I am a very happy and proud supporter....

[BrisGirl]

I love my team and I am proud of them.

....and I love this game.

To sit through that game on Saturday and cheer as I did, to the point that I have lost my voice, and for them to come through all of the injuries, and to the credit of Collingwood, we won.

It was one of those games, where you know that it was the opposition that made that win most enjoyable and memorable.

I know a lot of you will attack this post, but this is my testimony to my team, whom I love, and it is my way of expressing the appreciation of how I feel towards them and what they have achieved this year.

Back to Back Premiers - The Brisbane Lions

What a fantastic achievement. To come from a Rugby League State, with no media support, to maintain a high standard of work ethic over a two year period, is fantastic.

Collingwood didn't give up, and they took it to us, but neither did my boys, they didn't give up and to their credit, they won.

There is no greater feeling than to be in front and to hear that final siren.....to have the flood of relief and the release of pent up stress.....magical.

A hard fought win.

I am a very happy and proud Brisbane Lions supporter from Queensland.

 

[NICK THE PIE MAN]

Yes well done Lions.

But...Please tell me you supported Brisbane before 2001.

Up here, you see too many that have not given a rat's fat bottom untill the Lions have won the premiership.

I greatly respect the Brissy fans that were here from the early 90's, not the glory hunter, jimmy come latelys. (Im not assuming you are one BrisGirl, just giving my opinion as a QLD resident)

 

[Possumisagun]

Originally posted by NICK THE PIE MAN
Yes well done Lions.

But...Please tell me you supported Brisbane before 2001.

Up here, you see too many that have not given a rat's fat bottom untill the Lions have won the premiership.

I greatly respect the Brissy fans that were here from the early 90's, not the glory hunter, jimmy come latelys. (Im not assuming you are one BrisGirl, just giving my opinion as a QLD resident)

They have to start supporting them sometime, and I think the main reason thye begun now is Brisbane are getting heaps more media coverage due to the success. Just because they haven't been there from the beginning does not mean they are jumping on the bandwagon.

 

[JUBJUB]

Originally posted by NICK THE PIE MAN
Yes well done Lions.

But...Please tell me you supported Brisbane before 2001.

Up here, you see too many that have not given a rat's fat bottom untill the Lions have won the premiership.

I'm guessing she has,considering she registered in August 2001,before Brisbane had won the GF.

 

[Portia]

Originally posted by Possumisagun
Just because they haven't been there from the beginning does not mean they are jumping on the bandwagon.

Um. Yes it does.

However, if they're still on board when the Lions aren't in the finals, they'll count as genuine supporters.

 

[Possumisagun]

So all Essendon, St. Kilda, Collingwood, melbourne, etc. fans are jumped on the band wagon, apart from those that are 106 years old?

 

[BrisGirl]

Originally posted by NICK THE PIE MAN
Yes well done Lions.

But...Please tell me you supported Brisbane before 2001.

Not that I really have to justify my support, but I travelled many times to Carrara and have been a financial member since 1994 and have held the same seat in the Northern Stand since it's completion.

I wrote extensively on the Brisbane Lions site under my real name for many years, until it's closure, and only discovered Bigfooty in August 2001, hence my starting date on the board but not my starting date with my support for my football team.

Can I stay?

 

[NICK THE PIE MAN]

Originally posted by BrisGirl


Not that I really have to justify my support, but I travelled many times to Carrara and have been a financial member since 1994 and have held the same seat in the Northern Stand since it's completion.

I wrote extensively on the Brisbane Lions site under my real name for many years, until it's closure, and only discovered Bigfooty in August 2001, hence my starting date on the board but not my starting date with my support for my football team.

Can I stay?

Notice I said in my original post: "Im not assuming you are"

 

[BrainOfMorbius]

The implication being, of course, that anyone who's become interested in footy or the Lions in particular since they've become successful is a bandwagoner.

I can understand this in Melbourne where everyone around you knows footy well, but in Brisbane there are still plenty of people who've never even seen a game. People like this should be encouraged to support a footy side, and if that means following the team only team based in their city, who can blame them?

It's a cr@p lazy copout term.

 

[Portia]

Originally posted by Possumisagun
So all Essendon, St. Kilda, Collingwood, melbourne, etc. fans are jumped on the band wagon, apart from those that are 106 years old?

Unlike those clubs, for the Brisbane Lions (who we are commonly told formed in 1997), there have been no lows to test Lions fans after their only (and coincidentally current) success.

Yeah, if you jump on a team when they're winning after not having a team before, you're a bandwagoner. No one said you'll stay one, but I daresay there are a good number that will confirm their status by dropping off in a few years (if the salary cap bonus isn't as bad as Eddie says)

 

[Lionel Lyon]

Originally posted by NICK THE PIE MAN
Up here, you see too many that have not given a rat's fat bottom untill the Lions have won the premiership.

Ahem...seasoned Footy followers know it's called a "rat's toss bag."

 

[Cyclops]

I'm a bandwagon Collingwood supporter, I jumped onboard around the glory year of 1976 (that's when I started to pay attention to footy). I started going to games regularly in 1987, another corker of a season, and got my first season's ticket in 1995 or 6 (I can't remember exactly) in time for the Shaw "wonder years".

Well done Brisbane on your great win. All the fans should enjoy it, even those more recently on board, but it must be especially sweet for the Carrara survivors.

 

[Lionel Lyon]

Originally posted by Porthos
Unlike those clubs, for the Brisbane Lions (who we are commonly told formed in 1997), there have been no lows to test Lions fans after their only (and coincidentally current) success.

We won a spoon in 98

 

[cjwalkley]

Originally posted by Porthos
Unlike those clubs, for the Brisbane Lions (who we are commonly told formed in 1997), there have been no lows to test Lions fans after their only (and coincidentally current) success.

Bloody '98 wasn't a whole lot of fun!!

Yeah, if you jump on a team when they're winning after not having a team before, you're a bandwagoner. No one said you'll stay one, but I daresay there are a good number that will confirm their status by dropping off in a few years (if the salary cap bonus isn't as bad as Eddie says)

I disagree that you are a bandwagoner for jumping onto the team if you have never followed football before, however you are a bandwagoner if you jump off when the going gets tough. Good on the people in Qld getting involved, and by all means get stuck into the ones that drop off. But don't don't get stuck into people before they have a chance to prove themself.

 

[Portia]

Originally posted by Lionel Lyon
We won a spoon in 98

As I said, after their recent success. Its a 6 year old club with two premierships and a spoon, I hear.

 

[NICK THE PIE MAN]

Originally posted by Lionel Lyon


Ahem...seasoned Footy followers know it's called a "rat's toss bag."

I have been sprung!

 

[Bomber Spirit]

Originally posted by BrisGirl
Back to Back Premiers - The Brisbane Lions

What a fantastic achievement. To come from a Rugby League State, with no media support, to maintain a high standard of work ethic over a two year period, is fantastic.

(snip)

I am a very happy and proud Brisbane Lions supporter from Queensland.

You have every reason to be happy and proud. Your team has played some sensational football, and the crowd figures and TV ratings indicate that the Lions have well and truly become Brisbane's number 1 club in any code of football.
Great stuff - and for the sake of the game in Queensland it would be sensational if that level of support can be maintained.

 

[BSA]

Support for the Lions will wax and wane, like it does for every other club.

All clubs have their 'bandwaqgon' supporters, all clubs will experience ups and downs in their attendances roughly corresponding to their ability to win on the field.

In the case of a club like Brisbane - surely most of you would agree that every new person attracted to the game (even if they only ever watch one single game) makes the game bigger and better than before ?

Or is Australian Rules Football not allowed to be enjoyed by casual observers ?

 

[hotpie]

Originally posted by BSA
Support for the Lions will wax and wane, like it does for every other club.

except Collingwood.

 

[BSA]

I was waiting for that

yes, even Collingwood - a bit.

Collingwoods crowds showed a slight softening in support during their wilderness years of 95-00 but, yeah Hotpie its all relative.

Its hard to spot a missing 3 or 4000 in amongst 48,000 + yeah sure.

I didn't say all clubs' attendances drop like a stone which both Sydney and Brisbanes have at times in the past but they do all drop off and soften, even by relatively small amounts, like Collingwood for instance

cheers

 

[Ms.Storm]

CJW

Originally posted by cjwalkley


I disagree that you are a bandwagoner for jumping onto the team if you have never followed football before, however you are a bandwagoner if you jump off when the going gets tough. Good on the people in Qld getting involved, and by all means get stuck into the ones that drop off. But don't don't get stuck into people before they have a chance to prove themself.

Yeah, you should know all about jumping off teams!

 

[LionsForever]

BrisGirl I agree with you all the way.
And by the way theres nothing wrong with bandwagoners I guess its healthy for the sport and they'll get use to the way its been played and they'll turn into a true AFL supporter. Like myself I didnt know much about AFL, I kinda following the Brisbane Bears in 1995 but didnt understand the game my parents kinda got me watching it (but my mums a Hawthorn fan lol and well yea dad Brisbane) and I started only watching it up until late 2000 and further on and I love AFL I watch any game that comes on the tv. And Brisbane are an exciting team and I'm proud of what they've achieved.

 

[Smokeyr67]

BrisGirl
I respect you for going to the ol Carrara ground....and if you found my crutch in the carpark marked (my leg has healed, but that bit of aluminium has sentimental value) could you please return it?



That was the AFLs biggest blunder...assuming that a ****ant ground with a muddy carpark could encourage people to embrace Footyin Queensland!

That was a long time ago....I still had a knee!


Well done to the Lions....it was a long road, now its paved with gold!


Smokey

 

[cjwalkley]

Re: CJW

Originally posted by Ms.Storm


Yeah, you should know all about jumping off teams!

A team that is as morally decayed as the Storm, definitely. The difference being is that I will never support them in anything again, nor will I support any other Rugby League team, as the whole competition stinks worse than 5 week old prawns.

I decided to give the Storm a chance and in the first season or two, they seemed to be making a reasonable fist of finding a niche within the Melbourne sports market. However due to a number of pathetic decisions by the management, why should anyone in Melbourne show loyalty when it is completely missing from the club's culture.

Mind you, enjoy the last couple of years of the Storm in Melbourne, as when the final reserves of money dry up they will be just another Reds or Rams or Crushers or Seagulls.......

 

[MarkT]

Originally posted by BSA
Or is Australian Rules Football not allowed to be enjoyed by casual observers ?

Casual observers are allowed to join in on the fun but they don't have to be respected by the passionate fans who follow their team through thick and thin and stand in the cold and wet in the outer.

The real point is will people stick when things go bad. Without knowing your history you seem to have stuck since you are still posting and judging by your nickname you seem to have some history(?). I'm sure you have seen plenty who haven't stuck with your club in Sydney. Which do you respect more?

As a Collingwood supporter I welcome all aboard the Collingwood bandwagon. It is those that stuck with the club through our worst decade ever that have my admiration and it is those people who kept the club going when things got quite bleak and who will ensure Collingwood are around as long as we have a league.

You need your diehards but you also need the bandwagoners to ice the cake when you go well. Watch the Magpie aRMY march now that they have improved enough to be confident of being competitive for some time to come. You will see a big membership surge and attendance increase. I don't mind that. Some are bandwagoners, some are new supporters and some are returning to the fold. It is all improtant. The onesS that were at the G when we were getting punmped and stayed to the end over these last years are the ones who have my respect though.