks ago the lady sitting behind me put in a complaint at the Club also.

Half way through the third on Monday a father with 2 young kids (sitting behind me) left the ground due to this vulgar pig.
I then went to the toilet and got their seat numbers……..the one from a few weeks ago gave me a “death stare”

The Clubs response was that they will move them next year………WTF!!

What happened to your wife and what we’re experiencing in “Our Collingwood Section” is inexcusable.
I started following footy during the Vicky Park days so I have heard and seen it all.

Fake tough guys don’t scare me but the Clubs unacceptable response means that this will get worse before it gets better in 2023.

 

[The Magnificent Seven]

Damn sorry to hear Countrypie thats a souring experience. The same can be said for the idiots who punch on and scream from their cars in the same vein.

I hope your wife can be reassured to come back at some stage in the knowledge there’s plenty of us who would protect anyone in the same situation where we can

 

[Countrypie]

Like you mate I don’t post here often also but felt compelled to reply.

I sit on the second level in an “only” Collingwood section. Yesterday I called the Club to put in a complaint.

We have a group of 5 guys aged 20 - 35. They are usually totally pissed by 3qtr time.

A few weeks back I had to step in because a female Pies supporter called the Cops on one of them.
He got very aggressive and wanted to get physical with her. She put in a complaint the following week.

A couple weeks ago the lady sitting behind me put in a complaint at the Club also.

Half way through the third on Monday a father with 2 young kids (sitting behind me) left the ground due to this vulgar pig.
I then went to the toilet and got their seat numbers……..the one from a few weeks ago gave me a “death stare”

The Clubs response was that they will move them next year………WTF!!

What happened to your wife and what we’re experiencing in “Our Collingwood Section” is inexcusable.
I started following footy during the Vicky Park days so I have heard and seen it all.

Fake tough guys don’t scare me but the Clubs unacceptable response means that this will get worse before it gets better in 2023.

I like a drink as much as the next bloke and I'll have a few at the footy, but I've never seen the point of getting plastered at any sporting event. Yep, Vic Park was rugged but it was honest too. Squibs like the people we're both describing would not have survived

 

[Countrypie]

Damn sorry to hear Countrypie thats a souring experience. The same can be said for the idiots who punch on and scream from their cars in the same vein.

I hope your wife can be reassured to come back at some stage in the knowledge there’s plenty of us who would protect anyone in the same situation where we can

She'll be back. Don't worry about that.

 

[gouki88]

Sorry to hear that Countrypie. The behaviour at the footy this year (I've only managed a couple of games) has seemed pretty poor to me. Big dickhead element.

 

[Countrypie]

A couple weeks ago the lady sitting behind me put in a complaint at the Club also.

Half way through the third on Monday a father with 2 young kids (sitting behind me) left the ground due to this vulgar pig.
I then went to the toilet and got their seat numbers……..the one from a few weeks ago gave me a “death stare”

The Clubs response was that they will move them next year………WTF!!

What happened to your wife and what we’re experiencing in “Our Collingwood Section” is inexcusable.
I started following footy during the Vicky Park days so I have heard and seen it all.

Fake tough guys don’t scare me but the Clubs unacceptable response means that this will get worse before it gets better in 2023.

The club simply has to be better than this

 

[sideswipe]

Sorry to hear that Countrypie. The behaviour at the footy this year (I've only managed a couple of games) has seemed pretty poor to me. Big dickhead element.

Time to bring back the Behavioural Awareness Officers?

 

[Rhysoid]

When going to a footy game you should always consider what colours you are wearing and how other fans will interact with you, it's part of the game.

No one should feel scared when going to the footy, but it certainly isn't unexpected to have a few idiots in the crowd who want to rub it in someone's face when there are 70,000 people there in a passionate throng.

On one hand that guy is a complete dickhead for targeting an unsuspecting woman (he should pick on someone his own size so to say, see how that goes for him), on the other hand it sounds like a pretty innocuous event all things considered, there is much much worse behaviour in footy crowds.

 

[Countrypie]

When going to a footy game you should always consider what colours you are wearing and how other fans will interact with you, it's part of the game.

No one should feel scared when going to the footy, but it certainly isn't unexpected to have a few idiots in the crowd who want to rub it in someone's face when there are 70,000 people there in a passionate throng.

On one hand that guy is a complete dickhead for targeting an unsuspecting woman (he should pick on someone his own size so to say, see how that goes for him), on the other hand it sounds like a pretty innocuous event all things considered, there is much much worse behaviour in footy crowds.

My wife doesn't think it was innocuous and as I said, she's no shrinking violet.

 

[Rhysoid]

I take back the colours comment, no one should have to worry about what colours they are wearing to the footy either. Supporting your team shouldn't lead to you being targeted.

 

[JB007]

I like a drink as much as the next bloke and I'll have a few at the footy, but I've never seen the point of getting plastered at any sporting event. Yep, Vic Park was rugged but it was honest too. Squibs like the people we're both describing would not have survived

 

[JB007]

The club simply has to be better than this

 

[Markfs]

I remember going to the rush stand when i was a kid and ironically i also stood in the outer with my brother-in-law at princes park ( yes he was diseased). You might not believe this but I was yappy on most occasions and spent a lot of time perched on steel beer cans but I never felt threatened in any way. It might have been good luck but it seems that there are some males these days who have allowed their youth to extend into their 20s and further. They still have mum wiping their bums and they have been getting pissed for a decade. Maybe in the old days these guys would have been married off by now and would have been content to go to the footy with no agro. I still get amazed by the amount of adults with beards and lines on their faces that seem compelled to act like children to prove to the world that they are having a good time. Men used to be quiet when I was a boy. Probably too quiet. It seems to me that things have swung the other way. If you caught up with the guy, you'd probably find out that he didnt intend to scare your wife. To understand that might happen requires empathy ......and empathy disappeared some years back.

 

[JB1975]

To understand that might happen requires empathy ......and empathy disappeared some years back.

Not at all, empathy is still around, it's just that it needs to be trained into us with the aid of specialised workshops.

I got my certificate. Level 3 Empath. Scored too high for politics, but empathetic enough to be a soldier of fortune.

 

[Markfs]

Not at all, empathy is still around, it's just that it needs to be trained into us with the aid of specialised workshops.

I got my certificate. Level 3 Empath. Scored too high for politics, but empathetic enough to be a soldier of fortune.

too many courses, too many only children with mummies changing their nappies at 25. Modern life...

 

[leon123]

too many courses, too many only children with mummies changing their nappies at 25. Modern life...

The later you mentioned, saw a movie on that the other day.... a bit different, each to their own

 

[Bianconeri]

To understand that might happen requires empathy ......and empathy disappeared some years back.

You seem to have very little empathy for young men…………..

 

[domus]

Time to bring back the Behavioural Awareness Officers?

I hope not. They caused more trouble than they prevented. Acted like big thugs looking for trouble. It was big brother on steroids. If supporters were cheering too loudly they had a word. This is no exaggeration. If you want crowds to continue to drop, bring them back. Hopefully the people around such incidents will call out such behaviour and make it a rare exception.

 

[magpies42]

Cool story. I guess you’ve never been young, drunk and impressionable…

 

[Countrypie]

Cool story. I guess you’ve never been young, drunk and impressionable…

You don't know the half of it. Been there done that. Always respected women, no matter how drunk, how stupid or how young.
I don't like DHs. Didn't then Don't now.

 

[JB007]

I hope not. They caused more trouble than they prevented. Acted like big thugs looking for trouble. It was big brother on steroids. If supporters were cheering too loudly they had a word. This is no exaggeration. If you want crowds to continue to drop, bring them back. Hopefully the people around such incidents will call out such behaviour and make it a rare exception.

It doesn’t work like that anymore Domus……these “young men” have no respect and have NFI how to read the room.

 

[JB007]

You don't know the half of it. Been there done that. Always respected women, no matter how drunk, how stupid or how young.
I don't like DHs. Didn't then Don't now.

Wasting your time mate.

 

[gouki88]

Cool story. I guess you’ve never been young, drunk and impressionable…

There's a significant difference between being "young, drunk and impressionable" and being a complete dick. A difference you seem incapable of comprehending

 

[magpies42]

You don't know the half of it. Been there done that. Always respected women, no matter how drunk, how stupid or how young.
I don't like DHs. Didn't then Don't now.

Fair enough, but are you trying to tell me that you’ve never behaved like a juvenile. Even if you haven’t the majority of people on here would have. Not saying it’s a nice thing to do, just that it’s easy to pass judgement and forget that we have all been through that in one shape or form.