Crowd behaviour at Essendon games

[Mr Eagle]

(I suspect that it is going to be pretty ugly regardless for the Bomber fans, with some games worse than others - West Coast springs to mind)

Awww, we can't hate anyone coached by Woosha.


Much.

 

[MaddAdam]

I actually reckon you might be correct, in that it is likely to be brought up more next year than this year. I mean, what's the point in yelling at guys like Cooney, Goddard, Simpkin, M Brown etc calling them drugs cheats?? None.

Next year, when the likes of Watson or Heppell etc are running around, I'm sure it will get more of a run then, especially if Watson retains his Brownlow.

I'm not a big one for yelling out too much at the opposition during games. Will occasionally, but it's pretty rare.

Like most stuff at the footy, if it's funny and it good natured sort of stuff, then I don't really care what gets said

Agree, this is when I'd be far more tempted to go the drug cheats line. Especially if they are winning.

 

[W.C. Fry]

(I suspect that it is going to be pretty ugly regardless for the Bomber fans, with some games worse than others - West Coast springs to mind)

I don't think our game will be that bad. Woosha is back, and because of him being in town its the 10 year celebration of our 06 flag. So most of the crowd will be behind Woosha, and just enjoying having Cousins, Judd and everyone else back.

 

[Munich]

Rd2 when they play the Dees at the G. I'm tempted to go down for a Captain Cook lol.

And they're marching from Fed square to the G?

What on earth are they hoping to achieve other than to look like dickheads?

 

[MaddAdam]

Really my stance on opposition supporter interaction hasn't changed from that of before any of this happened. We're lucky that we have a sport where fans aren't segregated because idiots can't control themselves, so the best way to embrace that is to get along with the rest of the crowd. It's just been made a bit harder given that both other Essendon supporters and those from the opposition have become a lot more combative because of all of this.

How bad has it been? Ever got to the point where it really impinged on the day out?

 

[MaddAdam]

Awww, we can't hate anyone coached by Woosha.


Much.

Heh, you're coached by North legends and I'm not keen on you.

There's also so much history between the Bombers and you lot, Sheeds and his stupid jacket waving that became a "thing".

And the West Coast fans do seem to have fully embraced the booing thing. I can see the vocal chords getting a good work out against Essendon.

 

[replicant]

So how are we meant to differentiate ourselves, more hashtags and signs? Yeah they go down real well. I think the fact that there have only ever been a few hundred of those dumb signs held up at games with tens of thousands of people in attendance shows pretty clearly that the majority aren't the hard lined delusional believers. Even then there would be those in the crowd just waving shit around to go with the flow. Your whole idea on this just supports my original post.

Your original post was basically "It's not fair". So?

I sat through last season and watch one of my idols booed out of the game. It got so bad a dual Brownlow winner, dual premiership winner, 300+game player and great of the game didn't even want to take part in the GF parade. It wasn't fair, the media said it wasn't fair, and it still happened. Fair is irrelevant.

I don't know what you can do to differentiate yourselves. I don't really care to be honest. I won't be going to any of your games, so i won't be part of any abuse. But others will, and if you're in Red and Black, you may cop it too. It may be unfair, but it's still going to happen.

I'm not supporting your original comment. That was:

A vocal minority doesn't make it okay to shit on the rest of us.

What a pointless statement. It may not be OK, but that's just the reality you're going to have to deal with.

 

[the PILL]

It will be an easy and over used taunt for the not so gifted in the mind... much like this place and it's undying fascination and recycled humour on the topic...

 

[Donakebab]

How bad has it been? Ever got to the point where it really impinged on the day out?

I'm not really the sort that lets other people get to me so it's been an annoyance at most, poor results definitely get to me more, but the dickheads giving it to you on the way out don't help, especially when they want to get in your face. However I do know some people who it gets to far more and the worst is that people can see this and feed off of it. It's turned them off and they attend less games because of it.

 

[MaddAdam]

I don't think our game will be that bad. Woosha is back, and because of him being in town its the 10 year celebration of our 06 flag. So most of the crowd will be behind Woosha, and just enjoying having Cousins, Judd and everyone else back.

Ahhh, didn't realise that element.

 

[MaddAdam]

And they're marching from Fed square to the G?

What on earth are they hoping to achieve other than to look like dickheads?

I honestly don't know. Seems ill advised to me.

 

[Highwayleopard]

I've not gone to an Essendon game since this all began to be honest. I'm not a cool aid drinker, as it's called, and I am certainly not the type to go to this supposed rally thing.

People are going to act like assholes no matter what, especially if their team wins. If they've had a few, then they'll likely act worse. I take no enjoyment out of Essendon games anymore, and to be frank, it's kind of petulant and childish, in my mind at least, to engage an unwilling person in such.. Well, for lack of a better word, bullying. And when you don't know what the other person is dealing with, what their mental state is, often, this can be rather harmful.

Essendon was wrong, copped it's whack, as did the players. The supporters have done nothing wrong. They don't deserve any such ridicule, the ones that still go, in my mind. Then again, I suppose I am also the sort who doesn't condone booing outside of on field dog acts, to give an idea of my more relaxed mindset.

 

[MaddAdam]

I sat through last season and watch one of my idols booed out of the game. It got so bad a dual Brownlow winner, dual premiership winner, 300+game player and great of the game didn't even want to take part in the GF parade. It wasn't fair, the media said it wasn't fair, and it still happened. Fair is irrelevant.

A very, very good point. Christ, if we use what happened to Goodes as some sort of benchmark, then Watson and Heppell and co should be booed so hard it creates a seismic disturbance.

 

[Munich]

Seems ill advised to me.

Just for something different...

Oh well good on em, I guess?

 

[Donakebab]

Your original post was basically "It's not fair". So?

I sat through last season and watch one of my idols booed out of the game. It got so bad a dual Brownlow winner, dual premiership winner, 300+game player and great of the game didn't even want to take part in the GF parade. It wasn't fair, the media said it wasn't fair, and it still happened. Fair is irrelevant.

I don't know what you can do to differentiate yourselves. I don't really care to be honest. I won't be going to any of your games, so i won't be part of any abuse. But others will, and if you're in Red and Black, you may cop it too. It may be unfair, but it's still going to happen.

I'm not supporting your original comment. That was: What a pointless statement. It may not be OK, but that's just the reality you're going to have to deal with.

You continue to try and extrapolate stuff from my post that I have neither said nor alluded to. First you've called me the irrelevant majority who hasn't done enough, yet I'm pretty much as active as I can be as far as things go that matters, such as voting in board elections. Are you that involved with your club? Then you've tried to imply that I'm playing the woe is me line, which again isn't true. All I was saying is don't tar us all with the same brush, which if you had of read my other posts in this thread came across pretty clearly.

If anything was pointless it was your introduction of Goodes into the conversation as everything I have discussed so far has been about crowd interaction with each other, not directed towards players. When there are large amounts of Sydney supporters being targeted and even threatened over it, then it might be relevant. You don't care, that's fine, then don't comment.

 

[Toump Ass]

A vocal minority doesn't make it okay to shit on the rest of us.

Yeah it does.

Personally I can't wait to go to the G and find Essendon supporters smaller than me to hang shit on. That's part of the fun.

 

[Slartibartfast]

I've not gone to an Essendon game since this all began to be honest. I'm not a cool aid drinker, as it's called, and I am certainly not the type to go to this supposed rally thing.

People are going to act like assholes no matter what, especially if their team wins. If they've had a few, then they'll likely act worse. I take no enjoyment out of Essendon games anymore, and to be frank, it's kind of petulant and childish, in my mind at least, to engage an unwilling person in such.. Well, for lack of a better word, bullying. And when you don't know what the other person is dealing with, what their mental state is, often, this can be rather harmful.

Essendon was wrong, copped it's whack, as did the players. The supporters have done nothing wrong. They don't deserve any such ridicule, the ones that still go, in my mind. Then again, I suppose I am also the sort who doesn't condone booing outside of on field dog acts, to give an idea of my more relaxed mindset.

What! The players have appealed again.
They have done anything but cop there right wack.

 

[threesixpio]

Yeah, it is annoying there's the whatever percentage but certainly enough of them who still think it was an all AFL set up etc.

Because there is the real opportunity for a kind of Mighty Ducks get behind them vibe this year.

And everyone likes to see the underdog do well. I hate Carlton but I was barracking hard for them last night.

In the same that if the Bombers go over to Subi to play West Coast this year (do they, I don't know?) and the Bombers are three points down going into the last quarter and kick a few kick ones, I'd be roaring my guts out for them.

I totally barracked for Carlton but I like Bolts and ever so slightly enjoy the Tiges suffering a bit (sorry Tiges posters).

 

[gavaniacono]

I thought this was an interesting article in Ye Age today:



http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/t...ber-fandom-20160324-gnqehw.html#ixzz43tJ3azK9

What/where is "the line" with paying out on Essendon over this, especially at games? It is something I've seen a fair few Bomber fans talking about here.

At one level, none of the major off field dramatic personae save for Doc Reid are still at the club. It was three getting on to four years ago now.

Yet at the same time, every club has off field stuff that gets brought up by opposition fans. You could probably list one or more for every club in the league.

There's also the element that Bomber fans - that said, you can't generalise to ALL fans of any club on this kind of thing - have traditionally not been backwards in coming forwards when it comes to paying out on other clubs and their fans.

Do we say "That's just footy?" or "They can dish it out but they can't cop it back?"

And the Essendon fan base have certainly used games to push their side over the course of the saga - #StandByHird/Back Our Boys signs at games and even The March in a week's time. There's an argument that Bomber fans have been happy to engage in it on their terms at games, so have to cop what's coming back the other way.

And yet, as someone who supports a club that has been routinely - and still is - bagged at games over low membership figures, told we are going to merge/relocate etc, I know full well how tiresome such stuff can be, and that those who engage in the old "Bring up off field stuff to hide from the fact that you're getting done onfield" game tend to be deadshits, so you wonder - do I want to be one of those deadshits in reverse?

At our game last year, early in proceedings, I made some relatively harmless call that referenced the drug stuff. And a little Essendon kid with his face painted and a flag to wave looked around and you could tell that if me and my mates were to continue this, it was going to really have an effect on the little fella.

So I shut my trap and restricted by vastly amusing ongoing commentary to onfield matters only.

At the same time, if sitting in his spot had been a bunch of blokes who I knew would have had no issue being very vocal if the shoe was on the other foot, I would have kept going loud and clear.

So, thoughts? Where's the line of paying out on them?

(I suspect that it is going to be pretty ugly regardless for the Bomber fans, with some games worse than others - West Coast springs to mind)

"Without hesitation, malice, or thought, go the jugular" - possible attribution, Gen Patton.

 

[gavaniacono]

I totally barracked for Carlton but I like Bolts and ever so slightly enjoy the Tiges suffering a bit (sorry Tiges posters).

pleased to be of service!

 

[MaddAdam]

I'm not really the sort that lets other people get to me so it's been an annoyance at most, poor results definitely get to me more, but the dickheads giving it to you on the way out don't help, especially when they want to get in your face. However I do know some people who it gets to far more and the worst is that people can see this and feed off of it. It's turned them off and they attend less games because of it.

Yeah, see for me this the really interesting bit. At what point does it get over the top?

I must admit there is part of me that feels that Essendon supporters - again, not all, that generalising thing - have been more than happy to dish it out and because Essendon has been one of the more successful clubs of the last 20 years, and certainly one of the most stable and wealthiest (and never had any major offield personal player scandals), have never really had to cop anything back, and now they do, they can't handle it.

But at the same time I'm not at Essendon games every week. And as you say, for people who weren't signed up kool aiders, it would be very tiresome.

 

[threesixpio]

Wonder what Sammy M thinks?

 

[MaddAdam]

I've not gone to an Essendon game since this all began to be honest. I'm not a cool aid drinker, as it's called, and I am certainly not the type to go to this supposed rally thing.

People are going to act like assholes no matter what, especially if their team wins. If they've had a few, then they'll likely act worse. I take no enjoyment out of Essendon games anymore, and to be frank, it's kind of petulant and childish, in my mind at least, to engage an unwilling person in such.. Well, for lack of a better word, bullying. And when you don't know what the other person is dealing with, what their mental state is, often, this can be rather harmful.

Essendon was wrong, copped it's whack, as did the players. The supporters have done nothing wrong. They don't deserve any such ridicule, the ones that still go, in my mind. Then again, I suppose I am also the sort who doesn't condone booing outside of on field dog acts, to give an idea of my more relaxed mindset.

I'm very much of the same view re: booing. Last refuge of the moron, as the Goodes thing proved.

Can I ask what made you stop going to games?

 

[dave123]

Hmm at least we now know the 12 who got caught for cheating aren't playing

I suspect that will be enough for fans not to be too,harsh on them.

 

[MaddAdam]

Just for something different...

Oh well good on em, I guess?

I believe, may be wrong though, it is one of these things where some fans came up with the idea and pitched it and now it has club support.

This has been one of the more interesting elements of the saga - a fair bit of fan/club crossover.

Dero - who I rate as one of the most interesting Essendon supporters on all this - would be able to tell us more - if they want to - about some of the fan/club interaction on crowd events.

Am I right Dero in rrecalling you had a fair bit to do with the original #standbyhird stuff?

As someone who has had a bit to do with the club and was involved with getting the "North Welcomes Refugees" banner up for the Richmond final I have respect for fans who do put their money where their mouth is (if you know what I mean) on stuff like this.