AmericanCrow
Brownlow Medallist
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2015
- Posts
- 22,302
- Reaction score
- 31,198
- Location
- Phoenix, Arizona
- AFL Club
- Adelaide
- Other Teams
- Cleveland Browns, Indians and Cavs
Stringing together losing seasons can be some of the most trying moments for diehard supporters of any professional franchise. This is especially so with a steadfastly loyal fanbase like the Crows enjoy. It is apt that it falls upon someone amongst the backers that has way to much experience following organizations steeped in heaping losing season upon losing season to place a bow on the 2021 Adelaide Crows with this final Face Off of the year.
Some may wonder my qualifications and expertise with lost seasons? Well, the Cleveland Indians once went from 1949-1995 without sniffing a playoff spot. Not enough? How about the Cleveland Browns who most recently posted 12 straight losing seasons from 2008-2019, the second longest such streak in the history of the NFL.
There can be no question but that:
The Crows head into a critical offseason this year. They now face the real danger of becoming comfortable with showing up for a game or two but mostly being an also ran. No longer can excuses be made for players who show flashes for a game or two stretch, or worse for a quarter or two. No longer can the coaching staff talk of being happy with the “effort” of these players for a game or two, or worse for a quarter or two. No longer can players be built up over their "potential" to develop into AFL caliber professionals. No longer can excuses be made for the coach and his staff about the need for "time" to "develop" and/or "implement" their system. The brutal reality is that the 2021 Crows have been almost entirely unwatchable the second half of the season.
My feelings on many of the players as well as head ball coach Nicks is well known as I have not been shy about what I see and where I believe it leads based on watching many of these same issues as occured in the other franchises I follow religiously. There is no need to regurgitate them prior to the finale of this lost season and no one would be happier than I to say how wrong I was in 2022. Let us all hope that is the case next season when I write up our last game.
As for the game itself?
It is North Melbourne
It is a game that is winnable
It is a game the Crows SHOULD win.
It is a game the Crows DO win by 26
Since I absolutely refuse to end this posting on the sour note the season is so deserving of....I will instead take us back to a fun game that reminds us why we love this sport and how success can be snatched from the very jaws of the darkness of defeat (Plus lets face it, we can never have enough Scott on the phone speed dialing coaching for dummies in an unsuccessful attempt to find an answer for "how can I protect a 4 goal lead with 4:16 to go?)
Some may wonder my qualifications and expertise with lost seasons? Well, the Cleveland Indians once went from 1949-1995 without sniffing a playoff spot. Not enough? How about the Cleveland Browns who most recently posted 12 straight losing seasons from 2008-2019, the second longest such streak in the history of the NFL.
There can be no question but that:
The Crows head into a critical offseason this year. They now face the real danger of becoming comfortable with showing up for a game or two but mostly being an also ran. No longer can excuses be made for players who show flashes for a game or two stretch, or worse for a quarter or two. No longer can the coaching staff talk of being happy with the “effort” of these players for a game or two, or worse for a quarter or two. No longer can players be built up over their "potential" to develop into AFL caliber professionals. No longer can excuses be made for the coach and his staff about the need for "time" to "develop" and/or "implement" their system. The brutal reality is that the 2021 Crows have been almost entirely unwatchable the second half of the season.
My feelings on many of the players as well as head ball coach Nicks is well known as I have not been shy about what I see and where I believe it leads based on watching many of these same issues as occured in the other franchises I follow religiously. There is no need to regurgitate them prior to the finale of this lost season and no one would be happier than I to say how wrong I was in 2022. Let us all hope that is the case next season when I write up our last game.
As for the game itself?
It is North Melbourne
It is a game that is winnable
It is a game the Crows SHOULD win.
It is a game the Crows DO win by 26
Since I absolutely refuse to end this posting on the sour note the season is so deserving of....I will instead take us back to a fun game that reminds us why we love this sport and how success can be snatched from the very jaws of the darkness of defeat (Plus lets face it, we can never have enough Scott on the phone speed dialing coaching for dummies in an unsuccessful attempt to find an answer for "how can I protect a 4 goal lead with 4:16 to go?)
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